Knicks to return to winning ways at home
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The second round is coming down to the stretch run with multiple series potentially going the distance. Here are our three best bets for Tuesday's two pivotal Game 5s.
Pacers @ Knicks (-2.5, O/U 216.5)
As I wrote yesterday, the Knicks are worth a wager at +105 to win the series. That requires them to win two home games, starting with Tuesday's Game 5.
New York's home and road splits this postseason have been jarring. It's significantly more efficient at home, where it outscores opponents by 3.3 points per 100 possessions. It gets outscored by 8.9 points on the road.
Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, and Josh Hart played limited minutes - by their standards - in Game 4, leading to much-needed extra rest.
The Knicks are depleted and tired, and the Pacers' game plan accentuates their exhaustion. However, the adrenaline boost from playing in front of a raucous Madison Square Garden crowd will help the motivated Knicks avoid a third straight loss.
Pick: Knicks -2.5
Isaiah Hartenstein: Over 9.5 rebounds
Part of the Knicks' recent skid can be attributed to rebounding. They're the NBA's best rebounding team but failed to dominate the boards in the last two games, likely because of fatigue. The extra rest should restore their rebounding tenacity.
Hartenstein needs to dominate that department. He grabbed 12 boards in Game 2, helping the Knicks secure a win. That was the only time he's reached double-digit rebounds this postseason. His workload has increased without Mitchell Robinson. The Knicks will encourage Hartenstein to crash the offensive glass to generate extra possessions.
Assuming Hartenstein plays around 40 minutes, he should have plenty of chances to stack rebounds against one of the league's worst rebounding groups.
Odds: -120
Timberwolves @ Nuggets (-4, O/U 205.5)
While the Timberwolves' defense led it to the No. 3 seed, their offense has been the story this postseason. Minnesota has the third-best playoff offensive rating.
Anthony Edwards is averaging 32 points per game through eight playoff contests. He's the catalyst of Minnesota's offense, but the supporting cast's contributions have been paramount.
The Wolves stifled the Nuggets' offense in the opening two games, but Denver has figured out how to score against Minnesota's towering defense. Jamal Murray looked healthier and shot the ball better in Games 3 and 4, a key development in this series.
The previous two games have gone over the total. The Wolves need to force Nikola Jokic into the pick-and-roll, creating easier offensive looks against a middling Nuggets defense.
Minnesota must return to its physical defensive approach to earn a win. However, the Nuggets might have the answers to the Wolves' defensive puzzle, especially if role players like Aaron Gordon continue shooting well.
Pick: Over 205.5
Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X @soshtry for more betting coverage.