Pacers vs Knicks Predictions: 3 Player Props for Game 5

It is now or never for the new-look New York Knicks as they trail Indiana one game to three in this Eastern Conference Finals series. Haliburton should be able to continue to carve this tired Knicks defense.

Jalen Brunson should redeem himself after last year’s Game 7 loss to Indiana in the Garden and come back with a vengeance tonight. With that being said, Thibs will have to trust his bench more and more if he wants this series to progress beyond tonight.

Jalen Brunson (NYK) OVER 30.5 Points

This has to be the Brunson game. The Knicks most likely will not have a better path or situation to get back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1994 than the one in front of them. An injured Lillard and Tatum. A Miami team blown up by Butler.

A 64-win Cavalier team was ousted in the second round. The path was picture perfect… until Indiana showed up and stole Game 1 from under New York. Jalen Brunson is too good and too clutch of a performer for this series to go up in flames at The Garden. While the Knicks are 3-5 at home this postseason, JB has remained a consistent force averaging 30 PPG on fairly efficient shooting throughout this playoff run.

In three Knick elimination games, the New York PG has gone for 38/41/17 points in one win and two losses. The most recent loss came against Indiana last postseason in which Brunson scored 17 and the Knicks lost by 21 points at home in Game 7. With a healthy squad heading into this elimination game, expect Brunson to get loose at home and put on a broadway show.

Andrew Nembhard (IND) UNDER 7.5 Rebounds & Assists

This prop hasn’t gone over for Nembhard since Game 1 of this series that ended up as a shootout in the fourth quarter. This series hasn’t gone the young guard’s way, shooting just 39% on 9.8 PPG as a starter.

While his shooting numbers should get back to normalcy tonight, I still find it difficult to see Nembhard become a factor as a lead playmaker and rebounder with the way Haliburton is playing. Coach Carslile wants Hali to rebound and push. While this leads to shooting opportunities for Nembhard, the ball will not be in his hands as often for the remainder of this series.

Josh Hart (NYK) UNDER 4.5 Assists

Josh Hart has remained a factor on the offensive and defensive glass in this series but has failed to contribute as a consistent playmaker. Hart averaged 5.8 APG in the Detroit series and 4.5 APG in the Boston series when New York’s ball movement was much more crisp and fluid.

However in this series Indiana’s full court defense and length has stunted these actions, forcing Brunson and Anunoby to become the primary ball handlers and leave Hart in no-man’s-land much of the time on offense.

With additional McBride, Robinson, and Shamet minutes coming in this game, expect this prop to continue to trend down especially after games 2 & 4 where Josh dropped just one assist in each game.