Knicks vs Cavaliers Odds, Lines, Injuries, Predictions for Game 2
- The Knicks can take a 2-0 series lead on the road against the Cavaliers on Tuesday, April 18th
- Jalen Brunson scored 21 second-half points to lead New York to a 101-97 win in the first game
- Find the Knicks vs Cavaliers odds for Game 2 below, as well as our best bet and prediction
Different teams, but same result. Once again Jalen Brunson’s side got the better of a Donovan Mitchell squad in afirst round NBA playoff game. On Tuesday, April 18th, Mitchell’s Cavaliers (51-32, 31-11 home) will do everything the can to avoid an 0-2 series deficit to the Knicks (48-35, 25-17 away) before heading to New York.
Tipoff for Game 2 of this first round matchup is scheduled for 7:30 pm ET from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and can be seen on TNT as the first half of the network’s Tuesday doubleheader.
Below you can see the Knicks vs Cavaliers odds for Game 2 as well as our analysis. We’ll also offer up our best bet and pick for this crucial clash.
Knicks vs Cavaliers Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Knicks | +5 (-108) | +172 | O 214 (-110) |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | -5 (-112) | -205 | U 214 (-110) |
Lose this game and it’s hard to see a path to the 2nd round of the NBA playoff bracket for Cleveland. The Cavaliers are listed as -205 moneyline favorites to square things up before heading to the Big Apple for Games 3 and 4.
It was a low scoring first playoff meeting between these two as they went under the betting total, combining for 198 points. Out of the three NBA postseason games on Tuesday, the Knicks vs Cavs matchup sports by far the lowest over/under at 214 points.
Odds as of April 17th from FanDuel. Unlock the FanDuel promo code to bet on this game.
Brunson Elevates Game in First Round Again
Either Jalen Brunson loves playing against Spider Mitchell or loves playing in the first round. It might be both, but whatever the case is, the Knicks guard was the key to victory in Game 1 hitting several big shots down the stretch as the Knicks turned back a late Cleveland rally.
In his first year playing for New York, the point guard averaged a career high 24 points per game, improving on the 16.3 he averaged last year for the Mavs which at that point, was also a career high. Once first round action gets going, Brunson seems to find another gear.
Jalen Brunson’s Recent First-Round Stats
| Date | Opponent | FG | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04/15/2023 | Cavaliers | 11-24 | 27 |
| 04/28/2022 | Jazz | 9-17 | 24 |
| 04/25/2022 | Jazz | 9-20 | 24 |
| 04/23/2022 | Jazz | 7-18 | 23 |
| 04/21/2022 | Jazz | 12-22 | 31 |
He’s averaged 27.7 points per outing in his last seven first round playoff games.
Playing the Knicks in the postseason has not been kind to the Cavaliers franchise. New York has taken each of the three previous playoff encounters between these two squads.
Knicks vs Cavaliers Injury Updates
Not only was Julius Randle back in the lineup for the Knicks in Game 1, but he played a significant role in the victory.
"I knew it was gonna be tough coming back…Johnnie Bryant put me through the ringer…He prepared me for this. I'm good to go"
–– Julius Randle (19 & 10 after 17 days off as Knicks win Game 1)pic.twitter.com/EpmmVXzTqX
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) April 16, 2023
The power forward hadn’t played since March 29th because of a sprained left ankle, and bailed his side out with a huge rebound off a Brunson miss with nine seconds left that led to Quentin Grimes making two free throws to seal the win.
With his status up in the air for Game 1, Randle came up large, finishing with a double-double performance, posting 19 points and 10 boards. After his first game action in over two weeks, he should feel even better for Game 2.
On the Cavs side, they survived a serious scare when Mitchell landed hard on his lower back after vaulting off a courtside table and landing several rows into the stands trying to save a loose ball. He winced in pain while behind helped up, but returned to the floor and was sensational, putting up a game high 38 points.
Donovan Mitchell goes after the loose ball and jumps into the stands. 😮
Catch all the Game 1 action on Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/2Kl8OsP17q
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 15, 2023
While he looked fine the rest of the way, it is something to monitor early in Game 2 as the pain of that spill may carry over the rest of the series. Without Spider, the Cavs wouldn’t stand a chance. Going back to the regular season, he’s averaged 41.4 points per in his last five games.
Knicks vs Cavaliers Prediction
Are the Knicks in the heads of the Cavs? Saturday’s playoff win was New York’s fourth straight victory over Cleveland dating back to the regular season. Nevertheless, the home side are 5-point favorites in the NBA odds, partly because they’re likely toast without a win.
As evidenced by their initial contest, this will be a tough physical affair and points won’t be easy to come by. We think Cleveland will square things up but the juice isn’t worth the squeeze with their -205 moneyline odds. Instead, our pick is to go with the under again in another game that will likely come down to the wire.
Pick: Under 214 (-110)
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George has had a lifelong love affair with sports and studying sports statistics since he was a kid. He graduated from Ryerson University with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and has worked in the sports & media industry ever since in various roles from writer to producer.
