Knicks vs Cavs Betting Preview: NY Seeks to End Series

Cleveland Favored to Send Series Back to New York

The Knicks vs Cavs betting preview shows Cleveland as a 5.5-point home favorite for Wednesday night’s Game 5. The totals keep dropping and is down to 202.5 for this game. Cleveland is -220 on the moneyline. The price on the Knicks is +180.

The Cavaliers went to New York knowing a split would see them regain home court advantage. But the Knicks shut them down both games and have a chance to end the series. Cleveland had opportunities in Sunday’s Game 4. But the Cavs went cold from the field at the least opportune time in the fourth quarter. A 15-6 run by New York in the fourth quarter put the game out of reach.

The Knicks made the game a little closer than it needed to be. New York was 18 for 28 (64.3%) from the foul line. The teams were comparable from the field. But a 47-33 rebounding advantage allowed the Knicks more opportunities. New York was especially strong on the offensive glass, grabbing 17 offensive rebounds.

The Knicks’ Julius Randle showed why he was on the NBA injury report and had a rough game with seven points and two rebounds, but New York’s bench was up to the occasion once again. The Knick reserves scored just nine points but grabbed 19 rebounds in a collective 65 minutes. More importantly, the Knicks’ bench was a combined +32.

Cleveland got 19 points from its bench, but those players were a combined -10 and had just five rebounds in 48 minutes. The Cavs did move Caris LeVert back into the starting line-up, which affected Cleveland’s bench output.

Knicks logo Knicks vs Cavs Cavaliers logo

Date & Time:
Location: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
Streaming: NBA TV

Mitchell’s Struggles Come at Bad Time

It’s no secret the Cavaliers need Donovan Mitchell to come up big in the postseason. He did anything but that on Sunday. One of the NBA top players, Mitchell struggled from the field, going 5 for 18 on Sunday. He had five assists and six turnovers. When your best player is a -8 you know you’re in trouble. After scoring 38 in Game 1, Mitchell has combined for 50 points in the last three games.

Hart Continues to Shine

He doesn’t get the attention of several of the others on the Knicks, but Josh Hart has been steady against Cleveland. Moved to the starting line-up, Hart scored 19 points and had seven rebounds for New York. After averaging 9.8 points in the regular season, Hart is scoring 13.5 points in the playoffs. He’s shooting 60% from the field and averaging 6.8 rebounds per game.

Barrett on the Upswing

RJ Barrett had a rough start to the playoffs, scoring just seven points, but he’s gotten progressively better as the series has moved along. After scoring 14 points in Game 2, he’s tallied 19 and 26 points in the last two games.

Handicapping Game 5

The Knicks vs Cavs betting preview notes the spread is a bit on the high side. But teams in Cleveland’s situation have been decent wagers in the past. Going back to the 2002-03 playoffs, home favorites on a two-game losing streak are 108-80-3 (57.4%). Favorites of 5 or more points are 59-39-1.

It’s a little too late in the NBA season to be making any chances and Cleveland has to do what got the team to the playoffs. But the Cavs have to do a better job on the boards and take better care of the ball. Cleveland’s shot selection was a bit spotty in the fourth quarter Sunday. The Cavaliers aren’t good enough to overcome mistakes.

The Knicks aren’t about to do anything differently. New York has played solid defense the entire series and that’s the primary reason they’re leading 3-1. The Knicks have gotten solid contributions from its key players and had others coming up big when needed.

The Knicks vs Cavs betting preview likes the the trend in Cleveland’s favor regarding home favorites on a losing streak. The Cavs played their best game of the series when their backs were against the wall. Now it’s time for the Cavaliers to step up to the challenge once again. The Cavs minus the points look like the side to be on in Game 5.


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