Bet on the Pacers to cover as home favorites against the Knicks in Game 3 of ECSF series

The Knicks extended their series lead to 2-0 on Wednesday with an exhilarating 130-121 win over the Pacers.

Indiana held a 10-point halftime advantage, but Jalen Brunson scored 24 of his 29 points after intermission to lead his team to the win.

Can the Pacers pull one back in the series in Game 3? Or will the banged-up Knicks grab a commanding 3-0 series lead?

Let’s take a look at Friday night’s matchup in Indianapolis.

While Brunson was able to return from his foot injury, OG Anunoby suffered a hamstring injury in the third quarter and did not return.

Anunoby, who scored a career playoff-high 28 points in the game before exiting and whose defense has been critical against Pascal Siakam, is listed as out on the Knicks’ injury report.

Expect more minutes for Precious Achiuwa on Friday. In Game 2, he contributed eight points and five rebounds in 28 minutes. He’s a stout defender and active offensive rebounder, but his offensive input isn’t nearly at Anunoby’s level.

Donte DiVincenzo has been brilliant in this series, scoring 26.5 points per game on 54% shooting. He’s played 44 minutes in both games and needs to carry a significant burden again in Game 3 with Anunoby out and Brunson potentially not at 100%.

With season-ending injuries to Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson also in the mix, the Knicks are simply running out of healthy players.

Alec Burks only played 3.2 seconds in Game 2, while Jericho Sims hasn’t seen minutes in the playoffs. Given the current state of the Knicks’ roster, there’s a good chance we’ll see both in Game 3.

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After a dreadful Game 1 showing, Tyrese Haliburton had an excellent Game 2 with 34 points, nine assists and seven 3-pointers.

Haliburton is a pass-first player by nature, and he’s constantly looking to get his teammates involved, but Game 2 was a reminder that he can also be an elite scorer.

Myles Turner had a poor Game 2, and he’s a player who should perform much better in Game 3 after shooting 3-of-11 in Wednesday’s loss. His ability to stretch the floor is critical, with Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein operating closer to the basket. Turner’s shooting significantly boosts the team’s spacing on offense.

The uptempo pace of the series so far greatly favors the Pacers, who go nine deep in their rotation. Bench players Ben Sheppard and Obi Toppin have been reliable scorers in this series, while T.J. McConnell has played productive minutes with his playmaking and defense.

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle has been vocal about his displeasure with the officiating in the first two games in New York, and there have certainly been some controversial moments.

However, Indiana has held a lead of 9-plus points in both games, faltering down the stretch with the Knicks executing at a higher level in the clutch.

As this series shifts to Indiana, expect the Pacers to secure a much-needed win fueled by their electric home crowd.

And look for Siakam to take advantage of Anunoby’s absence defensively while Indiana’s pace wears on a fragile Knicks rotation.

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