The Cleveland Cavaliers head east to continue their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series with the New York Knicks on Friday night. Darius Garland, who had struggled in his playoff debut, turned things around, putting up 32 points in a 107-90 Game 2 win that evened the series at one game apiece. Garland scored 26 of those points in the first half, setting the tone with an aggressive style, attacking the basket. The second quarter saw the Cavaliers unleash that league-leading defense, forcing nine turnovers to go into the locker room up 20 at the half. Their lead grew as large as 29 points in the fourth quarter. The Knicks’ Julius Randle, still on the floor during garbage time, took a hard fall, landing awkwardly out of bounds while attempting a breakaway dunk. What can we expect in Game 3? Don’t miss our NBA betting preview.
NBA Playoffs: Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Preview
Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks, Game 3
When: Friday, April 21, 2023, 8:30 pm ET
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York City
TV: ABC
Radio: WTAM 1100 AM Cleveland / 98.7 FM ESPN New York City
Live Stream: Sling TV
NBA Odds: New York -1.5 / O/U 211.5 // New York -135 / Cleveland +110
Why should you bet on the Cleveland Cavaliers?
With Darius Garland finding his offensive touch, the Cavaliers get a lot tougher to stop. Donovan Mitchell and Garland combined to average almost 50 points per game during the regular season. The defense was even more impressive, as the Cavaliers had 19 points from turnovers in the second quarter and 27 in the first half, the first time a team had that many in a half since Dever did it in 2009. It was also interesting to see Mitchell dish out a playoff career-high 13 assists.
Cavaliers fans should get the most encouragement from their team’s physicality in Game 2. In the series opener, the Knicks won almost all of the 50/50 balls, putting themselves on the floor while the Cavs looked hesitant. The hustle emerged in Game 2, and the Cavaliers ended a five-game losing streak in playoff games. If you like the Cavs, you see them taking that same intensity to New York.
Bet on the Cavs!
Why should you put your money on the Knicks?
In Game 2, both Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson struggled with their shooting. Brunson went just 5 of 17 and clanked seven of his eight three-point attempts, finishing with just 20 points. Randle was a bit better, going 8 of 20, but he only managed 22 points. New York shot 36.7% overall from the floor, while the Cavs shot 49.4%. It’s hard to see that disparity repeating itself on the Knicks’ home floor.
We haven’t seen a lot out of Immanuel Quickley, who is the favorite to win the Sixth Man of the Year title. In Games 1 and 2, he has a combined 15 points after averaging almost that much per game this season, and he has only made 16.7% of his three-point shots, down from a 37% season average. Going back to Madison Square Garden should be a catalyst for him as well. The Knicks’ offense got shut off in Game 2, but they should get back to their normal numbers in Game 3.
Bet on the Knicks!
Final Score and Prediction
New York’s offense is better than what we saw in Game 2, so seeing them held to 90 points again would be a surprise. Cleveland made some things work in Game 2 that showed more confidence than what we saw in Game 1. I see New York winning a nailbiter, 106-104.
Knicks Media Availability (April 18, 2023)
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