Cavaliers vs Knicks Predictions & Odds (Dec. 4)
By Eric Rosales in NBA Basketball
Published:
- The Cleveland Cavaliers are 2.5-point road favorites when they visit the New York Knicks
- Cleveland has won four straight in this head-to-head series
- Read below for the Cavaliers vs Knicks preview, with odds and predictions
New York fans will peep their first glimpse of Donovan Mitchell at Madison Square Garden.
Unfortunately, it will be as a visitor, as the Cleveland Cavaliers (15-8, 5-7 away) are in town to take on the Knicks (10-13, 4-7 home).
The much anticipated Mitchell to New York deal seemed like a certainty this offseason, but as talks faltered, Cleveland swooped in to land the 3-time all-star.
So far, the move has paid off: Cleveland is a stellar 15-8, sitting third in the East. The Knicks, meanwhile, sit in 11th, and their 4-7 home record is the second-worst mark in the conference.
This one gets underway Sunday (Dec 4) at 6pm ET from MSG, in a game you can see live on NBA League Pass.
Cavaliers vs Knicks Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Cavaliers | -2.5 (-115) | -143 | OFF |
| New York Knicks | +2.5 (-105) | +120 | OFF |
Odds as of Dec 3 at BetMGM
The NBA odds have the visiting Cavaliers as 2.5-point road favorites, with the Knicks a +120 underdog on the moneyline.
This will be the second of four meetings between the two teams this season. Cleveland dumped the Knicks 121-108 at the end of October, and they’ve win four straight in this head-to-head.
Cleveland Betting Outlook
After their 107-96 win over Orlando Friday, Cleveland has now won seven of their last nine.
Mitchell was a difference maker in this one, dropping a game-high 34 points, including a 7-for-11 mark from downtown. Darius Garland chipped in with 18 points and six dimes, while Evan Mobley had 19 points on 9-for-10 shooting, 13 rebounds and four assists.
THIS GUY … 😮💨@spidadmitchell | 34 PTS, 7 3PM pic.twitter.com/fBxfI8Hm4T
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) December 3, 2022
The Cavs might only be 16th in scoring at 112.7 points per game, but they’re a top-3 team in the NBA shooting from distance. Their 38.5% clip trails only Denver and Boston. Overall, they’re eighth in field goal shooting.
They couple that with the NBA’s top scoring defense, surrendering just 105.6 points per game. They’re a top-7 team in field goal defense, but are 19th in three-point D, with teams shooting at a favorable 36.1% mark.
Cleveland could be down one key piece to that defense as Jarrett Allen (back) could miss a fifth straight start.
New York Betting Outlook
While Cleveland surges forward, New York is in a a rut. They got crunched 121-100 last time out against the Mavericks, their fifth straight loss at MSG and their sixth L in eight games.
Julius Randle le the way with 24 points and five rebounds, while Jalen Brunson had 13 points and three assists against his former squad. RJ Barrett had 13 points and six boards.
21 at the half for Julius Randle 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/Ti2RjGsYOn
— x – KNICKS ON MSG (@KnicksMSGN) December 3, 2022
New York was bombarded from 3-point range, as Dallas shot 24-for-61, a lethal 39.3% mark. On the year, they’ve actually defended the arc at an average rate (35.5%) but the Knicks surrender better than 116 points per game, which has them 24th.
The Knicks do much of their damage inside, leading the NBA with 56.8 paint points per game. As a top-5 offensive rebounding team, they’re fourth in second chance points (16.9).
We’ll see how they match up with Cleveland, who allow the fewest 2nd-chance points in the NBA (10.8).
Cavaliers vs Knicks Prediction
The Cavaliers are riding an 8-3 mark against the spread in their last 11 head-to-heads in Gotham.
If there is a caution, it’s Cleveland’s icy road mark, an 0-6-1 ATS record in their last seven away games. And New York is also sporting a 4-0 ATS mark in their last four against teams with a winning record.
Cleveland is stout in the paint, surrendering the 2nd-fewest paint-points. If they can hold them inside, the Cavs will exploit New York’s greatest weakness: an NBA-worst 31.9% mark from three. Take advantage of this soft line.
Pick:
- Cavaliers -2.5 (-115); 1 unit to win 0.87 units
- NBA Betting Record: 14-9 ATS, 1-0 ML, 2-3 o/u; 0-1 parlays; +3.17 units
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.
