Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 2 Picks, Predictions & Expert Best Bets Breakdown

Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals was played at the Garden, and it was an amazing thriller. Tonight, we will be back at the Garden for Game 2 of the series between the Cavaliers and the Knicks, which will also be played at the Garden.

When it comes to this matchup, our basketball experts have their preferred NBA picks, and we are betting on how both teams will modify their defensive strategies in order to maximize our profit.

Cavaliers vs Knicks Expert Picks Tonight

Pick | Odds
Brunson 7+ assists | +102
Harden 18+ points | -120
Knicks -6.5 | -105

Jalen Brunson Over 6.5 assists

Jalen Brunson came up short for us in Game 1 with six assists, but if sportsbooks are going to repost 6.5 at plus money, I’m going to go back to it. I’m going to bet on it. There was no change in my perspective on this item after Game 1. In point of fact, I am feeling even more positive about it as we move into tonight: Brunson was able to routinely take down James Harden when he was playing by himself, and it is difficult to picture the Cleveland Cavaliers continuing to continue to allow this to happen without sending additional help defenders or double teams. Increasing the number of passing possibilities available to Brunson should be a logical consequence of Cleveland’s defensive adjustments. Brunson still managed to generate 12 potential assists in Game 1, despite the fact that he took 29 shots during the game. This is something that really strikes out. This is a really powerful underlying figure, and it indicates that the opportunity to make plays were present throughout the whole night. The Over 6.5 assists is priced closer to -165 here at my house.

James Harden Over 17.5 points

James Harden was subjected to a barrage of attacks from the New York Knicks during the first half of Game 1, with additional players being sent in to seize the ball from his grasp. In the first two frames of the game, he was only able to score seven points on three-of-five shooting and was unable to get inside the lane to draw fouls. Nevertheless, Cleveland was able to skip the ball in order to open hands, which resulted in the establishment of a significant advantage. When New York made a change in their defensive strategy in the second half and played Harden straight up, it was the beginning of the incredible comeback that the team experienced. In spite of the fact that he made ten free throws and went to the foul line six times, he was only able to score eight points in the second half due to his poor shooting performance (2 for 10). In the second half, Harden’s usage increased from 23.7% in the first half to 29.2% in the second half. If the Knicks continue to implement the strategies that have proven successful, Harden will have plenty of opportunities to score, but the Cavaliers will not produce as many wide-open looks. There is a positive outlook for “The Beard” with the majority of models predicting that he will finish with 17.5 points, with some models even predicting that he would finish with 20 points.

Knicks -6.5

It is my prediction that the Knicks will pick up where they left off in the first game. Even though New York was behind by 22 points in the fourth quarter, they still managed to finish first in the most of important statistical categories. This was despite the fact that there were obvious symptoms of rust following an eight-day break. Looking at the big picture, New York is the best team in the playoffs in terms of both net rating and effective field goal %. Additionally, eight of their nine postseason victories came by a margin of 11 points or more. With a rowdy crowd at Madison Square Garden to contend with once more, Cleveland’s road efficiency has plummeted, and the Cavaliers appeared to be completely shaken up in the final minutes of Game 1. This is a significant warning sign.

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