The Knicks took a 3-1 lead over the Cavaliers with a huge win on Sunday, bringing their record against Cleveland to 6-2 since the start of the 2022-23 season.
With the series on ice, they’ll travel to Ohio to try and close things out and book a spot in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against either the Bucks or Heat.
Let’s not waste any more time and break down the best ways to bet Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 5 from a props perspective.
Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 5 Player Prop Odds
Use our NBA odds to locate the best ways to bet on playoff prop bets:
Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 5 Player Props
Mitchell Robinson: Over 9.5 Rebounds (-105) • BetMGM Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
Back to the well we go with Mitchell Robinson. The Knicks’ big man came through for us in a big way in Game 4 by cashing his rebound prop quite easily, and with that, he’s earned a shift in the props market from 8.5 to 9.5 boards.
Even still, I’m inclined to take the Over.
The fact remains, Robinson ranked second this season in offensive rebounding rate and the Cavaliers sat bottom-five in rebounding rate in the second half of the season. While he’s gone over this total just once in the series, he was the odd man out in Game 3 when RJ Barrett had an outlier of a performance on the glass with nearly 10 rebounds.
That was one of only two games in the series where he played 27 or more minutes, and in the other he had 11 rebounds.
The bottom line here is that if Robinson stays out of foul trouble – something he’s done all series – he should cash this. He had double-digit rebounds in each of his last four games in the regular season and has proven he is the best rebounder in this series, making this my NBA bet of the day.
Donovan Mitchell: Under 29.5 Points (-115) • FanDuel Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
If you thought the pace in this series couldn’t get any slower, think again. These two teams put up a rating of 90 in Game 4, and every single one of these contests has featured 95 possessions or fewer for each team.
That’s why I’m struggling to understand why Donovan Mitchell’s point total has increased from 28.5 points in Game 4 to 29.5 points here. After a 38-point performance in a Game 1 loss, Mitchell has scored 17, 22, and 11 points in the last three games.
Never mind the fact that Mitchell shot just 37.5% in that Game 1 outing and is now just 30.3% from three.
Mitchell looks lost out there, and the Knicks’ defense has statistically been the best in the playoffs to this point. With a slower pace, this is an easy call.
Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 5 Team Props
Under 51.5 Second-Quarter Points (+100) • DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
I don’t want to sound like a broken record with these props, but I also don’t want to stray from what’s been working. The second quarter Under has cashed in every single one of these four games, with Game 4’s second quarter coming in a comfortable six points under the total.
I’ll keep riding the hot hand here.
- Read our Cavaliers vs Knicks Predictions for more on this pivotal matchup.
Both of these teams ranked inside the top 10 in second-quarter defense this season, and Cleveland’s scoring offense was actually in the bottom half of the NBA. The Cavaliers bench has also ranked first in defensive rating in the playoffs.
With all that being said, this is a smash spot for me. The pace of these games continues to slow and these benches are incredible defensively.
Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 4 Props Preview
The Cavaliers and Knicks will soon meet for an eighth time since the 2022-23 season began, renewing what’s been a very fun rivalry.
After a monstrous Game 3 victory, New York seems to be in the driver’s seat as we hit the home stretch in this series.
Let’s break down the best ways to bet this game from a props perspective.
Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 4 Player Prop Odds
Use our NBA odds to locate the best ways to bet on playoff prop bets:
Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 4 Player Props
Mitchell Robinson: Over 8.5 Rebounds (-135) • DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
This is the time you want to buy low on Mitchell Robinson. The Knicks have been one of the best rebounding teams in the NBA all year — ranking second in rebounding rate — and Robinson has been one of the key reasons why.
After going under his rebounding total in the last two games, I think now is when to bet on a resurgence. Robinson kept himself out of foul trouble in Game 3 and played 30 minutes, and had a few rebounds stolen away from him by RJ Barrett who had an unexpectedly good game on the glass.
Lock in this pick with your NBA bet of the day.
