2023 Playoffs: NY Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers Odds & Picks

There are only going to be a handful of NBA games tonight, and that will be the case throughout the remainder of the season. Just 16 teams are left standings, and that number will get reduced throughout the postseason. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers host the New York Knicks on Saturday night to begin their best-of-seven series in the Eastern Conference. The NBA odds today have the Cavaliers as favorites in Game 1, and they are also favored to win the series. 

Here is some NBA playoffs information that will help guide you if you are wanting to make a Knicks vs Cavaliers prediction. 

The first step in trying to make a Knicks vs Cavaliers prediction is to look at the odds that are available. You will find that the Cavaliers are a 5.5-point betting favorite in Game 1 of the series, and the over/under is set at 214.5 total points.

Making NBA picks today isn’t going to be easy, as the playoffs can be wildly unpredictable. These odds are also only for Game 1, as they could change a bit depending on how things start to play out.

New York Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers

Location of the Game: Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, Cleveland, OH.

Date and Time: Saturday, April 15, 6:00 PM EST.

How to Watch: ESPN

NY Knicks injuries seemed to be a narrative throughout the regular season, and it’s a potential reason as to why this team ended up on the road in the playoff opener. Julius Randle could end up missing this game as well as he continues to deal with an ankle injury. 

Jalen Brunson will be on the floor for the Knicks, and he put up some impressive NBA player stats during the 2022-23 season. Brunson averaged 24 points and 6.2 assists per game for the Knicks this season, and he is a player that does have some postseason experience. 

New York is a team that wants to try to slow the game down and win with defense, but that’s not always easy to do against Cleveland. The Knicks are going to be facing a huge size disadvantage, and they are going to have to find a way to battle in the paint. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers roster got a major upgrade during the offseason with the addition of Donovan Mitchell. Cleveland was a team that was missing a top-scoring option, and Mitchell has provided all of that and more this season. 

Mitchell set the tone for the Cavaliers with 28.3 points per game this season, and he will be taking all of the big shots in this game. While the Cavaliers do count on Mitchell for his perimeter scoring, they usually destroy opponents in the paint. 

Cleveland has some very solid NBA team stats on both offense and defense, and they seem to continue getting better. There are some players on this Cavaliers team that need to prove their worth in the postseason, and that will be a story to watch as this series unfolds.

Looking at the NBA schedule during the regular season is another way to help make a Knicks vs Cavaliers prediction. Cleveland had the better overall season, but it was the Knicks that actually won two of the three matchups between the teams.

Still, home-court advantage is going to play a much larger role in the postseason, and that is why the Cavaliers have the edge in this game. The Knicks might be able to keep it close for a while, but the size of Cleveland is eventually going to take control.

Taking the Cavaliers -5.5 and the over 214.5 points is the way to go, as Cleveland will get hot and roll to an impressive win.

• Over/Under: 214.5
• Spread: Cleveland Cavaliers -5.5

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