The New York Knicks (37-21) and Cleveland Cavaliers (36-22) will face off in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET from Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The game will be broadcast live on Peacock.
The Cavaliers are 4-point favorites over the Knicks on the spread (Cavaliers -4), with the over/under set at 231.5 total points. Cleveland is a -180 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while New York is +150 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Knicks vs. Cavaliers predictions and NBA picks for Tuesday, February 24.
Knicks vs Cavaliers Prediction
- Knicks vs Cavaliers pick: Cavaliers -4 (-110)
My Cavaliers vs Knicks best bet is on Cleveland to cover the spread. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Knicks vs Cavaliers Odds
| Knicks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4 -110 | 231.5 -110o / -110u | +150 |
| Cavaliers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4 -110 | 231.5 -110o / -110u | -180 |
Knicks vs Cavaliers NBA Preview
The Knicks are 2-0 against Cleveland this year, although the Cavaliers have made multiple trades since then.
This is also the first and only time these teams will meet in Cleveland this year.
The Knicks beat Cleveland by a score of 119-111 on opening night.
Darius Garland sat out that game, while Lonzo Ball and Tyrese Proctor played significant minutes. The Knicks were without Mitchell Robinson and Josh Hart.
In Game 2, the Knicks came back from down 17 in the fourth quarter during Tyler Kolek's Linsanity run, winning 126-124 at the Garden, without Miles McBride or Landry Shamet.
For Cleveland, Evan Mobley was limited to 25 minutes off the bench in his first game back from a calf injury.
Now, Cleveland has added James Harden, Keon Ellis, and Dennis Schroder — with DeAndre Hunter and Lonzo Ball being roster casualties.
The Knicks now have Jose Alvarado and Jeremy Sochan, adding multiple depth pieces that Cleveland will undoubtedly see, likely for extended run in the case of the former.
McBride (hernia) is the only Knick out for this game.
For Cleveland, Max Strus (foot) remains out.
Knicks vs Cavaliers Predictions, Betting Analysis
I'm going to add to what my homies Sean Little and Michael Fiddle laid out on the Buckets podcast.
This is the Knicks' third game in four nights, and their second in a stretch of 9-in-11 on the road, where they have struggled this season.
Cleveland fell to the short-handed Thunder in Oklahoma City on Sunday, but had won seven straight prior to that, including five consecutively since the Harden deal.
The Knicks had an epic 18-point comeback against the Rockets on Saturday, in a combination of actual Madison Square Garden-sized grit combined with ongoing issues regarding Houston and their "Kevin Durant save us in your 19th season" crunch time offense.
The Knicks were flat against the Bulls the next day, but it's the Bulls, so the Knicks won by a score of 105-99 anyway.
The Knicks are 4-5 against the spread as road underdogs — only six teams are worse, and the Lakers are the only playoff team amongst them.
New York is 14-13 on the road, just seventh-best in the East, and against teams .500 or better, that drops to 5-12 — although, the Knicks are 4-1 in their last five road games.
Still, even as a New Yorker, I like the spot for Cleveland, whose offense could overwhelm the Knicks if their inconsistencies and over-reactionary tendencies persist.
Pick: Cavaliers -4 (-110)
Spread
My Cavaliers vs. Knicks betting prediction is on Cleveland to cover the spread at -4.
Moneyline
No play on the moneyline in this spot.
Over/Under
I'm staying away from the total in this spot.
Cavaliers vs Knicks Betting Trends