Donovan Mitchell: Under 28.5 Points (-110) • DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
These two teams continue to play at a painstakingly slow pace, which is a great reason to short Donovan Mitchell and his incredibly high total.
Mitchell has now struggled in all three outings to MSG this year, going Under this mark in each. After scoring 17 in Game 2, he definitely looks as though he’s lost a bit of his touch.
I’m willing to bet on him continuing to struggle shooting here against a very good defensive backcourt, and that should be troublesome given the lack of possessions here.
Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 4 Team Props
Under 52.5 2Q Points (-104) • FanDuel Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
The Cavaliers had the best defense in the NBA in the second quarter of games this year, and the Knicks also ranked inside the top 10. Both teams have been playing well on that end of the floor in the second quarter of games in this series, with just 43 points being scored in the frame in Game 3.
I love both of these benches and think they’ll continue to play excellent defense. New York’s been in control of these quarters for the entire season, and I expect it to continue dominating with its second unit.
Considering the defense we’ve seen so far, I like our chances of the Under hitting.
Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 3 Props Preview
The Cavaliers and Knicks have both made their case as to why they should be trusted entering Friday’s all-important Game 3, and with that, we’ve begun to see some trends in terms of which players are going to stand out in this series.
Let’s take a look at some Cavaliers vs Knicks props for Game 3 and profit further off of this series.
Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 3 Player Prop Odds
Use our NBA odds to locate the best ways to bet on playoff prop bets:
Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 3 Player Props
Immanuel Quickley Under 11.5 Points (-102) • FanDuel Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
It seems the Cavaliers have Immanuel Quickley’s number. In four games against Cleveland this season, he’s averaged just 10.5 points on 33.3% shooting from three, and to this point in the series has been a non-factor with a combined 15 points on 1-of-6 from deep.
With that in mind, I’m fading Quickley in this spot. He just doesn’t seem to be a large part of the Knicks’ offense and has been swallowed up by Cleveland’s group of guards, making this my NBA bet of the day.
Donovan Mitchell Under 29.5 Points (-115) • DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
My favorite bet from this game is on the Under due to the slow nature of both offenses and the great defensive play we’ve seen from each side. As such, I like taking another Under in the player prop market.
Mitchell is looked at as the guy who’s going to take charge for the Cavs in the scoring department, and while that’s completely fair, we should consider he had 23 and 24 points in his two trips to MSG this year, respectively.
After a 38-point performance in Game 1, Mitchell turned around and scored just 17 in Game 2. Asking him to score 30-plus points in a hostile environment is it a bit much, so I’m taking the Under.
Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 3 Team Props
Knicks 2nd Quarter -0.5 (-108) • FanDuel Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
This is finally where the Knicks win a second quarter. During the regular-season series, they outscored the Cavs in the second quarter of all four games, and for the season, they were top-10 in offense and scoring margin in the second.
While the second quarter hasn’t gone the Knicks’ way yet, it’s been incredibly tight, with just one point separating the two sides. New York’s bench has been better than Cleveland’s by net rating this season and should have something to say in such a big game at home.
Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 2 Props Preview
The Knicks went into Cleveland and stunned the Cavaliers in Game 1 of their opening-round playoff matchup, and now the onus is on the home team to make this one a series.
While the Cavaliers may not be successful in actually winning this contest, there are some lessons from Game 1 that can help us profit in Game 2.
Let’s break down the best Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 2 props.
Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 2 Player Prop Odds
Use our NBA odds to locate the best ways to bet on playoff prop bets:
Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 2 Player Props
Darius Garland: Under 6.5 Assists (+120) • DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
The first thing I want to do here is short Garland. The Cavaliers have thrived in the pick-and-roll with Garland and their collection of bigs all season, but against the Knicks, this has become incredibly difficult.
New York is playing drop coverage with Mitchell Robinson and forcing Cleveland’s one-dimensional bigs to finish inside, which is not working. It’s no coincidence Garland had just one assist in Game 1, so I expect another struggle here.
It’s also worth noting that Garland surpassed this number just once in three games against the Knicks during the regular season, making this my NBA bet of the day.
