Eastern Conference NBA Playoffs Showdown Preview: Knicks vs. Pacers Finals Prediction for 2025 Season
Front-row Seats to the NBA East Showdown! 🔥
The 2024-25 Eastern Conference Finals kicks off this week with the New York Knicks battling the Indiana Pacers. This playoff clash is a highly anticipated showdown for both squads, marking the Knicks' first East finals appearance since the dreadful 2000 season, while the Pacers are returning for round two after a strong playoff surge last year[1]. 🏀🏀
Let's check out the thoughts of Zach Cohen, VSiN.com's senior editor, on this thrilling series:
🗣️ On January 18, I gave out Indiana to win the East at 44-1 in my daily NBA best bets/player props column. Ever since that day, I've had a quiet confidence in that play. I was ecstatic when the Pacers drew the Celtics, as I always viewed Boston as the biggest threat in the conference.
Here's the catch: Indiana was a borderline top-five team from December to the end of the regular season, but the Knicks looked like nothing but a middle-of-the-pack group. However, the Knicks-Celtics series happened, and I can't deny that they've been playing out of their minds.
👑 I'm officially scared of this Knicks team, which is clicking at the right time and easily has the most talent of any team remaining in the playoffs. So I'm hedging my play on Indiana with a pretty sizable series play on New York.
😈 Naturally, not everyone is down with my future moves. So for those who care about such things, I'll just say that I'm expecting a six- or seven-game series. Indiana is a well-oiled machine on offense and on defense for the better part of six months. But I give the Knicks a slight edge because of the late-game shotmaking of Jalen Brunson, along with their ability to throw OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges on opposing stars.
📍 Fast-forward to Sunday, and after 7 grueling playoff rounds, the Oklahoma Thunder and Denver Nuggets will lock horns in Game 7 to decide the final spot in the Western Conference Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
👉 Looking for a fresh NBA Leaf? The Toronto Maple Leafs (+180) upset the Florida Panthers in Game 6 to force a winner-takes-all Game 7 on Sunday. 🍁
🔄 Stay tuned for Jonathan Davis's Best Bets later today and catch VSiN's analysis of the Eastern finals!
Today's Big Game: Jets at Stars ⌛️
Game 6: Jets (+135 at Circa) at Stars (-150), 8 ET, ABC. Dallas leads 3-2. 🏒
👀 Keep an eye out for Josh Appelbaum's and Steve Makinen's Best Bet contributions later this morning.
In the anticipated Eastern Conference Finals, Zach Cohen's confidence in Indiana to win the East at odds of 44-1 has been shaken by the remarkable performance of the New York Knicks, despite Indiana's impressive regular season form and solid defense. Meanwhile, the Oklahoma Thunder and Denver Nuggets battle it out in a Game 7 showdown for the final spot in the Western Conference Finals, offering intriguing odds for NBA enthusiasts.
