The Cleveland Cavaliers take on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Saturday afternoon. Cleveland is 2-0 against New York and 42-35 overall this season, though the Cavaliers are 18-20 on the road. The Knicks are 9-5 in the last 14 games, improving to 34-43 overall. Julius Randle (quad), Quentin Grimes (knee), Nerlens Noel (foot) and Cam Reddish (shoulder) are out for New York. Jarrett Allen (finger), Evan Mobley (ankle) and Rajon Rondo (ankle) are out for Cleveland.
Caesars Sportsbook lists New York as a one-point favorite at home, and tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the Over-Under, is 219 in the latest Cavaliers vs. Knicks odds. Before you make any NBA predictions with the Knicks vs. Cavaliers match-up, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three-plus seasons. The model enters Week 24 of the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 83-51 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning over $2,600. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Knicks vs. Cavaliers, and just locked in its picks and NBA prediction. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Cavaliers vs. Knicks:
- Knicks vs. Cavaliers spread: Cavaliers +1
- Knicks vs. Cavaliers over-under: 219 points
- Knicks vs. Cavaliers money line: Cavaliers +100, Knicks -120
- Cleveland: The Cavaliers are 28-18-2 against the spread with one day between games
- New York: The Knicks are 15-23 against the spread in home games
Featured Game | New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
Why the Cavaliers can cover
Cleveland projects well on both sides of the floor. The Cavaliers average more than 25 assists per game and assist on more than 63 percent of field goals. Cleveland is also above-average on the glass, with a top-10 mark in the NBA in field goal percentage. New York ranks in the bottom 10 of the NBA in turnover creation and free throw prevention on the defensive end.
The Cavaliers are in the top five of the league in defensive rating, giving up only 1.08 points per possession, and Cleveland leads the NBA in free throw prevention. Opponents are attempting fewer than 19 free throw attempts per game against the Cavaliers, and Cleveland is in the top 10 in second-chance points allowed, field goal percentage allowed, and assists allowed. New York’s offense struggles to the tune of league-worst marks in assists and points in the paint, with bottom-tier metrics in points per possession, assist percentage, and assist-to-turnover ratio.
Why the Knicks can cover
New York operates at a high level on defense, including several top-tier metrics. The Knicks are above-average overall, giving up 110.6 points per 100 possessions. New York is elite on the defensive glass, securing 73.8 percent of available rebounds, and the Knicks are giving up only 12.4 second-chance points per game. The Knicks rank in the top five of the NBA in points allowed in the paint (43.6 per game) and field goal percentage (44.8 percent), with an above-average mark in three-point percentage allowed (34.3 percent).
New York is also strong in transition, giving up only 11.4 fast break points per game. Cleveland has issues with ball security, ranking in the bottom five of the NBA in turnover prevention. The Cavaliers are also in the bottom third of the league in free throw accuracy, which could come into play on the margins.