The Eastern Conference Finals could come to a close on Thursday night, as the Indiana Pacers have a 3-1 series lead over the New York Knicks.
So, let’s not pass up one more chance to bet on some player props in this series!
I’m eyeing three plays for Thursday’s Game 5, including picks for the Pacers’ stars – Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton.
Both players had huge games in Game 4, and they could follow that up in Game 5 with the Knicks on the ropes.
Plus, there is one Knicks wing that has been undervalued as a rebounder in this series, and his prop remains at the same number in Game 5.
Here’s a full breakdown of these player props and their latest odds for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.
Pascal Siakam OVER 20.5 Points (-105)
Pascal Siakam has killed the Knicks in two of the four games in this series, scoring 39 points in Game 2 and 30 points in Game 4.
He’s put up at least 17 points in every game in this matchup and has 21 or more points in seven of his 14 games this postseason.
Outside of OG Anunoby, the Knicks don’t have a good matchup for Siakam, and the Pacers forward has been aggressive in the series, attempting 18.5 shots and 6.0 free throws per game.
With the Knicks struggling on defense in this series overall – allowing Indy to score 130 or more points twice – Siakam is a solid bet at this number in Game 5.
Josh Hart OVER 8.5 Rebounds (-130)
Earlier today, I shared in my NBA Best Bets column – Peter’s Points – why Josh Hart is a solid prop target in Game 5:
Hart has moved to the bench for the Knicks in this series, but he’s still had an impact on the glass, grabbing 13 boards in Game 1, 10 in Game 3 and 11 in Game 4.
After averaging well over nine rebounds per game in the regular season, Hart may be undervalued in this prop in Game 5 with it set at just 8.5.
The Knicks do-it-all wing is averaging 17.8 rebound chances per game this postseason, including 17.5 rebound chances per game in this series.
The Pacers are just 11th in rebounding percentage out of 16 playoff teams this season, so this is a favorable matchup for Hart on the glass. With Towns dealing with a knee issue, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Hart reach double-digit boards for the fourth time in this series.
Tyrese Haliburton OVER 9.5 Assists (-125)
Haliburton has torched the Knicks in this series, getting to his spots every time on offense while averaging 24.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 11.0 assists per game. Haliburton’s desire to push the pace – and willingness to get off the ball – is what makes Indiana so dangerous on offense.
In this series, Haliburton has double-digit assists in three of his four games, and he’s averaging 9.8 dimes per game in the playoffs. The Knicks have given up just over 21 assists per game in the playoffs, but that number has jumped to 25.5 per game in this series.
Haliburton is a great bet to reach double-digit dimes for the fourth time in five games on Thursday.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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Find Peter Dewey’s NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.
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