Cleveland Cavaliers vs New York Knicks Prediction: Can Cavs tie things against red-hot Knicks?

The NBA Playoffs have moved into the first round and we have already seen some riveting battles already. The games are likely to get more intense as the bid to level a series and to take a substantial lead are both intriguing models. Can the Cleveland Cavaliers capture the tie as they take on the New York Knicks?

It was not a surprise that the first game between the Knicks and the Cavaliers produced fewer than 200 points with the scoreline being 101:97 in favor of New York. The Knicks did a great job on the defensive end and kept Cavs to 45 points in the first half. The Knicks had a strong first quarter where they nabbed 30 points and this remained the only quarter with 30 points. The Cavs shot 43.2%, 1.2% better than the Knicks but a 11-17 offensive rebounds disadvantage hurt them quite a bit.

The Cavs were taken aback by Josh Hart, who claimed five offensive rebounds(10 in total) and scored 17 points off the bench. Jalen Brunson led the way, scooping up 27 points whereas Julius Randle shot 7/20 for 19 points. RJ Barrett shot just 2/12 but the play of the bench which made up for 37 points helped matters. For the Cavs, Donovan Mitchell continued to be the most reliable scorer, piling up 38 points to lead all scorers and dishing eight assists to lead all playmakers. Jarrett Allen had 14 points and 14 rebounds whereas defensive dynamo Evan Mobley shot just 4/13. The bench for Cleveland had just 14 points, meaning a 24 points disparity with the Knicks.

• Cavaliers: OUT: Dylan Windler;
• Knicks: OUT: Isaiah Roby. Doubtful: Josh Hart.

• Expected Leading Scorers: Donovan Mitchell (35-42 Points), Julius Randle(28-34 Points);
• Expected Leading Rebounders: Jarrett Allen(12-15 Rebounds), Julius Randle(10-12 Rebounds);
• Expected Leading Playmakers: Darius Garland(8-10 Assists), Jalen Brunson(6-8 Assists).

The Cavs have showcased some troubles on the offensive end and their frontline will need to be more active while their bench has to contribute as well. They really would have rued Josh Hart’s effort in the first game so his doubtful designation for the game may bring some psychological relief. Anyway, I expect the Mitchell and Cavs to win big and predict a scoreline of 108:101 in their favor.