Cavaliers vs Knicks Betting Preview: NY Looks to Take 3-1 Lead
Knicks Put on Defensive Clinic in Game 3
The Cavaliers vs Knicks betting preview shows New York is favored by 2.5 points for Sunday’s Game 4. After Friday’s 99-79 New York win, the total is down to 206.5. The Knicks are -145 on the moneyline in the first game on Sunday’s NBA schedule.
The Knicks came out Friday and shut down Cleveland’s offense early. The Cavaliers had just 32 points in the first half. New York led 45-32 at the break and Cleveland never got closer than nine points after that. The Cavs shot just 38.8% from the field and 21.2% from 3-point range. Even the Cavs’ free throw shooting was bad, with Cleveland going 10 for 17.
New York’s defense allowed the Knicks to overcome an off night for Julius Randle. Randle was 3 for 15 from the field. But Jalen Brunson scored 21 and RJ Barrett added 19. Immanuel Quickley was a game-high +27 for New York, scoring 11 points off the bench.
Rebounding was surprisingly close, with New York holding a 45-42 edge. The biggest thing that did Cleveland in was turnovers, where the Cavs made 20, including six by Donovan Mitchell. Going back to the 2002-03 playoffs, teams who make 20 or more turnovers are 46-95-4 (32.6%) against the spread in the postseason. Totals are also affected, going just 63-79-3 (44.4%) due to fewer shots being attempted.
Knicks Win With Hart
Josh Hart has played two solid games and one ugly one so far this series. As he goes, so have the Knicks, who won Game 1 and Game 3 when he played well. His lone poor performance in the series is the game Cleveland won. He’s averaged 15 points and eight rebounds in New York’s wins. His NBA player stats show five points and four rebounds in the Knicks’ loss.
Cavs Need Garland
Mitchell may get most of the attention on Cleveland, but Darius Garland is key to its success. Garland had 32 points and seven assists in Cleveland’s victory. He combined for 27 points and four assists in the two losses. In Game 3, he had just 10 points on 4 for 21 shooting from the field.
Teams Show Slight Bounce Back
The Cavaliers vs Knicks betting preview shows teams have bounced back slightly in recent years from a dismal playoff offensive output. Teams who scored fewer than 80 points are 19-15 ATS next game since the start of the 2012-13 playoffs. These game have also gone 20-13-1 in totals.
Teams who lost their previous playoff game by 20 or more points are 105-111-1 ATS overall. These teams are 52-46 (53.1%) ATS as an away underdog and 40-37 if the previous game was also on the road.
Cleveland’s Bench Woes Continue
The Cavs haven’t gotten much help from the bench this series. Cleveland has had a total of 64 points through the first three games, but that’s a bit misleading. Caris LeVert came off the bench in Game 2 and played a team-high 40 minutes and scored 24 points. He’s started the other two games in the series.
Handicapping Game 4
The pressure is squarely on Cleveland entering Game 4. The Cavs can’t afford to go down 3-1 if they hope to advance. Cleveland has to do a better job passing the ball. The Cavaliers had 26 assists in the Game 2 win. Cleveland has had 20 and 16 assists in the two losses.
The Cavaliers have been good about bouncing back after a loss. The Cavs are 18-13-1 (58.1%) ATS this season following a defeat. But New York is 28-17-3 (62.2%) against the spread following a victory. That’s pretty much a wash in that area, with both teams solid in Sunday’s situation.
New York hasn’t been the best home favorite. The Knicks are still just 13-14-1 as a home favorite after Friday’s point spread cover. The Knicks have gone 20-8 in totals when favored by home. But one of those unders was last game and the teams haven’t hit 200 points yet through the first three games. Sunday’s total of 206.5 is the first time either team has played to a total less than 210 all season.
The Cavaliers vs Knicks betting preview shows the Cavaliers are 7-2 straight-up this season after scoring less than 100 points. Cleveland is 6-3 ATS in that spot, including 1-0 in this series. Cleveland has some good shooters but has to get them the ball. The Knicks played great Friday night and Cleveland was about as bad as it can be. Expect the Cavaliers to come out and play a cleaner game with fewer mistakes. The Cavs +2.5 is likely the right side in this spot.
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