Knicks vs. Pacers Prediction and Odds for October 25: Playoff Rematch in MSG

The Basketball Mecca is back open and will welcome the Indiana Pacers to face the hometown New York Knicks on Friday evening.

Madison Square Garden has been home to some of the most legendary performances in the sport’s history. Most fans could care less about that and just want their Knicks to get into the win column for the first time following a season-opening loss to the Boston Celtics.

The Pacers, meanwhile, already won on the road and knocked the Knicks out of the playoffs in seven games last year. They’ll look to defend that reputation and their hierarchy in the Eastern Conference when they take the court.

Here, we will analyze the betting odds and share our favorite pick for the Knicks vs. Pacers showdown on Friday.

Knicks vs. Pacers Betting Odds for Friday, October 25

The Knicks did not come close to covering in their opener against the Celtics, who tied an NBA record with 29 made threes. They were 49-43-3 (53.3) against the spread last year, 24-23-1 (51.1 percent) ATS at home, and 31-22-1 (58.5 percent) ATS as the favorite.

The Pacers covered by a half-point in their 115-109 win against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday. They were 54-43-3 (55.7 percent) ATS, 25-23-1 (52.1 percent) ATS on the road, and 28-18-2 (60.9 percent) ATS as an underdog last year.

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Knicks vs. Pacers Prediction

New York Knicks Preview

The Knicks debuted their new-look roster on Tuesday, immediately showing that they have work to do to blend everyone together.

New arrival Karl-Anthony Towns looked uncertain of where to be and when to shoot the ball. He only played 24 minutes and took nine field goals (two threes), well below his 2023-24 season averages of 32.7 minutes, 15.3 field goals, and 5.3 three-point attempts.

Mikal Bridges also did not make a field goal in the first half before he appeared to change his shooting form coming out of halftime. This is after the 28-year-old—who cost the Knicks four unprotected first-round draft picks and a pick swap—developed a hitch in his jump shot during the summer.

Despite those concerns, the Knicks still shot 55.1 percent from the field and 36.7 percent from deep and scored 109 points. They simply had no answers defensively for a Boston team that couldn’t miss from deep.

The Knicks aren’t going to be a great rebounding team and are going to need to solve two key offensive issues: their reliance on Jalen Brunson, and opposing teams being allowed to match their centers with Josh Hart. 

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Indiana Pacers Preview

The Pacers started last year as if they had never heard of the term “defense.” That ultimately didn’t matter because of how strong their offense was, but they tightened the screws leading up to and during the playoffs.

It’s only one game of data against the worst team in the NBA from a year ago, but they held the Pistons to 43.2 percent shooting from the field and 27.3 percent from beyond the arc in their season opener. They also generated 32 assists on 42 made shots despite Tyrese Haliburton being limited to four assists.

Rick Carlisle’s Pacers are a concept team. They aren’t bound to the confines of one system or a series of plays, but instead play at a frenetic pace and stay in constant motion to create a variety of looks, particularly in transition.

Looking ahead to the matchup, Myles Turner has a key role to play on Friday. He blocked four shots in the opener and averaged 1.9 per game last year, but he’ll have to trail Towns to the three-point line and leave space for Brunson to go one-on-one with Pacers defenders.

Indy played its bench players just about as much as anyone last year. Seven reserve players saw action in the opener, led by Benedict Mathurin’s 28 minutes. That too will test the legs and depth of the Knicks, who played their starters more than anyone during important matchups.

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Knicks vs. Pacers Betting Pick

• Knicks vs. Pacers pick: Pacers +5.5 (-115) at BetMGM

The Knicks were a better team overall last year but lost to the Pacers in the playoffs. They now find themselves having to integrate their new arrivals while still dealing with the expectations of playing like a true contender. 

Indiana was a young team that overachieved and reached the Eastern Conference Finals thanks to a point guard many believe isn’t fit to lead a team to a championship. We’ve seen this movie before with Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks, and it’s up to Haliburton and company to prove that they can use their experiences to raise their level. 

The Knicks might’ve shot a good percentage from the field on Tuesday, but they didn’t look like they had a free-flowing offense and were somewhat saved by Miles McBridge’s shooting spree off the bench. As such, this could be a time to look at the visitors.

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How to Watch Knicks vs. Pacers on 10/25/24

• When: Friday, Oct. 25 @ 7:30 p.m. ET

• Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

• TV: ESPN

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