The 2025 NBA Eastern Conference finals kick off on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET, with the New York Knicks hosting the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks advanced following a victory over the Boston Celtics, while the Pacers secured their spot by defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers. Currently, the Knicks are favored by 4.5 points, with an over/under set at 223.5 points for this matchup.

Jalen Brunson has been pivotal for New York, averaging 28.8 points and 7.7 assists per game during the playoffs. In contrast, Tyrese Haliburton leads Indiana with averages of 17.3 points, 9.3 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game.

Expert Insights: SportsLine’s Jimmie Kaylor shares his analysis and has identified three first basket scorer prop bets for the first game of the series, geared towards leveraging BetMGM’s Second Chance promotion. These picks promise potential for attractive payouts. New participants can utilize the BetMGM promo code to receive up to $1500 in bonus bets if their initial wager does not win.

BetMGM’s Second Chance Insurance: This special offer allows users to pick a player predicted to score the first basket. If the chosen player fails to score first but does score the second basket, users will receive their stake back.

Here are Kaylor’s top three selections for who will score first in the game:

• Jalen Brunson (+425)
• Tyrese Haliburton (+1050)
• Karl-Anthony Towns (+500)

Brunson’s stats from the regular season and playoffs indicate a significant chance of him winning the opening tip and potentially netting the first basket. His shot attempts indicate his influence on the court. For more insights on what to expect in Game 1, check out SportsLine’s comprehensive betting analysis and player prop picks.