Here are the Knicks vs Cavaliers Betting odds for game 1, and a preview of this 2023 NBA Playoffs series.

In the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs, the fourth-seeded Cavaliers play the fifth-seeded Knicks. Both teams are from the Eastern Conference and have gotten much better over the past few years. Both teams didn’t finish in the top three during the regular season, but the top seeds probably won’t want to face either of them at any point in the playoffs. This could be one of the most closely fought first-round series, so we need to do our homework to get you ready to bet on this matchup.

The Cavaliers’ first year with All-Star Donovan Mitchell has gone about as well as General Manager Mike Gansey could have hoped for when he pulled off the big trade to get Mitchell. “Spida” has fit in well with Darius Garland and Caris LeVert, making them a strong scoring trio on the wings. Cleveland ended the regular season with 51 wins, which was the most for the team since the 2016–17 season when LeBron James was playing. The Cavaliers also kept the sixth-best home record in the NBA. The Cavs are also first in the Association in both points allowed (106.9 ppg) and defensive rating (110.6), thanks to Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. This season, only one team has a better net rating, and only four teams have shot at a higher rate.

The Knicks ended the season with 47 wins, which is the most since Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith were playing in the Big Apple. Getting Jalen Brunson as a free agent last summer and trading for Josh Hart, who played with Brunson at Villanova, at the trade deadline have both paid off very well. Julius Randle’s comeback season as an All-Star has also been a big help, and everyone will be watching to see how his ankle is doing between now and the start of the series this weekend. If Randle can’t go, Sixth Man of the Year hopeful Immanuel Quickley might have to step up even more.

The Knicks can use big inside players like Randle, Mitchell Robinson, and Isaiah Hartenstein to match up with Allen and Mobley, who are both tall and strong. This season, both teams made a lot of noise in the East. Together, they went 66-38 against other teams in their conference, and each won its season series against the Celtics 3-1.

Which of these tough and skilled teams from the Eastern Conference can move on to the next round? Let’s talk about the Cavaliers-Knicks YouWager.lv odds and give our opinion and best bets for how we think this best-of-seven might turn out.

Knicks vs Cavaliers Betting Odds for Game 1:

Here are the Knicks vs Cavaliers Betting odds for the first game of this series, brought to you by YouWager.lv:

• New York Knicks: Point Spread +5.5 -110, Moneyline +180
• Cleveland Cavaliers: Point Spread -5.5 -110, Moneyline -220
• Total: 214.5 Over/Under

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Knicks vs Cavaliers Picks, Predictions

At the end of the season, the Cavs had a four-game lead over the Knicks for the fourth place, which meant they would play the first round at home. And what a big help it has been for J.B. Bickerstaff’s team to play at home. Cleveland went 31–10 at home, 24–16–1 against the spread, and 23–15–1 against the spread as a home favorite.

But the Cavs finished with a record of 20-21 away from home and 18-20-3 against the spread. The Knicks, on the other hand, had the fifth-best road record in the Association this season at 24-17. The team coached by Tom Thibodeau also had the third-best road cover rate in the league, going 26-14-1 against the spread when playing on the road. When it was thought that the Knicks would lose at the home of another team, they went 17-11-1 ATS. Since Josh Hart’s first game in New York on February 10, they are 17-8 straight up and 7-3-1 against the spread when they are the favorites. Suggestion: Don’t think too little of the Knicks.

The game could come down to Julius Randle’s hip. Thibodeau told the New York Post on Tuesday that his All-Star big man has made steady progress and only practiced in restricted ways. Knicks Nation is glad to hear that. Just a few days after seeing their top scorer in a walking boot, fans have renewed hope that he will be able to play in the first game of the series, which starts in Cleveland on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. ET (ESPN).

Randle didn’t play in New York’s March 31 game in Cleveland against the Cavs, but his team didn’t need him to beat Bickerstaff’s boys 130-116 without him. Brunson scored 48 points and gave out nine passes, and six other Knicks scored as well. The Knicks beat the Cavaliers three times in a row during the regular season, from early December to late March. During that time, New York beat the Cavs by a total of 327-300 points. That means they won by an average of nine points.

Still, Cleveland won seven of its last ten games to end the season, and its defense is almost the best in the NBA. Evan Mobley, a second-year big, is a dark horse for DPOY, and Isaac Okoro, a small forward, is the best perimeter defender that 60% of casual fans haven’t heard of yet. Bickerstaff is also a pretty good coach, so we think the ‘land will be ready for a Knicks team with a lot of top players and an injured All-Star.

Knicks vs Cavaliers Prediction: The Cavaliers (-200) will win in seven games against the Knicks.