Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks Odds, Picks & Predictions - Game 1 05/21

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 2 of their best of seven series Thursday night. We have you covered with our Cavaliers vs. Knicks prediction. New York staged an epic rally as they earned a 115-104 overtime win at home Tuesday night in the series opener. The Knicks covered the line as a 5.5-point favorite in the contest.

In the all-time playoff series between the teams, New York has won each of the four previous series. In addition, the Knicks own a 13-2 advantage in head-to-head playoff victories. Let’s break down this Cavaliers vs. Knicks matchup.

Cavaliers Lament Blown Opportunity in Game 1

Cleveland had New York battered, bloodied and bruised in Game 1 of this series but couldn't land the knockout punch. As a result, the Cavaliers saw the Knicks rise like Rocky Balboa. They were knocked out in overtime to fall behind in the series. In Game 1, Cleveland trailed by seven after the opening quarter. They rallied to lead by two at the half and by 14 after three quarters. The Cavaliers were up 22 with 7:52 remaining in regulation before crumbling. However, Cleveland was outscored 44-11 the rest of the way to wind up with the loss. Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 29 points in the loss.

The Cavaliers come into this one ranked 5th in the league in scoring offense as they put up an average of 109.9 points per game this postseason. Cleveland is 6th in rebounding as they grab 41.9 boards per contest and 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 109.2 points per game this season. Donovan Mitchell leads the way in the scoring department for Cleveland as he puts up 25.9 points plus 5.2 rebounds a night on the year. James Harden (19.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, six assists) and Evan Mobley (16.9 points, 8.4 rebounds) are solid secondary options.

Cleveland is 6th in the league in field goal percentage as they shoot 46% from the floor as a team in the playoffs. The Cavaliers are 3rd as they knock down an average of 12.9 three-pointers a night. They are 8th by draining 33.9% of their attempts from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Cleveland is below average at the charity stripe as they rank 12th by shooting 74.3% from the line as a team.

Key Injury Report for Cavaliers:

• Larry Nance Jr. (illness) is questionable.

Knicks Shoot to Roll to Ninth Straight Win

New York was stuck in neutral for 40-plus minutes of Game 1 but kicked into gear late to earn the win. The Knicks now look to run their win streak to nine games in the postseason as they take the floor here. In Game 1, New York led 23-16 after one quarter before sputtering for an extended period. The Knicks were down two at the half and by 14 after three quarters. They saw the  margin reach 93-71 with 7:52 remaining in regulation before rallying. New York outscored Cleveland 30-8 the rest of regulation and 14-3 in overtime for the win. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 38 points and six assists in the victory.

In the postseason, the Knicks are 2nd in the league in scoring offense with 119.9 points per contest entering this game. New York is 4th in the league in rebounding as they collect 44.9 rebounds per game. They are 3rd in the league in assists by dishing out 25.6 dimes per contest. The Knicks are 2nd in the league in scoring defense by allowing 101.3 points per contest. Jalen Brunson (28.4 points, 6.1 assists) is the team’s leading scorer. OG Anunoby (20.4 points, 7.2 rebounds) and Karl-Anthony Towns (17 points, 10.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists) provide a good secondary punch for the Knicks in the playoffs.

New York is 1st in the league in field goal percentage as they shoot 51.4% from the floor as a team. The Knicks are 4th in the league in threes per game as they knock down 12.8 triples a night. In addition, they are 1st in three-point shooting by hitting 39.9% of their attempts from beyond the arc. New York is average at the charity stripe.  They rank 9th in the league by cashing in 75.2% of their attempts.

Key Injury Report for Knicks:

• No Key Injuries.

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Cavaliers vs. Knicks Prediction

Cleveland had their chances in Game 1 and blew the second-biggest fourth quarter lead in NBA playoff history. The Cavaliers had the wind taken out of their sails in that contest and one has to have concern that they can dust themselves back off here. Meanwhile, New York sliced and diced the Cavaliers’ defense late in regulation and overtime. The Knicks looked like the team that dismantled Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference semifinals. New York is at home with all the momentum in the world. Therefore, take the Knicks here as they take a 2-0 series lead.

Our Prediction: Knicks -6.5 (DraftKings, -105)

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