Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks Odds, Picks & Predictions - Game 1 05/19
The third round of the NBA playoffs continue in earnest with an Eastern Conference battle as the fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers take on the third-seeded New York Knicks in Game 1 of their best of seven series Tuesday night and we have you covered with our Cavaliers vs. Knicks prediction. Cleveland advanced as they drubbed the top-seeded Pistons 125-94 on the road Sunday night. They easily won outright as a 4.5-point underdog. New York blew out Philadelphia 144-114 on the road in Game 4 their last time out last Sunday, covering the line as a 1.5-point favorite.
In the all-time playoff series between the teams, New York has won each of the four previous series. The Knicks own a 12-2 advantage in head-to-head playoff victories. Let’s break down this Cavaliers vs. Knicks matchup.
Cavaliers Seeking Third Straight Road Triumph
Cleveland started the postseason 0-5 as the visiting team but took Games 5 and 7 against the Pistons to advance to the conference finals. The Cavaliers try to string together a third straight road win in the playoffs here. Against Detroit Sunday night, Cleveland never trailed by more than one in the contest. The Cavaliers led by nine after the opening quarter, by 17 at the half and poured it on from there. Cleveland shot 50.6% from the floor in the contest. Donovan Mitchell was one of four Cavaliers players with at least 20 points as he led the way with 26 in the win.
The Cavaliers come into this one ranked 4th in the league in scoring offense as they put up an average of 110.4 points per game this postseason. Cleveland is 6th in rebounding as they grab 42.1 boards per contest. They stand 11th in assists by handing out 22.1 dimes a contest this postseason. The Cavaliers are 9th in the league in scoring defense as they allow an average of 108.8 points per game. Donovan Mitchell leads the way in the scoring department for Cleveland as he puts up 25.6 points plus 5.2 rebounds a night. James Harden (20.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.2 assists) and Evan Mobley (17 points, eight rebounds) are solid secondary options.
Cleveland is 6th in the league in field goal percentage as they shoot 46.5% from the floor as a team in the playoffs. The Cavaliers are 5th as they knock down an average of 12.6 three-pointers a night. They are 8th by connecting on 34% of their attempts from beyond the arc. Cleveland is below average at the charity stripe as they rank 12th by shooting 74.6% from the line as a team.
Key Injury Report for Cavaliers:
- Larry Nance Jr. (illness) is questionable.
Knicks Look to Roll to Eighth Straight Playoff Win
New York, after a pair of one-point losses, trailed Atlanta 2-1 in the opening round with Game 4 on the road. Since that point, the Knicks won seven straight, six of them by at least 14 points. As a result, they swept the 76ers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Against Philadelphia, New York gave up the game’s first basket but that was the lone time they trailed in the contest. The Knicks went on an 11-2 run and didn’t look back. New York was up 43-24 after the opening quarter and 81-57 at the half. You could turn the lights out on the 76ers at that point. The Knicks shot 53.9% from the field, including 25 of 44 from three-point range, in the contest. Miles McBride led six New York players with 25 points in the win.
In the postseason, the Knicks are 2nd in the league in scoring offense with 120.4 points per contest entering this game. New York is 4th in the league in rebounding as they collect 44.7 rebounds per game. They are 2nd in the league in assists by dishing out 26.2 dimes per contest. The Knicks are 1st in the league in scoring defense by allowing 101 points per contest. Jalen Brunson (27.4 points, 6.1 assists) is the team’s leading scorer. OG Anunoby (21.4 points, 7.5 rebounds) and Karl-Anthony Towns (17.4 points, 10 rebounds, 6.6 assists) provide a good secondary punch for the Knicks.
New York is 1st in the league in field goal percentage as they shoot 51.7% from the floor as a team. The Knicks are 3rd in the league in threes per game as they knock down 13.1 triples a night. In addition, they are 1st in three-point shooting by hitting 40.8% of their attempts from beyond the arc. New York is solid at the charity stripe, ranking 7th by cashing in 76.4% of their attempts.
Key Injury Report for Knicks:
- Forward OG Anunoby (hamstring) is probable.
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Cleveland won the final two road games in their series with the Pistons. While one gives credit to the Cavaliers for that, they’re facing a different beast here in the Knicks. New York has obliterated the opposition in their last seven playoff games. We've seen how explosive the Knicks are with Towns as the facilitator offensively. The impending return of Anunoby is another boost to a Knicks’ squad that is second in the postseason for scoring offense. They also are first in field goal percentage and three-point shooting. Cleveland has to show they can deal with the Knicks’ firepower. After seeing them struggle to slow Detroit for most of that series, there is concern that they can contain the Knicks. Therefore, take New York, at home, as they earn the win for a 1-0 series lead.
Our Prediction: Knicks -7.5 (FanDuel, -105)
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