NBA Playoffs Best Bets, Picks, Predictions for Friday, May 23

The conference round of the NBA Playoffs resumes with one standalone matchup on Friday night, as Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Pacers and Knicks takes center stage at 8:00 p.m. ET on TNT.

Our staff of basketball betting experts dug into the latest odds and identified 5 NBA picks for tonight’s contest. Continue below for our NBA best bets and predictions for Friday, May 23.

NBA Playoffs Best Bets, Picks, Predictions: Friday, May 23

[quickslipbasic bookname=”Fanatics” booklogo=”https://assets.actionnetwork.com/573837_FanaticsSportsbook20ALT.png” image=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2025/05/IMG_5726.jpg” buttontext=”Add Our NBA Best Bets to Your Bet Slip Instantly!” buttonlink=”https://www.scoresandodds.com/all/parlay?quickslip=1&onelink=/5kut/1isipbb9?sharedBy=QS_0105&ref=10001″][/quickslipbasic]

[anchor name=”1″][/anchor]

[subheader sizedown=”false” text=”Pacers vs. Knicks”][/subheader]

[gameheader haspick=”true” picktext=”Karl-Anthony Towns Over 23.5 Points (-115)” league=”nba” awaylogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/nba/100/ind.png” awayname=”Indiana Pacers” awayslug=”indiana-pacers” homelogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/07/new-york-knicks-updated-logo-2023.png” homename=”New York Knicks” homeslug=”new-york-knicks” date=”Friday, May 23″ time=”8 p.m. ET” network=”TNT” bookname=”DraftKings ” bookprimarylogo=”https://assets.actionnetwork.com/477013_DraftKings@1x.png” bookreviewslug=”draftkings”][/gameheader]

By Joe Dellera

The Knicks are down 0-1 in the conference finals after a miraculous comeback by the Pacers in the series opener.

Despite the loss, the Knicks were able to score effectively on offense throughout the entire game.

One player that we bet on last game and we are going to do so again is Karl-Anthony Towns.

KAT has torched Indiana this season scoring 21, 30, 40, and 35 points in four games against them.

They simply do not have a great option to stop his unique combination of interior scoring while simultaneously stretching the floor.

I’m expecting maximum effort from KAT tonight.

Pick: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 23.5 Points (-115)

_InlineAdBlock

[anchor name=”3″][/anchor]

[subheader sizedown=”false” text=”Pacers vs. Knicks”][/subheader]

[gameheader haspick=”true” picktext=”Pacers +6 (-110)” league=”nba” awaylogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/nba/100/ind.png” awayname=”Indiana Pacers” awayslug=”indiana-pacers” homelogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/07/new-york-knicks-updated-logo-2023.png” homename=”New York Knicks” homeslug=”new-york-knicks” date=”Friday, May 23″ time=”8 p.m. ET” network=”TNT” bookname=”BetMGM” bookprimarylogo=”https://assets.actionnetwork.com/779359_BetMGM800x200@1x.png” bookreviewslug=”betmgm”][/gameheader]

By Michael Fiddle

I was expecting to approach this series with zig-zag betting.

I backed Knicks in Game 1, and pretty much was going to back the losing team no matter what in Game 2… until one of the craziest endings in NBA history happened.

The market reopened for Game 2 with a heavy desperation tax priced into the Knicks.

I thought the lines would be around -4.5 again, so seeing -6 on the board, it’s Pacers or nothing for me tonight.

Pick: Pacers +6 (-110)

[anchor name=”4″][/anchor]

[subheader sizedown=”false” text=”Pacers vs. Knicks”][/subheader]

[gameheader haspick=”true” picktext=”Myles Turner Under 6.5 Rebounds (-130)” league=”nba” awaylogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/nba/100/ind.png” awayname=”Indiana Pacers” awayslug=”indiana-pacers” homelogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/07/new-york-knicks-updated-logo-2023.png” homename=”New York Knicks” homeslug=”new-york-knicks” date=”Friday, May 23″ time=”8 p.m. ET” network=”TNT” bookname=”BetMGM” bookprimarylogo=”https://assets.actionnetwork.com/779359_BetMGM800x200@1x.png” bookreviewslug=”betmgm”][/gameheader]

By Charlie Wright

Indiana’s defensive approach in Game 1 resulted in Turner playing further from the basket. He was tied for 5th on the team with 9 rebound chances. Turner averaged 7.2 rebounds on 16.6 rebound chances in the second round, but that was a much different matchup.

Turner’s 5 rebounds in Game 1 came with an average rebound distance of 8.3 feet. It was the 2nd-highest mark on the team. That might be the best representation of Turner’s positioning in Game 1.

For context, his average rebound distance was 5.1 feet in the regular season. In the second round against Cleveland, when he was guarding a more traditional center, Jarrett Allen, Turner’s average rebound distance was 5.3 feet.

It’s common for rebound distance to correlate with position and defensive assignment. Point guards Tyrese Haliburton and TJ McConnell were at 10+ feet in the regular season, which makes sense since they’re chasing around fellow guards on the perimeter.

Long rebounds are their only opportunities. Interior players like Obi Toppin and Thomas Bryant posted average rebound distances under 6 feet, since they’re typically guarding other forwards and centers near the basket.

Unless Indiana adjusts their defensive approach, Turner will likely see a diminished role on the glass in this series.

Pick: Myles Turner Under 6.5 Rebounds (-130)

[anchor name=”5″][/anchor]

[subheader sizedown=”false” text=”Pacers vs. Knicks”][/subheader]

[gameheader haspick=”true” picktext=”Aaron Nesmith Over 3.5 Personal Fouls (-150)” league=”nba” awaylogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/nba/100/ind.png” awayname=”Indiana Pacers” awayslug=”indiana-pacers” homelogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/07/new-york-knicks-updated-logo-2023.png” homename=”New York Knicks” homeslug=”new-york-knicks” date=”Friday, May 23″ time=”8 p.m. ET” network=”TNT” bookname=”bet365″ bookprimarylogo=”https://assets.actionnetwork.com/859377_Bet365@1x.png” bookreviewslug=”bet365″][/gameheader]

By Joe Dellera

This is juicy but Nesmith plays extremely physical defense, and the Pacers need him out there to defend Brunson and his ability to stretch the floor on offense.

Nesmith has averaged 4.1 personal fouls per game during the playoffs and has tallied at least 3 in every game, with 4+ in 8/11 games.

He had 5 fouls in Game 1 of this series, and over the last two postseasons, he’s recorded 4+ fouls in 6/8 against the Knicks.

In 13 games including the regular season he has 3.9 per game and clears this line in 9/13.

The physicality is necessary for his success, but it also goes hand-in-hand with picking up fouls.

Over 3.5 fouls is not even a fade of Nesmith, rather it’s a bet that he is entrusted with this role.

Pick: Aaron Nesmith Over 3.5 Personal Fouls (-150)