Filip Tomic
Show Bio
Game 2 was a must-win situation for the Cavaliers and now with the series even at 1-1, a showdown is expected tonight at Madison Square Garden. Can the Knicks get back into the lead or will Donovan Mitchell and co. completely turn things around? Tip-off is at 8:30 pm ET on ABC and you can check out my Same Game Parlay below.
We also have predictions for the other NBA Playoff games being played this Friday, simply head over to our NBA predictions to see them. Let’s dive into my SGP bet now!
Jalen Brunson to score 25+ points (-160)
Darius Garland 2+ made threes (-280)
Julius Randle to record 8+ rebounds (-160)
RJ Barrett 1+ made threes (-340)
Same Game Parlay odds: +452
Head over to DraftKings Sportsbook to bet on this Cavaliers vs Knicks SGP. DraftKings has a great new-customer offer where you can bet $5 on ANY team and get $150 in bonus bets if they win! Click here to claim this great sign-up offer.
Jalen Brunson to score 25+ points (-160)
What a difference one regular season has made for Jalen Brunson, who has gone from being called the most overpaid player before the season started to now being hailed as the biggest bargain in the league. He led the Knicks to the Game 1 victory with 27 points despite being in foul trouble for the majority of the first half. Game 2 wasn’t his best as he shot only 5-for-17 from the field and 1-for-8 from three, but he still made sure to score 20 in a losing effort. Now with the series shifting to MSG for the next 2 games, the pressure is on Brunson to deliver, especially since Julius Randle is still not at 100% following his ankle injury and his efficiency has fallen off in the first 2 games of the series. Brunson has scored at least 25 points in 2 of his last 3 games against the Cavs. He’s also in good rhythm having scored 25+ in 3 of his last 4 games overall and averaging 26.9 points per game in March. I’m expecting him and Donovan Mitchell to go at it in Game 3, similar to what we saw in the series opener.
Check out our Cleveland Cavaliers vs New York Knicks predictions
Darius Garland 2+ made threes (-280)
After a not-so-impressive Game 1, Darius Garland responded in a big way by scoring 32 points and dishing out 7 assists to carry the Cavs to their first win in this series. In only his second playoff game, Garland was the focal point of the offense, knocking down 6 threes and clearing this line for the second time in the series. He’s on quite a streak against the Knicks from 3-point land. If we include the regular season he has made at least 2 threes in 11 of 14 games against them in his career. He’s averaging 2.6 makes from distance in the regular season, while in the playoffs he has upped that to 4 per game. The atmosphere at Madison Square Garden will be electric and he hasn’t played in such a meaningful game in his career, but I’m confident making 2 threes won’t be a problem. New York ranked 27th in opponent threes per game during the regular season, allowing 13 per game, so defending the three-ball isn’t exactly their strong suit.
Friday’s NBA mega parlay has +982 odds!
Julius Randle to record 8+ rebounds (-160)
Speaking of strong suits, the Cavaliers have fallen off quite a bit when it comes to rebounding in the first 2 meetings against the Knicks. During the regular season, opponents were averaging 49.4 boards per game against them, that was the 5th-best mark in the NBA. After 2 games that number has gone up to 53.3 which would be tied with 25th-placed Memphis, so that’s a clear indicator that they’re struggling to cope with the Knicks’ big men. Randle’s recovery from his ankle injury hasn’t been smooth, at least when it comes to shooting, but he’s getting the job done on the boards, grabbing 8 and 10 in Games 1 and 2. With the series now shifting to MSG I’m expecting the Knicks defense to tighten up even further. Randle averaged 10.3 rebounds per game against the Cavs in 3 regular-season meetings and I don’t think us asking for 8 rebounds from him is too much.
Unibet has arrived, and you can get $100 in bonus bets by signing up right now. Click here to join Unibet and lock in their great new customer bonus.
RJ Barrett 1+ made threes (-340)
RJ Barrett’s confidence has been shaken after these opening games, but the good news is he’s averaged 20.5 points per game at home this season, so I’m expecting his numbers to improve drastically tonight. He doubled his point total from 7 points in Game 1 to 14 points in Game 2 despite not connecting on either of his 3 attempts from downtown. I’m sure he will bounce back carried by the momentum of the home fans. Barrett is almost 3% more efficient from three at home compared to when on the road, and against the Cavs he’s made at least one three in 11 of 14 games played in his career. He needs to make only one against a team that finished 21st during the regular season in opponent 3-point percentage, allowing 36.6% of them.
Looking for a new sportsbook? Why not check out WynnBET, where you can bet $100 and immediately secure $100 in bonus bets. Click here to sign up for WynnBET right now.
Pickswise is the home of free NBA picks and NBA predictions. Check out the latest NBA prop bets and NBA parlays as well as NBA Best Bets from our NBA experts.
