Cavaliers vs. Knicks Prediction & Odds
The fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers travel to New York to take on the #5-seed Knicks on ABC Sunday afternoon at 1:00 PM ET in Game 4 of the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
Can the Knicks cover the 2.5-point spread as home favorites?
New York leads the series 2-1.
The Cleveland Cavaliers went 51-31 in the regular season. They are 1-2 in the playoffs this season. The Cavs are 43-38-4 ATS on the year.
The New York Knicks went 47-35 in the regular season. They’re 2-1 in the playoffs this season. The Knicks are 46-35-4 ATS on the year.
Game Matchup & Betting Odds
501 Cleveland Cavaliers (+2.5) at 502 New York Knicks (-2.5); O/U 206.5
1:00 PM ET, Sunday, April 23, 2023
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Cavaliers vs. Knicks Public Betting Information
Our NBA Public Betting Information page indicates that 60% of public bettors are currently backing the Knicks -2.5 in this contest. Note that these numbers are subject to change, so be sure to check the link to receive the most up-to-date public betting data.
Cleveland Cavaliers DFS Spin
Cavaliers’ power forward Evan Mobley is starting to get his sea legs as a playoff performer. The young big man only shot 30.8% in Cleveland’s Game 1 loss to New York, but he rebounded by shooting 50% or better in the Cavs’ next two games. For the playoffs, Mobley is averaging 10.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, 1 block, and 1 steal per game while shooting 44.1% from the field. He could have some DFS value on Sunday due to his multi-category contributions.
Cavs center Jarrett Allen is second on the club in minutes played through three playoff games. He would be another viable DFS option as he’s putting up 9.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game in three postseason games thus far.
New York Knicks DFS Spin
Knicks guard Quentin Grimes is questionable for Sunday’s tilt with the Cavaliers due to a right shoulder contusion. Grimes is averaging 3.7 points per game in 20.7 minutes per contest through three playoff games this year.
New York shooting guard Immanuel Quickley could be a major factor on Sunday if Grimes is limited or can’t play. Quickley averaged 14.9 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in the regular season and finished second in the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award balloting. His ability to score points in bunches makes him a low-floor-high-ceiling DFS option on Sunday.
Cavaliers vs. Knicks NBA Betting Trends
Cleveland is 8-3-2 ATS in their last 13 games following an outright loss of more than 10 points.
Cleveland is 13-5-1 ATS in their last 19 Sunday games.
Cleveland is 13-6-1 ATS in their last 20 games following an ATS loss.
New York is 3-7-1 ATS in their last 11 games playing on 1 day of rest.
Cavaliers vs. Knicks NBA Prediction
These two teams are fairly evenly matched, in my opinion. They were both in the top ten in offensive efficiency in the regular season, and they both placed in the top seven in average scoring margin as well. They split the first two games in Cleveland, and I believe there’s a high likelihood they split these two games in Madison Square Garden. New York won convincingly on Friday night 99-79, but Cleveland turned the ball over 21 times in that game, which was significantly higher than their regular season average of 13.5 turnovers per game. I believe Cleveland will win this game outright, but I’ll take the Cavs and the points on the road as the pick.
NBA BETTING PREDICTION: CLEVELAND CAVALIERS +2.5