The best sportsbooks USA favor Cleveland Cavaliers to win this series at -200 even though this line opened a little wider for Cleveland. Money has been coming in on New York as one of the league’s most popular teams. Should the odds at the best online sportsbooks prove accurate, it will be yet another brief and disappointing playoff run for the Knicks.
2023 NBA Playoffs First Round New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
| Date: | Saturday, April 15, 2023 |
| Time: | 6 p.m. ET. |
| Location: | Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH. |
| TV Coverage: | ESPN |
Game 1 Odds by MyBookie.ag
| Team | SP/RL | TOTAL | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knicks | +5½ (-110) | 215 (-110) | +180 |  |
| Cavaliers | -5½ (-110) | 215 (-110) | -220 | |
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Betting New York Knicks
Cleveland has an implied probability of winning of around 63%. That’s almost two out of three times. And if we explore the series props further, the best NBA sportsbooks in USA are spotting +1.5 on the Knicks to make this a 7-game series (-145).
This means that the Cavs will get the job done in 7 games (+350). The series is expected to go on for six or seven games at +200 apiece on the sportsbook prop bets. However, Cleveland’s to win in 5 (4-1) is at +375. That is the next-shortest line on the props.
A New York upset in 6 games is +450 and in 7 is +550. The last time that New York was in the postseason, the team only lasted 5 games going up against the Hawks. This feels like forever ago, though.
New York has Jalen Brunson who has bloomed into a superstar as a point guard. Brunson has been averaging 24 points and 6.2 assists on 49.1 percent shooting in 68 outings for the Knicks. He is a major reason that New York surpassed its NBA season odds and won 47 games from its expected regular-season total of 38.5.
Brunson also logged big numbers versus Cleveland. He averaged 25.3 points on 47.5% shooting (45.5% from 3) in 4 games. On the other hand, he only averaged a -1.1 plus/minus. In his last appearance against Cleveland, he scored 48 points and 9 assists on 18-of-32 shooting.
New York won by 14 points in Cleveland. This is remarkable taking into account Cleveland’s top-ranked defense (109.9), but then the team didn’t have star center, Jarrett Allen. The big man was out two games against New York.
Without him, the Cavaliers’ rebounding goes to the crapper, as does their defense. It’s a different story when he plays: Cleveland went 1-1 versus the Knicks. Nonetheless, the Knicks’ success versus Cleveland is proof that this team has a strong chance here. Add Tom Thibodeau’s playoff experience over J.B. Bickerstaff’s and New York could do get something done on the NBA point spread.
Knicks Stats
The total has gone OVER in four of New York’s last five games. New York is 5-2 SU in their last 7 games. New York is 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games against Cleveland. The total has gone OVER in four of New York’s last six games on the road.
New York is 5-2 ATS in their last seven games when playing on the road against Cleveland. The Knicks are 4-1 SU in their last five games against an opponent in the Eastern Conference conference. New York is 5-1 ATS in their last six games against an opponent in the Central Division division.
Betting Cleveland Cavaliers
The best Sportsbooks USA odds favor Cleveland by 6 points over New York in this game. That’s -240 on the money line or a 67.9% chance of winning. If Cleveland does in fact win Game One, they will augment their odds of winning the series by a great deal.
In league history, teams that win Game One of a best-of-7 series win the series 75.1% of the time (442-146). That is why the favored Game One/series outcome combo prop has the Cavs winning Game One and the series at -110.
The least likely outcome out of the four is that the Knicks win Game One but Cleveland still goes on to win the series at +475. Should the Knicks win Game One and the series, the prop pays at +350. Last postseason, 6 of the 8 teams that won Game One of the first round went on to win the series.
Utah and Minnesota were the only 2 teams that did not do so. That is’75% of Game One winner according to the historical odds In the Knicks’ playoff series versus Atlanta in 2021, the Hawks won Game One in Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks would win Game Two to even the series only to drop the following three games and go home early. Trae Young dominated the Knicks. Donovan Mitchell, who the Knicks wooed in the offseason, could be the bane of the franchise’s existence.
New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Game 1 Pick
Cleveland.
