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Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 4 Predictions, Picks & Player Props to Target
By Eric Rosales in NBA Basketball
Published:
- The New York Knicks are -140 favorites in their Game 4 matchup with the Cavaliers
- Cleveland registered a league-low 79 points in a Game 3 loss to trail the series 2-1
- Check out the latest Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 4 picks, plus injury news, betting splits and prop bets to target
It’s the throwback series of the East’s NBA Playoff Bracket, and the next slugfest between the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks will go a long way to determining who advances to Round 2.
The Knicks squeezed the Cavs in a 99-79 Game 3 win, to take a 2-1 series lead. With Brooklyn eliminated Saturday, the Knicks and Cavs are the two-lowest scoring teams left in the playoffs.
New York is trying to win their first playoff series since 2013.
Game 4 goes Sunday (April 23) at 1pm ET from Madison Square Garden in New York.
Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 4 Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Cavaliers | +2.5 (-110) | +120 | O 206.5 (-110) |
| New York Knicks | -2.5 (-110) | -140 | U 206.5 (-110) |
The NBA odds have the Knicks as 2.5-point favorites, and -140 on the moneyline, an implied win probability of 58.33%. The total is 206.5 points — a full five points below the Game 3 total that was set.
Both teams have yet to combine to score over 200 points in any game this series.
Odds as of April 22 at DraftKings Sportsbook.Â
Cleveland Betting Analysis
It was an absolute dud of a Game 3 for the Cavaliers, who were flying high into MSG after a 107-90 thumping last time out.
Besides a bleak 32-point first half, Cleveland went on to shoot just 31-for-80 from the field, a paltry 38.8% clip. That included a dismal 7-for-33 mark from distance (21.2%), and a 10-for-17 mark from the stripe.
It didn’t help that Cleveland turned the ball over 20 times. Their 79 points scored was the lowest output of any team in the NBA this season.
The Cavaliers were the only team this season that didn't have a single 20-point loss.
No team had been held under 80 points this entire NBA campaign.
Until tonight, when the Knicks defeated the Cavs 99-79 at the Garden. pic.twitter.com/nd2wgDb6Q9
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 22, 2023
After a 32-point outburst in Game 2, Darius Garland couldn’t get it going, shooting just 4-for-21 from the field, scoring just 10 points, with three assists and four steals. Donovan Mitchell led the way with 22 points, seven boards and five dimes, but also committed a team-high six turnovers.
Cleveland shifted Isaac Okoro to the bench in favor of starting Caris LeVert, but that didn’t help, as LeVert started the game 0-for-6 shooting, before finishing with 17 points, four boards and three dimes.
New York Betting Analysis
With Julius Randle struggling, it was the perfect game for RJ Barrett to break out of his early-series funk.
The Canadian had 19 points, eight rebounds and three assists in Game 3, after shooting just 6-for-25 for 21 points in the first two games. Jalen Brunson led the team in scoring with 21 points, four rebounds and six assists, as five Knicks finished in double-digit scoring.
Randle shot just 3-for-15 from the field for 11 points, eight rebounds and three assists. He hit just 2-for-10 from downtown.
"He played incredible…RJ's that type of person that always bounces back…He just always has that mindset that he's gonna come back the next day & be better"
–– Jalen Brunson on RJ Barrettpic.twitter.com/BLfNhYO2GL
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) April 22, 2023
On the injury front, guard Quentin Grimes played just 13 minutes as he suffered a shoulder injury. He’s listed as questionable for Sunday.
New York is shooting just 42% in the playoffs, which ranks last, and they are 15th in 3-point shooting, hitting at a 27.5% clip from distance.
The Knicks are cashing in on Cleveland’s carelessness with the basketball. The Cavs are last in the playoffs, turning it over 17.7 times per game, and New York is scoring a playoff-best 27.7 points off turnovers. The Knicks are also tied with the Nuggets for the 2nd-most fast-break points at 16.
Cavaliers vs Knicks Prop Bets & Predictions
Cleveland has gone as Garland has gone. He went for 17 in Game 1 and 10 in Game 3, sandwiched between a 32-point gem in Game 2. If you think he’s bouncing back, then targeting him to crack 21.5 points at -105 odds is the right play.
After dropping 27 in a Game 1 win, Brunson has averaged 20.5 over the last two on 42.9% shooting. His assist totals, however, have climbed to six per contest. I think he’s due for a breakout scoring game, and at +105 odds to go under the 5.5 assist mark, there’s value there.
This game may seems like a prime Mitchell star-level performance. In the last two games, he’s gone under the points-rebounds-assists total set for Sunday of 38.5. However, working on the assumption Garland gets back to his high level of play, though, Mitchell’s statline should fall under the total again.
As for the game, these teams have hit the under in five of the last six meetings, while New York is 5-1 against the spread in the last six meetings. Cleveland has struggled in Gotham of late, going 2-5 ATS.
Pick: UNDER 206.5 points (-110)
Eric Rosales
Sports Writer & Editor
Having worked in and around sports since 1997, Eric is truly a knowledgeable expert. The two-time journalism grad specializes in all things NBA and NFL. From TSN.ca to CTV's Olympic Broadcast Consortium, Eric's work has appeared in local and national publications alike.
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