2025 NBA Eastern Conference finals odds, Game 5 picks: Pacers vs. Knicks predictions by expert on 56-27 run

The New York Knicks will look to stay alive in their best-of-seven series when they meet the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Thursday. Indiana grabbed a commanding 3-1 series lead with a 130-121 win on Tuesday, as the Pacers’ bench outscored New York’s reserves, 36-21. The Pacers (50-32), who are 6-1 on the road this postseason, are one win away from reaching their first NBA Finals since 2000. The Knicks (51-31), who are 3-5 on their home floor in the 2025 NBA playoffs, last won an NBA title in 1973. Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) is questionable for New York, while Aaron Nesmith (ankle) is questionable for Indiana.

Tip-off from Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, N.Y., is set for 8 p.m. ET. Indiana has won 29 of 52 playoff games against New York since their first postseason meeting in 1993. The Knicks are 4-point favorites in the latest Pacers vs. Knicks odds from DraftKings Sportsbook, after opening as 5.5-point favorites. The over/under for total points scored is 223.5. Before making any Pacers vs. Knicks picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions from legendary SportsLine handicapper Bruce Marshall, who is an outstanding 74-48-1 (+2149) roll on his last 123 NBA picks, and is an outstanding 56-27 (+2624) in his last 83 picks involving the Pacers. 

Now, Marshall has analyzed Pacers vs. Knicks and just revealed his coveted NBA picks and betting predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several NBA odds and NBA betting lines for Knicks vs. Pacers. Use a DraftKings promo code, a FanDuel promo code or a BetMGM promo code to get started. 

Why the Knicks can cover

Point guard Jalen Brunson has scored 30 or more points in three of the first four games of the series. In the Game 4 loss, he poured in 31 points, while dishing out five assists, grabbing two rebounds and making two steals. He had 43 points and five assists in a 138-135 overtime loss in Game 1. In 16 postseason starts this season, he is averaging 29.9 points, 7.1 assists and 3.4 rebounds in 38.3 minutes.

Center Towns (questionable) also helps power the Knicks. In 16 playoff games, all starts, he is averaging 21.3 points, 11.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 35.3 minutes. He has three double-doubles in the series, including a 24-point, 12-rebound and three-assist effort in the Game 4 loss. He had 35 points, 12 rebounds and two assists in the Game 1 loss. See which team to back at SportsLine.

Why the Pacers can cover

Point guard Tyrese Haliburton is coming off a near perfect performance in Game 4. He scored 32 points, dished out 15 assists, grabbed 12 rebounds, made four steals and had zero turnovers. It was his first triple-double of the season, and he had double-doubles in both Games 1 and 2. In Game 1, he poured in 31 points, while adding 11 assists and four rebounds. He is averaging 19.4 points, 9.8 assists, 5.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 14 starts this postseason.

Power forward Pascal Siakam is one of five Pacers players averaging double-figure scoring. In the Game 4 win, he scored 30 points, while adding five rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal. In a 114-109 win in Game 2 at New York, he scored 39 points, while adding five rebounds and three assists. In 14 playoff starts, Siakam is averaging 20.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 33.3 minutes. See which team to back at SportsLine. 

How to make Pacers vs. Knicks picks

Now, Marshall has locked in another confident against-the-spread pick for Knicks vs. Pacers. He is leaning Over on the total, but he knows a crucial X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back. You absolutely need to see what it is before locking in any picks of your own.    

So who wins Knicks vs. Pacers, and what X-factor makes one side of the spread hit hard? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Pacers vs. Knicks spread to jump on, all from the expert who has returned over $2,600 on his last 83 Indiana Pacers picks, and find out.