Cleveland Cavaliers (52-30) vs. NY Knicks (53-29)
May 21, 2026 8:00 pm EDT
The Line: NY Knicks -6.5; Over/Under: 215.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks do battle in a pivotal Game 2 of the Eastern Finals at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night. Here’s a Knicks vs. Cavaliers Prediction. This article will include a Knicks vs. Cavaliers Pick.
Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Preview
The Cleveland Cavaliers were brimming with confidence after taking down the Pistons in a thrilling seven-game series in the previous round, but now they are in panic mode after squandering a massive lead to lose to the Knicks in a 115-104 overtime loss in Game 1 on Tuesday. Donovan Mitchell led the team with 29 points, five rebounds and six steals on 12 of 23 shooting; James Harden and Evan Mobley each scored 15 points, while Sam Merrill chipped in with 12 points off the bench.
As a team, the Cavaliers shot just 40 percent from the field and 16 of 50 from the 3-point line as they dominated most of the game to lead by as many as 22 points early in the fourth quarter, but they allowed the Knicks back into the contest and it cost them big in the end as they got outscored by 14-3 in the overtime period to suffer arguably their worst defeat of the entire season. Harden shot just five of 16 from the field and one of eight from the 3-point line and the Cavaliers didn’t get any help from Dennis Schroder, who scored just three points on one of nine shooting off the bench.
New York Knicks Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the New York Knicks would’ve taken plenty of confidence from their dramatic comeback win in Game 1 on Tuesday after rallying past the Cavaliers to draw first blood in this series. Jalen Brunson led the team with 38 points, five rebounds and six assists on 15 of 29 shooting; Mikal Bridges added 18 points on seven of 11 shooting while OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart each scored 13 points.
As a team, the Knicks shot 48 percent from the field and 10 of 32 from the 3-point line as they struggled for most of the game and looked to be in deep trouble after trailing by 22 points with 7:52 left in the fourth quarter, but they looked like a different team coming out of a timeout as they restricted the Cavaliers to just 11 points for the rest of the game to make it look easy with a double-digit win in the end.
Why the New York Knicks will win
- The Knicks have won each of their last eight games.
- The Cavaliers have lost eight of their last nine playoff road games against Atlantic Division opponents.
- The Knicks have covered the spread in seven of their last eight games.
- The Cavaliers have failed to cover the spread in each of their last five road games against Atlantic Division opponents.
Why the Cleveland Cavaliers will win
- The Cavaliers have won eight of their last nine games against the Knicks after coming off overtime.
- The Knicks have lost three of their last four playoff games as favorites against Central Division opponents following a win.
- The Cavaliers have covered the spread in each of their last six games as underdogs against Atlantic Division opponents following a loss.
- The Knicks have failed to cover the spread in each of their last four home games after coming off overtime.
Total Points: Facts
- Seven of the Knicks’ last eight games after coming off overtime have gone UNDER the total points line.
- Each of the Cavaliers’ last five night games against Atlantic Division opponents has gone OVER the total points line.
- Three of the last four Eastern Conference Finals Game 2s have gone OVER the total points line.
New York Knicks Player Facts
- Mitchell Robinson ranks 1st amongst qualified players for rebounds per 36 minutes (16.1) this season.
- Karl-Anthony Towns ranks 2nd amongst qualified players for rebounds per game (11.9) this season.
Cleveland Cavaliers Player Facts
- James Harden has recorded 67 games with 4+ assists this season—equal to the most of any player in the league.
- Evan Mobley has recorded 12+ rebounds in two consecutive appearances—the equal-longest active streak of any player in the league (including playoffs).
Matchup/League Facts
- The Knicks rank 1st in the league for opponent offensive rebounds per game this season (10.0).
- The Knicks rank 1st in the league for Q4 opponent points per game this season (25.3).
- The Cavaliers rank 1st in the league for Q4 points per game this season (30.0).
- The Cavaliers rank 1st in the league for H2 points per game this season (61.2).
Knicks vs Cavaliers Prediction
The Cavaliers looked like the better team until they suffered that terrible collapse in the fourth quarter and overtime and they are 27-9 following a loss this season, so they are still tempting with the points in this spot. However, the Knicks were able to flip the game on its head thanks to their defense and Brunson was the only Knicks player to have a standout game on offense. You could make an argument for either side here, but I still think this series goes the distance, so I am leaning towards the Cavaliers to pull off the upset or at least take it down to the wire in another close contest.
