The New York Knicks received the dominant Karl-Anthony Towns performance fans have been clamoring for in a postseason game, with the five-time All-Star having 35 points and 12 rebounds. However, after controlling the majority of the first 45 minutes of Game 1, the Knicks arguably suffered an even more devastating loss to the Pacers than the infamous Reggie Miller four-point play. Despite the Knicks leading by 14 with 2:45 left, the Pacers exited Madison Square Garden with an overtime victory to steal the opener. The Knicks and Pacers will meet for Game 2 on Friday at Madison Square Garden for an 8 p.m. ET start.
Our model is expecting another aggressive performance from Towns when making Friday NBA player prop bets for Friday on betting apps. Accordingly, Towns could be a popular piece of a Knicks vs. Pacers same-game parlay at online betting sites. You can also check out our Knicks vs. Pacers Game 2 SGP.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past six-plus seasons. One of the Data Scientists behind the model, Stephen Oh (@StephenOhCBS), analyzed the sim results and broke down the supporting evidence to reveal which player props have the best value for today’s slate. The NBA odds could change, so act now for maximum value. You can find more analysis from Oh and other SportsLine data analysts on their Inside The Lines blog.
Best Knicks vs. Pacers Game 2 NBA props:
- T.J. McConnell Over 0.5 steals + blocks (+105)
- Karl-Anthony Towns Over 13.5 rebounds + assists (+105)
- Josh Hart Under 10.5 rebounds (-135)
T.J. McConnell Over 0.5 steals + blocks (+105)
The model gives McConnell a 55% chance at a steal and a 20% chance at a block to create implied odds of 47.6%, making this a strong plus-money play. The model projects this despite McConnell going Under this total in three of 11 playoff games. He went Over this number in 70% of games this season, averaging 1.2 steals + blocks per game.
“He was a defensive pest against the Knicks in last year’s playoffs, racking up nine combined steals and blocks in seven games,” Oh said. “With both teams likely to emphasize defense after a high-scoring first half in Game 1, McConnell should record at least one steal or block. Even in limited minutes (12–15), he’s hit the over in 12 of 17 games this season.” bet365 is offering this at +105 odds, and signing up with a bet365 bonus code can limit your risk on a first wager.
Karl-Anthony Towns Over 13.5 rebounds + assists (+105)
Towns went Over this number in Game 1 with 12 rebounds and two assists, and he has 12 rebounds in back-to-back games. The 7-foot center was second in the NBA in rebounding (12.8 per game) during the regular season, and he’s been playing with increased aggression on the glass in recent contests. Towns was more involved offensively in Game 1 with 17 field goal attempts, which bodes well for keeping him in the flow of the game, and that often transfers to an increase in rebounds and assists as well.
The Knicks scored a season-high 69 points in the first half in Game 1, and they’ll need to play with even more urgency to avoid losing back-to-back home games to open the series. Towns averaged 12.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists at home this season. Some sportsbooks are offering Towns’ rebounds + assists total at 12.5 with more juice on the Over, but given the model is projecting Towns at 14.4 on Friday, it sees the best value in playing the Over 13.5 at plus-money. A Caesars Sportsbook promo code for new users or anyone with an account already can make this play at +105 odds, the best odds currently available on the market.
Josh Hart Under 10.5 rebounds (-135)
Hart had 13 rebounds in Game 1 while playing 44 minutes, the second-most minutes on the team, and although he proved last postseason he’s capable of playing every minute of a game and still producing, that may not be the best winning strategy. Mitchell Robinson played just 21 minutes in Game 1 despite the game going into overtime. The Knicks may want to utilize him more in Game 2, which would lead to fewer rebounds for Hart with the 7-foot center on the floor. New York had a plus-minus of 7.7 points with Robinson on the floor against the Celtics last series, meanwhile, the majority of the starters had a negative plus-minus against Boston, so one Game 2 adjustment could feature more playing time for the center.
Hart averaged 9.6 rebounds per game this season and the model projects him for 9.1 on Friday. BetMGM is offering the best odds at -135 for Hart, and new users can take advantage of the latest BetMGM promo code.