Mitchell Robinson: Over 10.5 Rebounds (-120) • DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
Robinson should be in an excellent bounce-back spot here with Josh Hart, who had 10 boards in Game 1, questionable to take the floor with an ankle injury.
Robinson managed eight rebounds in Game 1 despite Hart and teammate Julius Randle going for double-digits in that department and should once again have it in him to collect 10 or more boards.
Robinson averaged more than 15 rebounds over his last four games of the regular season and will be up against a Cavaliers team that finished 25th in total rebounds allowed on the year.
Robinson also hauled in a combined 33 rebounds in his last three outings against Cleveland, going Over 10.5 in his last two regular-season meetings with the Cavs.
This one seems very safe.
Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 2 Team Props
Under 54.5 Second-Quarter Points (+100) • DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
I whiffed on the Knicks’ second-quarter moneyline last game, although it turned out to be a one-point margin in the end. What we did learn, though, can help us here in Game 2.
Both teams combined for 41 points in the second quarter of Game 1, mostly due to the Knicks and Cavaliers each ranking inside the top 10 in defense in the second quarter this year. In fact, Cleveland had the best defense in that session during the regular season.
Offensively, the Cavs ranked just 17th in second-quarter scoring this season. The Knicks’ offense has been pretty good in the second quarter thanks to their excellent bench, but their second unit could take a big hit with Hart potentially out for Game 2, making this number even more difficult to reach.
Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 1 Props Preview
The Cavaliers and Knicks will get going in their opening-round series on Saturday, and there are few better ways to attack this game than in the props market. We can learn a ton from the four regular-season meetings between these two teams, and profit from those lessons.
Without further ado, let’s get into our top props for Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 1.
Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 1 Player Prop Odds
In addition to our prop tips below, use our NBA lines to find our full lot of NBA playoffs player props below:
Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 1 Player Props
Quentin Grimes Over 2.5 Three-Pointers Made (+120) • DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
Grimes played three games against the Cavaliers this year and took a combined 19 threes. More importantly, he averaged nearly 38 minutes in those contests.
It’s clear he’s a big part of the Knicks’ offense, and that’s especially true at this point in the season where RJ Barrett has looked less trustworthy and most of the aging veterans are out of the rotation.
The Cavaliers have the eighth-worst three-point defense in basketball, and even though Grimes has only hit this Over once in three tries against the Cavs, I think he can get it done here.
He’s ended the season on a hot shooting streak, hitting 47.8% of his looks in the last nine and taking 10 threes per game on average. This is a fantastic price, making it my NBA bet of the day.
Mitchell Robinson Over 10.5 Rebounds (-115) • DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
It’s safe to say Robinson owns the Cavaliers. While he averaged 10.7 rebounds per game against them this season, that includes a game where he played just 20 minutes due to foul trouble — and even then he registered seven boards.
In his other two games during the season against Cleveland, he pulled down a combined 25, hitting the Over at this number in each performance.
This is no surprise. The Cavaliers are one of the worst rebounding teams in the league, particularly since the break. They collected just 46.5% of available boards in the second half, good for third-worst.
Robinson, meanwhile, ranked second in offensive rebounding rate this season and has helped the Knicks dominate on the glass all year. I like this with or without Julius Randle in the lineup, so if he’s ruled out you’re getting an even better deal here.
Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 1 Team Props
Knicks 2Q ML (+118) • FanDuel Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
New York owned the 12th-best second-quarter defense in the NBA this season and the ninth-best offense. While Cleveland had the best defense in the second, it ranked just 17th on offense.
The Knicks own arguably the best bench in the East, ranking fourth in net rating all season thanks to the play of Sixth Man of the Year candidate Immanuel Quickley. This is where they have the most decisive advantage over the Cavaliers, aside from the rebounding department.
New York out-scored Cleveland in the second quarter during the course of the regular season series, and I expect it to win the second in this opening game. It’s natural to expect a hot start for the Cavaliers at home, but I think the Knicks come roaring back in the second.
