Wednesday's NBA slate features an Eastern Conference rematch at Madison Square Garden, where the New York Knicks host the Cleveland Cavaliers just four days after beating them on the road.
New York has turned its season around since a 0-3 start. The Knicks have won six of their last seven games, including four straight, and they routed Milwaukee 117-85 last night.
Cleveland is heading in the opposite direction. The Cavaliers have lost four of their last five games and are coming off a 124-112 loss to Charlotte on Monday, which dropped them to 5-6.
With tip-off set for 7 pm ET on ESPN, it's time to break down the odds and discuss the best bets.
Cavaliers vs. Knicks betting picks and predictions
Knicks -4.5 (-108)
The back-to-back is the obvious concern for New York, but Tuesday's game was never close, so the Knicks' starters shouldn't be worn down. They're also at home, and they've had Cleveland's number lately. New York won Saturday's meeting 109-97, and the Cavaliers haven't beaten the Knicks since February.
The underlying numbers back New York as well. The Knicks rank sixth in net rating and fifth in defensive rating, while Cleveland sits 15th and 17th in those metrics. That gap shows up in the betting results, too, with the Cavaliers going just 3-8 against the spread this season.
Cleveland's injury report doesn't help. Sam Merrill (elbow) is out, along with Ernest Udeh Jr., Khalifa Diop and Nae'Qwan Tomlin, and Jaylon Tyson (ankle) is questionable. That leaves the Cavaliers thin on the wing against a Knicks team that has found its rhythm.
Donovan Mitchell is the biggest threat to this pick. He scored 37 points against New York on Saturday, but he followed that with just 11 points against Charlotte. If the rest of the Cavaliers can't support him, the Knicks should cover the number at home.
Under 221.5 (-115)
Knicks games have been a strong Under play this season. The Over is just 2-8 in New York's matchups, and Saturday's meeting between these teams totaled only 206 points.
The second game of a back-to-back is another reason to expect a slower pace from New York. A top-five defense playing at home is also a tough draw for a Cleveland offense that has struggled to find consistent production around Mitchell.
The trends aren't all one-sided, as the Over has hit in each of Cleveland's last three road matches. Still, with the Knicks defending at a high level and the Cavaliers short-handed, a total in the low 220s looks a little too high.
Mikal Bridges Under 9.5 points (-112)
Mikal Bridges has struggled to find his shot this season. He's averaging just 6.3 points per game while shooting 32.9% from the field and 26.5% from three, and he has reached double figures only twice.
His role could shrink even further if Josh Hart returns after missing Tuesday's game with an illness. With Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby handling most of the scoring load, Bridges has to be efficient to clear this number, and he hasn't been.
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Cavaliers vs. Knicks odds
Cavaliers | +155 |
Knicks | -180 |
Spread | Knicks -4.5 |
Total Points | O/U 221.5 |
Cavaliers vs. Knicks player props
Points (Over/Under)
Jalen Brunson (Knicks) | 25.5 (-110) |
Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers) | 23.5 (-110) |
Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks) | 20.5 (-110) |
Evan Mobley (Cavaliers) | 15.5 (-110) |
OG Anunoby (Knicks) | 17.5 (-110) |
James Harden (Cavaliers) | 15.5 (-110) |
Cavaliers vs. Knicks Team News
The Cavs will be without Merrill due to his elbow injury, with no timetable given on his return. Tyson is questionable with his ankle issue.
Hart could come back in for the Knicks after missing Tuesday's game through illness.
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
