The Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks rekindle a rivalry on Tuesday evening after the two met during the 2023 NBA Playoffs. The first matchup between the squads in 2023-24 will be televised nationally, with both teams 1-2 overall to begin the new season. This game will take place at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, with the Knicks entering at 1-1 on the road and the Cavaliers aiming for their first home win of the campaign. Darius Garland (hamstring) and Jarrett Allen (ankle) are out for Cleveland, with Donovan Mitchell (hamstring) and Caris LeVert (hamstring) listed as questionable.
SportsLine consensus lists New York as 2-point favorites, and tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 214 in the latest Knicks vs. Cavaliers odds. Before making any Cavaliers vs. Knicks picks, you need to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer simulation model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five seasons. The model enters Week 2 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a 77-41 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning nearly $3,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Knicks vs. Cavs and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Cavs vs. Knicks:
Knicks vs. Cavaliers spread: Knicks -2
Knicks vs. Cavaliers over/under: 214 points
Knicks vs. Cavaliers money line: Knicks -127, Cavaliers +106
NYK: The Knicks are 30-18-1 against the spread in the last 49 road games
CLE: The Cavaliers are 25-20-1 against the spread in the last 46 home games
Knicks vs. Cavaliers picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Knicks can cover
The Knicks have strong defensive fundamentals dating back to last season. New York led the league in points allowed in the paint (45.9 per game) in 2022-23 and ranked in the top five in field goal percentage allowed (46.2%) and fast break points allowed (12.7 per game). The Knicks also secured 72.7% of available defensive rebounds, and New York leads the league with an 80.7% defensive rebound rate to begin the 2023-24 campaign. Opponents are averaging only 8.3 second-chance points per game against the Knicks this season, and New York is also allowing only 31.7% shooting from 3-point range.
The Knicks also enjoyed big-time success on the road last season, finishing in the top five of the league in win-loss record (24-17) and net rating (+1.5) away from home. New York is also a potent offensive team, with top-five marks in 3-pointers per game, offensive rebound rate, and second-chance points to begin the season. The Knicks also scored 1.17 points per possession last season, No. 4 in the league, and New York’s depth is impressive. See which team to pick here.
Why the Cavaliers can cover
Cleveland’s defense is incredibly stout, headlined by Evan Mobley. The 22-year-old big man is averaging 11.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game so far this season, and Mobley was also named first-team All-Defense in 2022-23. The Cavaliers bring dynamic size in the frontcourt, and opponents are averaging only 11.0 second-chance points per game this season. Cleveland is also blocking 6.7 shots per game and giving up fewer than 21 free throw attempts per contest.
Over an 82-game sample last season, the Cavaliers led the NBA in defensive efficiency, giving up only 109.9 points per 100 possessions. Cleveland led the league in assists allowed (23.0 per game) and ranked in the top five of the NBA in 3-pointers allowed (11.3 per game), turnover creation (12.7 per game), second-chance points allowed (12.7 per game), and points allowed in the paint (46.3 per game). With excellent guard play also fueling a potent offense, Cleveland is in an encouraging overall position at home. See which team to pick here.
How to make Knicks vs. Cavaliers picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the point total, with seven players projected to score at least 14 points. The model also says one side of the spread has all of the value. You can only see the model’s pick at SportsLine.