Game 1 of the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals is finally here. The Cleveland Cavaliers will face off against the New York Knicks after toppling the top-seeded Detroit Pistons in a seven-game, second-round series. The home team is a significant favorite after closing out rounds one and two with ridiculous blowout victories, but there's plenty of betting value on the table.
Continue below for our NBA player props for Cavaliers vs. Knicks Game 1 on Tuesday, May 19.
NBA Player Props for Knicks vs Cavaliers Game 1
- Donovan Mitchell Over 26.5 Points (-110)
- Karl-Anthony Towns Under 18.5 Points (-120)
- OG Anunoby Under 5.5 Rebounds (-105)
Donovan Mitchell Over 26.5 Points
You don't know ball if you don't know what Donovan Mitchell is like when he plays at Madison Square Garden. The Elmsford native has made a point of showing out in his home state since he entered the league.
Mitchell has scored at least 30 points in five of the 11 road games he's played against the Knicks. He averages 26.6 points per game against New York for his career.
He has been slightly better with a career road average (six games) of 27.8 points against the Knicks since he joined the Cavaliers, while hoisting up 22.8 shots per contest.
The Cavaliers star has posted 29.5 points per game against New York this season and can produce at a similar level in his most important matchup of the season so far.
Pick: Donovan Mitchell Over 26.5 Points (-110)
Karl-Anthony Towns Under 18.5 Points
Karl-Anthony Towns had impressive flashes of offense in the first round, but his scoring production is down in the playoffs.
KAT's scoring average has dropped from 20.1 to 17.4 since the regular season, despite the fact OG Anunoby missed the last two games of the second round with a hamstring injury. Now he'll face a Cavaliers frontcourt that's loaded with frontcourt length and mobility.
Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley held KAT to 14.7 points per contest through three regular-season meetings, and he's since been relegated to being a third option on offense as a player attempting just 9.2 shots per game this postseason. For reference, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart are attempting 9.1 shots apiece per contest.
KAT has shown more value as a rebounder and a passer as of late, so a scoring surge seems unlikely on Tuesday — especially with Anunoby set to return to the rotation.
Pick: Karl-Anthony Towns Under 18.5 Points (-120)
OG Anunoby Under 5.5 Rebounds
Anunoby was arguably the Knicks' most consistent and well-rounded performer through rounds one and two, before he tweaked his hamstring against the 76ers.
OG only trails Jalen Brunson in points per game (21.4) among New York's players in the 2026 NBA Playoffs, but it's unclear what his explosiveness will be like in his first game back.
Anunoby will likely be deployed as a key perimeter deterrent against Mitchell and James Harden. Those duties could make it difficult for him to also secure boards among the trees. He struggled to do that against Cleveland during the regular season.
Anunoby racked up 14 rebounds in his first meeting with the Cavaliers this season, when Hart was sidelined with an injury. However, he went on to amass five rebounds in 67 minutes through his next two encounters with them.
There hasn't been any indication that Anunoby is fully healthy. Six rebounds might be ambitious for a player dealing with a soft tissue injury who hasn't played in nearly two weeks.
