Steve Starr
- Go to BetOnline or Bovada for the latest odds on the Cavaliers vs Knicks matchup
- Donovan Mitchell scored 38 points in Cleveland’s Game 1 loss to New York
- TNT airs Game 2 from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland on Tuesday, April 18 at 7:30pm ET
Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson led the Knicks to 101-97 Game 1 victory in Cleveland on Saturday night. After being one of the best road teams in the NBA all season, New York now has a chance to take a strangle-hold on the series before it goes back to Madison Square Garden.
Can Donovan Mitchell and the Cavaliers rebound in Game 2? Before we look at the latest odds, check out the latest 2023 NBA Playoff Betting Odds and our guide to betting on NBA basketball.
Cavaliers vs Knicks – Game 2
 | Spread | Money Line | Total Points |
| New York Knicks | +4.5 (-105) | +165 | Ov 212.5 (-110) |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | -4.5 (-115) | -190 | Un 212.5 (-110) |
Randle plays big in return
Returning from a sprained ankle that kept him out of action for more than two weeks, Julius Randle finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds in 34 minutes in Game 1. Jalen Brunson was also clutch down the stretch, scoring 21 of his 27 points in the second half of New York’s 101-97 win.
The Knicks’ bench was the difference in the contest, outscoring the Cavaliers’ 37-14. Key as always was Josh Hart, who registered 17 points and 10 rebounds. Since acquiring the swingman at the deadline, Tom Thibodeau’s team boasts the NBA’s fifth-best record.
Jalen Brunson tonight:
27 PTS – 2 REB – 2 AST – 2 STLJulius Randle tonight:
19 PTS – 10 REB – 4 AST – 2 STLJosh Hart tonight:
17 PTS – 10 REB – 2 AST – 72% FG pic.twitter.com/yoEchxvtDz— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 16, 2023
Donovan Mitchell dominates
Donovan Mitchell was unstoppable in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 of his game-high 38 points in front of a Cleveland home crowd that hadn’t witnessed playoff basketball since the 2018 NBA Finals. However, the Cavs’ All-Star guard had little to no support from his young teammates. Sophomore center Evan Mobley had only eight points on 4-of-13 shooting and Darius Garland was limited to 17 points with just one assist.
In addition to capturing the season series 3-1, New York has won all three previous playoff series with the Cavaliers. The Knicks are now 5-0 in franchise history in the arena now knowns as Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
Cleveland vs New York
Cleveland is a 4.5-point home favorite on Tuesday night. J.B. Bickerstaff’s squad was 31-11 at home during the regular season, covering 58.5% of the time. Both rank top-ten in the league. But, only four teams had a better road record than the Knicks (25-17). New York covered in almost two-thirds (65.9%) of their road contests in 2022/23. Including Saturday’s win, they’re now 16-14 straight up as a road underdog. The best mark in basketball.
The total for Game 2 is set at a bottom-of-the-barrel 212.5 points. While it’s low, that’s still 14.5 more points than the two teams produced on Saturday. This season, both Cavs home games (54.8%) and NYK road contests (52.5%) skewed UNDER.
Donovan Mitchell is up to 38 points and counting in his first playoff game as a Cav 🔥 pic.twitter.com/1MPAK0Xci9
— ESPN (@espn) April 16, 2023
Best Bet
Historically, some franchises just have the other’s number. We think Tom Thibodeau’s veteran club can steal another game on the road in Cleveland. If you agree, consider betting a Knicks sweep at +750 before the series heads to Madison Square Garden.
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
