Indiana Pacers vs New York Knicks: betting odds and predictions for May 19

The New York Knicks defeated the fatigue allegations to move ahead of the Pacers 3-2 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, but after an injury to Josh Hart early in Game 6 it seemed the wind had come out of New York's sails.

(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)

Hart plans to give it a go in Game 7, and OG Anunoby has been upgraded to questionable after missing the last few games due to a hamstring injury. Is this enough to give us hope in the Knicks, or will the minutes they logged during the regular season continue to catch up with them?

Let's get into the best way to bet on the Pacers vs. Knicks in Game 7 of the NBA's Eastern Conference Semifinals.

INDIANA PACERS VS. NEW YORK KNICKS FANDUEL ODDS FOR MAY 19

MONEY LINE

• INDIANA PACERS: +116
• NEW YORK KNICKS: -136

SPREAD

• INDIANA PACERS +2.5 (-112)
• NEW YORK KNICKS -2.5 GAMES (-108)

OVER/UNDER (TOTAL)

• OVER 208.5 (-110)
• UNDER 208.5 (-110)

BEST ODDS FOR INDIANA PACERS VS. NEW YORK KNICKS

• The best odds on the New York Knicks are currently at FanDuel, who have Knicks -2.5 (-108).
• The best odds on Indiana can be found at Caesars, offering Pacers +3.5 (-115).
• You'll have to shop a bit if you want to bet the total. The best odds on the Over are at FanDuel at Over 208.5 (-110). You'll find the best odds on the Under at BetRivers, offering Under 209 (-112).

INDIANA PACERS VS. NEW YORK KNICKS GAME INJURY REPORT

INDIANA PACERS INJURY REPORT

• BENNEDICT MATHURIN - OUT - SHOULDER

NEW YORK KNICKS INJURY REPORT

• OG ANUNOBY - QUESTIONABLE - HAMSTRING
• JOSH HART - QUESTIONABLE - ABDOMEN
• MITCHELL ROBINSON - OUT - ANKLE
• JULIUS RANDLE - OUT - SHOULDER
• BOJAN BOGDANOVIC - OUT - FOOT

WHY INDIANA PACERS WILL COVER THE SPREAD

The Pacers will win this game on the offensive side of the ball, plain and simple. Yes, they shot just 34.6% in Game 6, but their defense has never been a strong suit and was aided by all the losses on the other side of the floor, coupled with some progressive fatigue. They can't afford to sit around and hope a very effective Knicks offense has another off-night, rather they'll need to take this one into their own hands.

Indiana managed to shoot around 45% from deep in Game 4 and Game 5, which should certainly give it some confidence heading into this one. The battle down low and on the glass has been won by the Knicks in the aggregate, but the battle on the 3-point line is certainly up for grabs in this one. The Pacers do defend the rim rather well, so it's not as if all hope is lost on defense, but we've seen all series long that the Knicks are capable of beating just about anyone from outside, which is something we learned during the regular season.

The Pacers were around two percentage points better from 3 at home this season and that trend has continued into the playoffs, which is a feather in their cap. New York is also the team here coming in with the injury concerns, and if Hart is unable to perform at the level he's been at all year long, coupled with either the loss or rustiness of Anunoby, the scales will be heavily tipped in their favor.

WHY NEW YORK KNICKS WILL COVER THE SPREAD

First and foremost, even if just Anunoby is able to play in this game it'll be a huge lift to the Knicks. Hart has been arguably the most important player on this team outside of Jalen Brunson, but the difference between Anunoby and Hart when defending Pascal Siakam is night and day considering the height disadvantage that the former Villanova guard finds himself at.

Anunoby would help shore up the interior, which is probably the biggest area the Knicks had an edge before more injuries mounted for this team. It would seem he'll give it a go with the change in his status and the nature of this game, and even if he and Hart are at 70% that should be more than enough to get them on the path to victory here.

The Knicks actually performed slightly better on the road this season from a shooting standpoint, but the script has flipped here in the playoffs with New York shooting a lights-out 38.5% from deep at Madison Square Garden. If Hart is unable to play his normal complement of 45+ minutes, something that seems likely given his abdominal injury, that should mean more shots for the red-hot Alec Burks which may actually boost this team's offensive outlook.

Of course, Anunoby is really the key here and will make or break this one for the Knicks. They've managed to shoot well in this series with the exception of Game 4, however, so they really should be hard to stop in this one.

FINAL PACERS-KNICKS PICK & PREDICTION

We're betting here, so for all intents and purposes it's acceptable to bet on injuries. I'm willing to gamble here that Hart and Anunoby both play given what we've seen on the injury report and the deciding nature of this game. Both injuries aren't exactly ones that take months to heal either, so I do feel good about them playing and have more questions about how effective they'll both be.

While I think Hart is going to struggle a bit and may be limited in his run, Anunoby should be given a chance to make a dent on this one given he's had over a week to rest his hamstring. Though Brunson, Hart and Donte DiVincenzo have really driven this team, if you look at the On/Off numbers it's been Anunoby who's actually made the greatest statistical impact and in this matchup he's proven to be incredibly crucial given he is able to defend Siakam at the power forward position and add rebound the ball well.

I do have concerns about the Knicks' title hopes with the latest round of injuries, but with the way they've shot in this series, and how good they've looked at home, they should find a way here with the way they've defended in the frontcourt all season long with Anunoby. That was the big area where we saw the matchup flip to Indiana in Game 6, and his expected return should make the difference.

FINAL PACERS-KNICKS PICK & PREDICTION: KNICKS ML (-130)

To keep yourself updated on the newest happenings, be sure to check out our Betting News Section. We've organized all the updates so you can find all you need, in one convenient location.