by Chuck Sommers
Wednesday, Dec 08, 2021
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Venue: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Where to watch: Bally Sports Indiana, MSG
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Pacers -4.5
BetMGM: Pacers -4.5
Caesars: Pacers -4.5
Season record
Knicks: 12-12 (11th in Eastern Conference)
Pacers: 10-16 (13th in Eastern Conference)
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Knicks - Pacers preview and analysis
Recent form
Knicks: won 121-109 at Spurs on Tuesday
Pacers: won 116-110 vs. Wizards on Monday
In this battle of struggling teams that have found somehow to completely miss expectations, I'm leaning toward the Indiana Pacers to knock off the New York Knicks on Wednesday.
The Pacers have not been where they should be with a 10-16 start but are coming off an impressive 116-110 win at home against the Washington Wizards on Monday.
But this thought of how they'll fare against the Knicks has less to do with the matchup and how Indiana responds to adversity. With the recent reports that the Pacers are open to shopping their stars -- Myles Turner, Domantas Sabonis, or Caris LeVert -- it might be time to see the Pacers move the needle on their potential.
Sabonis picked up that All-Star form against the Wizards by going for 30 points, 10 rebounds and six assists while shooting 11 of 15 from the floor. LeVert finished with 19 points, while Malcolm Brogdon also chipped in with 17 points.
"He's a strong-willed guy and he was not going to be denied tonight," Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said of his two-time All-Star big man Sabonis. "There was a lot of contact on some of those plays and it led to some frustration at one point, but he really played one massive game inside."
Sabonis will draw the matchup of Julius Randle, two versatile power forwards that can attack off the dribble and do damage from 3-point range. Randle is coming off an efficient 15-point, 7-rebound, 7-assist outing in a 12-point win against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday.
But the real reason why the Knicks have looked so enticing as of late is the play of RJ Barrett. The former No. 3 overall pick went 7 of 8 from deep and finished with a game-high 32 points in the win.
"I think the defense was really, really focused on Julius," Barrett said. "They were doubling on him every time he had the ball and we just moved it. We moved it and I was able to knock them down."
Prediction
The Knicks have covered three of the past four against the spread with two by thin margins. But I'm really interested to see how the Pacers respond to this latest news. It was bound to be a struggle adjusting to Carlisle's system, but turning that into wins is key. I suspect Indiana to do that. Pacers by 10
Betting trends
The Knicks are 6-13 ATS in the last 19 meetings in Indiana.
The Knicks are 57-47 ATS as an underdog in their last 104.
The under is 7-2 in the last nine meetings overall.
The Pacers are 24-30 ATS in their last 54 as a home favorite.
Projected starting lineup
Knicks:
PG: Alec Burks
SG: Evan Fournier
SF: RJ Barrett
PF: Julius Randle
C: Nerlens Noel
SF: RJ Barrett
PF: Julius Randle
C: Nerlens Noel
Pacers:
PG: Malcolm Brogdon
SG: Caris LeVert
SF: Torrey Craig
PF: Domantas Sabonis
C: Myles Turner
SF: Torrey Craig
PF: Domantas Sabonis
C: Myles Turner
Key injuries
Knicks: None
Pacers: T.J. Warren (foot, out), Justin Holiday (COVID, out)
Statistical leaders
Knicks:
Points: Julius Randle – 19.9
Rebounds: Julius Randle – 9.9
Assists: Julius Randle – 5.4
Pacers:
Points: Malcolm Brogdon – 20.5
Rebounds: Domantas Sabonis – 12.0
Assists: Malcolm Brogdon – 6.2
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
