Indiana Pacers vs New York Knicks Prediction & Match Preview - October 5th, 2021 | NBA Preseason 2021-22
The Indiana Pacers will take on the New York Knicks in an NBA 2021-22 preseason game on Tuesday at the Madison Square Garden.
The Pacers will be eager to get back into playoff contention in the upcoming campaign. The Knicks, meanwhile, will look to make a second-straight trip to the postseason.
Both sides will be eager to gain momentum before the regular season, with a strong preseason campaign.
Match Details
Fixture - Indiana Pacers vs New York Knicks | NBA Preseason 2021-22.
Date & Time - Tuesday, October 5th, 2021; 7:30 PM ET (Wednesday, October 6th, 5:00 AM IST).
Venue - Madison Square Garden, New York, NY.
Indiana Pacers Preview
The Indiana Pacers have brought back Rick Carlisle this offseason as their new head coach. The team hasn't changed much, though, with most of their roster looking the same from last season.
Plagued by injuries throughout the campaign, the Pacers failed to qualify for the play-in tournament. Nevertheless, they still possess a talented roster led by Domantas Sabonis and Caris Levert. So it won't be surprising to see them make the playoffs this time around.
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The Indiana Pacers will be without key players heading into preseason and potentially the start of the regular season too.
Caris LeVert is out with a stress fracture, while Edmond Sumner recently had surgery after tearing his Achilles. He will be out for the entire season. Meanwhile, TJ Warren is out indefinitely due to a foot injury.
Key Player - Domantas Sabonis
All-Star Domantas Sabonis will likely have to carry the Indiana Pacers through the start of the regular season. That's because of the absence of Sumner and TJ Warren.
Rick Carlisle will have to make sure Sabonis, the leader of the Pacers team, adjusts well to his setup. Preseason will provide Carlisle a great opportunity to do so. That makes Sabonis a key player for the Pacers on Tuesday.
Indiana Pacers Predicted Lineup
G - Malcolm Brogdon, G - TJ McConnell, F - Justin Holiday, F - Domantas Sabonis, C - Myles Turner.
New York Knicks Preview
The New York Knicks didn't make any big-name signing this offseason. Their main focus was to re-sign their own free agents and address their needs heading into the 2021-22 campaign.
They re-signed Derrick Rose, Nerlens Noel and Alec Burks. Meanwhile, they acquired the likes of Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier to bolster their three-point shooting.
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The New York Knicks may not pose the same threat in defense as they did last season. But that is unlikely to be the case at the offensive end, as they've improved at that end with their offseason acquisitions.
Key Player - Julius Randle
Julius Randle is the New York Knicks' leader right now. He is coming off the best season of his career. Randle did not end the last campaign on a high note, so he will be eager to bounce back. He has a better team around him this time, which gives the Knicks a good chance to qualify for the postseason again.
Randle's main task against the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday will be to limit Domantas Sabonis. That matchup could decide the outcome of the game.
New York Knicks Predicted Lineup
G - Kemba Walker; G - Evan Fournier; F - RJ Barrett; F - Julius Randle; C - Nerlens Noel.
Pacers vs Knicks Match Prediction
The New York Knicks are looking like the better team on paper heading into their contest against the Indiana Pacers.
The Knicks' depth gives them an advantage against the injury-riddled Pacers. Overall, it should be an enticing contest, especially if both sides opt to give their main stars some decent minutes in the middle.
It's still a preseason game at the end of the day, so a Pacers win cannot be ruled out either.
Where to watch the Pacers vs Knicks game?
The match between the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks will be televised locally by MSG and Bally Sports Indiana. Fans can also catch online action with a subscription to the NBA League Pass.
Also check out: Complete NBA Preseason TV Schedule for 2021