Knicks vs. Pacers Betting Line as New York Shows Improvements
Carrie Stroup here with your Knicks vs. Pacers betting line for Thursday January 16, 2014. Be sure to claim your FREE $100 BET at Sportsbook.com here and remember you can wager on every play of this game right up to the final minute with LIVE IN-PLAY BETTING.
NEW YORK KNICKS (15-23) at INDIANA PACERS (30-7)
Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: Indiana -10 & 182
The Pacers go for their third straight win when they host the recently improved Knicks on Thursday night.
New York has played much better lately and has done so with its commitment to defense, going 5-1 SU (4-2 ATS) in its past six games by allowing only 92.2 PPG on 43.5% FG (26.4% threes). But Indiana has not allowed an opponent to reach 100 points in 13 straight games, going 10-3 SU (9-4 ATS) during this stretch. The Pacers also have a significant rebounding advantage in this matchup with a +4.5 RPG margin (2nd in NBA), while the Knicks have a minus-2.9 RPG margin (26th in league). These teams met earlier in the season on Nov. 20 at Madison Square Garden, where Indiana prevailed 103-96 in overtime, improving the club to 7-3 SU (6-4 ATS) in the past 10 meetings. New York has lost six straight trips (1-5 ATS) to Bankers Life Fieldhouse, but is still 10-10 ATS in its past 20 visits to Indianapolis. The Knicks are a solid 11-8 ATS (8-11 SU) on the road this season, and 20-9 ATS (69%) over the past two seasons when revenging a loss where an opponent scored 100 or more points. But the Pacers are 19-1 SU (14-6 ATS) at home this season, and are a strong 21-9 ATS (70%) as a favorite.
New York has been solid on defense this season, allowing just 98.2 PPG (8th in NBA), but they struggle to score the basketball with just 95.4 PPG (25th in league) on 43.8% FG (24th in NBA). The Knicks saw their five-game win streak come to an end when they lost 108-98 to the Bobcats on Tuesday. SF Carmelo Anthony (26.0 PPG, 8.8 RPG) has been excellent this season, but he has really struggled with his shooting over the past three games (39% FG, 3-of-13 threes). He shot poorly against the Pacers in their Nov. 20 meeting (10-of-28 FG, 36%), but still finished with 30 points, 18 rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Since coming to New York, Anthony has averaged 25.1 PPG and 7.7 RPG in 10 regular-season meetings with Indiana, but has made just 42% FG and 29% threes (16-of-55). His matchup with Paul George will be crucial in determining the outcome of this game. The Knicks will also need a big performance from PG Raymond Felton (11.1 PPG, 5.3 APG). The point guard spot is the weakest in the Pacers’ lineup, so Felton could really help the Knicks if he is to outplay George Hill. Felton missed the first meeting this season with an injury, but wasn't great against Indiana last season, averaging 11.3 PPG (41% FG) and 4.7 APG in 29.9 MPG. He will need to attack the basket and open up the floor for his teammates. PF Andrea Bargnani (13.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG) could be an X-factor in this game. The Knicks brought him in this offseason as a way to get bigger in hopes of better defending David West and Roy Hibbert. Bargnani struggled badly in the first meeting though, tallying just 10 points (4-of-16 FG) and eight rebounds, but he got good looks and if he knocks them down this could be a different game. Bargnani is currently on a hot shooting streak, averaging 12.2 PPG on 53% FG in his past six contests.
Indiana has the best record in NBA because it is the league’s best defensive team, allowing 88.1 PPG, 40.9% FG and 32.6% threes, leading the NBA in all three categories. Offensively, the club scores only 97.4 PPG (20th in league) on 45.6% FG (11th in NBA), 35.8% threes (15th in league) and 20.8 APG (17th in NBA). But they are coming off a season-high 116 points in Tuesday's win, where they knocked down 55% of their field goal tries. SF Paul George (22.8 PPG, 6.2 RPG) had been slumping in 2014 with 16.5 PPG on 34% FG (22% threes) in his first six January games, but he exploded against the Kings with 31 points on 10-of-18 FG (4-of-7 threes). He has thrived against Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks over the past two seasons with 23.0 PPG, 6.8 RPG and 5.2 APG in five meetings, tallying 35 points, five boards, four assists and five steals in the Nov. 20 victory. PF David West (12.5 PPG, 6.9 RPG) has been hot recently with 18.0 PPG (67% FG) and 8.0 RPG over the past two contests, and had 10 points and 10 rebounds in the first meeting between these teams this season. West's strength usually gives the Knicks problems when they play, as he's averaged 14.5 PPG and 6.8 RPG over 22 career meetings. C Roy Hibbert (12.4 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.6 BPG) will also need to anchor the defense against this hungry Knicks team. Hibbert had just eight points and eight rebounds in the first meeting this season, which was actually an improvement from his horrible numbers against New York last season when he scored just 5.5 PPG (42% FG) with 6.3 RPG. But Hibbert shined against the Knicks in the playoffs last May with 13.3 PPG (47% FG), 10.3 RPG and 3.2 BPG in the six-game series. PG George Hill (10.7 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.3 APG) has mediocre numbers over his 13 career games in this series (9.5 PPG, 41% FG, 3.2 APG), but poured in 23 points with eight rebounds in the first meeting between these teams this season. Raymond Felton must do a better job of preventing open looks for him.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
