Will Knicks run out of gas in Game 3?

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The Mavericks and Cavaliers evened their series against the Thunder and Celtics, respectively. The other two series are 2-0, leaving the Pacers and Nuggets in must-win situations Friday.

Let's dive into our bets for two crucial Game 3s.

Knicks team total: Under 107.5 points

The Knicks will finally run out of gas in Game 3. New York's well-oiled machine seems immune to fatigue, but even machines eventually break down.

This is the third game in five days between the Knicks and Pacers, which favors Indiana. The Knicks play a short rotation and seldom go into their bench. Their starters have accumulated ungodly minutes during this playoff run, including Josh Hart, who's played every second of the last two games. But now the Knicks' rotation is even shorter with OG Anunoby out for Game 3 with a hamstring injury.

Jalen Brunson will play, but he sat the entire second quarter of Game 2 with foot soreness. It's fair to expect a slightly hobbled Brunson.

Unfortunate scheduling and injuries aside, the Pacers play fast and defend the Knicks in their backcourt. That style of play doesn't favor a short and tired rotation.

The Knicks' resilience and toughness have led them to two comeback victories to take a 2-0 series lead. The Pacers' defense has been abysmal, showing minimal effort on the glass and at the point of attack. Although defense has been Indiana's kryptonite all season, it should elevate the intensity at home. Plus, expect the referees to favor Indiana after the Pacers' officiating grievances.

Although the Pacers are favored to defeat the depleted Knicks, I'm not willing to lay seven points on Indiana, a team that's lucky to have a spot in the second round. I will, however, bank on the Knicks' offense to struggle.

Odds: -115

Pascal Siakam: Over 20.5 points

Anyone following our best bets knows we played Siakam's over in Game 2, and he finished with just 14 points. The shot attempts were there, but Siakam had an uncharacteristically inefficient night.

Siakam should respond with a better shooting game. He's the beneficiary of Anunoby's absence, Siakam's primary defender in the first two matchups. Hart or Precious Achiuwa will likely guard Siakam. Hart is a ferocious defender, but Siakam has height and length on him. Achiuwa will earn the task when the Knicks play him alongside Isaiah Hartenstein, but Achiuwa doesn't have the foot speed to stop Siakam.

The Pacers should exploit that matchup. Siakam's a better and significantly more efficient scorer at home than on the road.

Odds: -118

Nuggets team total: Over 100.5, 1Q spread: +1.5

The Nuggets embarrassed themselves in Game 2. They looked like an AAU team playing in an older division. Instead of matching the Timberwolves' toughness and physicality, they complained about calls and fell apart, a shocking sight from the defending champs.

Denver might have found its match in a ginormous and daunting Wolves squad. The Nuggets likely won't come back from a 2-0 deficit, but they can go in one of two directions: roll over and take the beatdown, or scratch and claw to gain some ground. Expect a group with championship pedigree to choose the latter.

As dominant as the Wolves' defense has been, they rank first in the playoffs in offensive rating, leading to a 6-0 record. The Wolves might win this series handily, but Game 2 was an anomaly; there won't be another 26-point Nuggets loss. Denver scored 99 points in Game 1, the last time Rudy Gobert played. He'll be back in the lineup Friday.

Denver will implement new offensive strategies to pull Gobert away from the rim. Yes, this game is in Minnesota, but home court doesn't influence the pick. The Nuggets should come out with energy and urgency to open the game and let that carry them to an improved offensive showing.

Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X @soshtry for more betting coverage.