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As a Chicago kid who grew up rooting for MJ’s Bulls throughout the 1990s, I witnessed some battles between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers.
Patrick Ewing and Pat Riley.
Reggie Miller and Larry Bird.
Mark Jackson both ways.
You’re humming “Roundball Rock,” aren’t you?
Here we are, decades later, as the Knicks and Pacers meet for a chance to reach the 2025 NBA Finals. The main characters and supporting cast are much, much different, but the rivalry remains very real.
And these fan bases hate each other.
The first Las Vegas sportsbook to hang a series price was the Westgate SuperBook. It opened New York -145 ($145 wins $100), which felt fair. You knew the Knicks would be favored, with home court and their near 40-point beatdown of big, bad Boston to eliminate the Celtics being the cherry on top.
Within 10 minutes, the SuperBook was at Knicks -160.
The betting market has bounced around over the last four days and the current consensus price is sitting around Knicks -150. That gives New York a 40-cent edge because Game 7 is at Madison Square Garden.
“There was some disagreement in the room,” SuperBook’s VP of Race and Sports John Murray told FOX Sports. “One of our guys has been anti-Knicks all the way, and now they’re favored in the conference final.
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“We did take a Pacers’ bet from a very sharp player on Monday night. It was $10,000 to win $14,000 in the series market. That got our attention.”
One of my NBA wise guys likes Indiana, too.
“The Pacers have more players, more versatility,” he said via text. “It might not be fair to this current Knicks group, but the [Tom] Thibodeau factor is real. His teams always burn out, especially his old teams back in Chicago.
“I have this series much closer to a pick ‘em.”
No matter which side you like, please shop around. You can save yourself plenty of vigorish just by making your bet at the appropriate sportsbook.
Pacers-Knicks series prices:
FanDuel: Knicks -144, Pacers +122
DraftKings: Knicks -145, Pacers +125
Caesars: Knicks -150, Pacers +125
BetMGM: Knicks -155, Pacers +130
SuperBook: Knicks -155, Pacers +135
Circa: Knicks -160, Pacers +140
Ric Bucher on Jalen Brunson, Thunder vs. Wolves, Knicks vs. Pacers
The budding rivalry between star players Jalen Brunson and Tyrese Haliburton should make for exciting television. The crowd shots will not disappoint, either.
In one corner, you’ve got my fellow corn-fed Midwesterners.
In “celebrity corner,” it’s Spike Lee and Timothée Chalamet.
Choose your fighters wisely.
I do respect the positions from the aforementioned wise guys on the Pacers. Brunson is the best player, but I believe Indiana is the better team. And let’s not discount head coach Rick Carlisle’s championship experience.
I’ll be betting the underdog early and often.
“I would rather see New York win,” Murray admitted. “It would be better for business in the next round. Oklahoma City and New York will draw.”
Sorry John, you can’t always get what you want.
PICK: Pacers (+140) win series
Sam Panayotovich is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and the BetMGM Network. He previously worked for WGN Radio, NBC Sports and VSiN. Follow him on Twitter @spshoot.
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