On Monday evening, the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers will begin their second-round playoff series at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan.

Before the game (on FS1's Undisputed), NBA legend Paul Pierce predicted who he thinks will end up winning the series.

Pierce: "Of course I'm sticking with the Pacers. I have reasons why. When I go back to the regular season it looks like Indiana won the season-series to me. Two of them in blowout fashion.. I just think that the depth of the Indiana Pacers is going to get to them."

The Pacers are the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference with a 47-35 record.

They are in the NBA playoffs for the first time since the 2020 season when they still had Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis on the roster.

In the first round, the Pacers beat the Milwaukee Bucks (in six games).

Their core of Myles Turner, Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam has proven to be among the best in the league.

As for the Knicks, they are in the NBA playoffs for the second straight season.

They are the second seed in the Eastern Confernece and had a 50-32 record.

In the first round, the Knicks beat the Philadelphia 76ers (in six games).

Their roster has dealt with injuries this season, and they will be without Julius Randle and Bojan Bogdanovic for the remainder of the postseason.

Game 2 of the series will be on Wednesday evening (also at Madison Square Garden in New York).

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