Cavs vs. Knicks: Odds, preview, injury report, TV for second night of back-to-back
CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cavs head to Madison Square Garden for the second game of a back-to-back home-road series against the Knicks on Wednesday, and they have a score to settle after losing the first game Tuesday night, 109-91, and falling to the Knicks in last year’s first round of the playoffs.
Game 1 of the back-to-back saw the Cavs manage to keep it a close contest until halftime without key players like Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and Caris Levert, who are all sidelined with injuries. But the second half saw the offense run cold, shooting a measly 39% from the field and only 26% from 3-point range.
Donovan Mitchell shouldered the scoring load, showcasing yet again that he’s a force to be reckoned with in the lane, scoring 20 points at the rim and leading the game in scoring. But Mitchell was the only player on the Cavs to score more than 12 points.
Players like Georges Niang, Craig Porter Jr., Tristan Thompson and promising rookie Emoni Bates, who notched his first NBA points on Tuesday, played significant minutes. Their contributions off the bench are pivotal as the Cavaliers strive to find their rhythm while missing key pieces.
Wednesday’s game represents Cleveland’s last opportunity until March to reclaim some pride against a Knicks team that has the Cavs’ number right now.
A three-game home skid is not how the Cavs envisioned the start to their season, but they couldn’t have envisioned the number of injuries either. But with the bench still finding its groove in more prominent roles, it seems as though the Cavs are on the brink of figuring it out how to be successful even while missing key pieces.
STATES: AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, OH, PA, VA, WV. 21+ and present in participating staes. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.Here’s what to know about Wednesday’s matchup:
Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (1-3) vs. New York Knicks (2-2).
Series: Second game of back-to-back series.
Where: Madison Square Garden.
When: 7:30 p.m. EDT.
The point spread: Knicks minus-6.5, over/under 210.5, according to BetMGM.
TV: Bally Sports Ohio.
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