We turn our attention back to the Eastern Conference on Saturday for what should be another lively game between the Knicks and Pacers from the Garden. Ryan Cook shares his best play in our Saturday Daily NBA Tips below.
New York Knicks vs Indiana Pacers
10:00am, Madison Square Garden
If Game 1 was just a taste, what does the rest of this series hold? The Knicks have had a day to reflect and lick their wounds after letting a winnable game slip through their fingers, and it remains to be seen how such an emotional letdown affects them moving forward. I wrote before Game 1 that I thought Indiana had the better, deeper bench entering this series, while they’ve also been red-hot from three right through the playoffs. From what I saw on Thursday, the Knicks struggled with the Pacers’ ball movement, while they also handle the pressure in clutch moments better – something New York struggled with in the first round against Detroit. The Pacers can’t afford to fall behind by double digits again on the road, but it feels like they have a blueprint in place to make this very difficult for the Knicks before things head back to Indiana.
Tip: Pacers to Cover (+6)