If the two best words in sports are "Game 7," then the three best must be "Two Game 7s." That's what we have on the menu Sunday, with the Pacers and Knicks vying for the last spot in the Eastern Conference finals and the Timberwolves battling the Nuggets for the final slot out West.
Both series have been full of monster performances, surprises, injuries and great action, and as the conference semifinals come to a close, let's take a last look at the Game 7 between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks.
Tyrese Haliburton over 18.5 points (-125). Haliburton has been up-and-down as a scorer in this series, with three games of 15 or fewer points but two games of 34 or more and an average of 20.5 PPG. After losses in Games 1 and 5 in which he combined for just 19 points, Haliburton spoke out about how he didn't take enough shots and had to be better.
This is Game 7; there should be no question about motivation or energy level. For the series, Haliburton has been able to knock down his shots at a high clip, shooting 52.9% from the field and 42.6% from behind the arc. His scoring woes have come when he doesn't shoot enough, not due to missing shots. In Game 7, I expect Haliburton to be more aggressive from opening tip and surpass this 18.5-point line.
Donte DiVincenzo over 16.5 points (-135). DiVincenzo was on fire in the first half of this series, averaging 29.3 PPG and 6.0 3PG on 50.8 FG% and 56.3 3P% in three games. He cooled dramatically in the next three games, averaging only 10.7 PPG and 1.3 3PG on 31.7 FG% and 20.0 3P%. He did bounce back a bit in the last of those three games, scoring 17 points on 6-for-14 from the field and 3-for-8 from downtown.
I expect more of the same in Game 7, particularly with Josh Hart now dealing with an abdominal injury. The Knicks will need DiVincenzo's production to complement Jalen Brunson, and I think DiVincenzo will deliver.
Projections and Injury Reports
Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds by ESPN BET
Indiana Pacers at New York Knicks
3:30 p.m. Madison Square Garden, New York
Records (Against the Spread)
Pacers: 47-35 (44-36-2)
Knicks: 50-32 (44-37-1)
Line: Knicks (-3.5) Total: 208.5
Money Line: Pacers (+130), Knicks (-155)
BPI Projection: Knicks by 1.5, straight up 55%, 221.2 total points.
Injury Report:
Pacers: Bennedict Mathurin, (OUT - Shoulder)
Knicks: Josh Hart, (GTD - Abdomen); OG Anunoby, (GTD - Hamstring); Bojan Bogdanovic, (OUT - Foot); Duane Washington Jr., (OUT - Knee); Julius Randle, (OUT - Shoulder); Mitchell Robinson, (OUT - Ankle)