Knicks vs Cavaliers Odds, Picks, Lineups & Trends for Game 1

• The Knicks and Cavaliers face off in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals on Saturday
• Cleveland is a 5.5-point home favorite for the series opener
• Find the Knicks vs Cavaliers odds, preview, injury news, and prediction below

The Eastern Conference Quarterfinals between the New York Knicks (47-35, 24-17 away) and the Cleveland Cavaliers (51-31, 31-10 home) begin on Saturday, April 15th. The tip-off for Game 1 of this seven-game series is scheduled for 6pm ET at Rocket Mortage Fieldhouse. This matchup can be seen on ESPN.

The Knicks finished the campaign on a two-game losing streak but it’s important to note that Julius Randle is targeting a return from injury here. As for the Cavs, you can see they have a fantastic record at home. Wing Isaac Okoro is also expected to play Saturday after recovering from an injury of his own, giving Cleveland a full-strength starting five.

Knicks vs Cavaliers Odds

The Cavs are a 5.5-point favorite and went 24-16-1 ATS at home in the regular season. They also have moneyline odds of -225, while New York comes back at +188. The Knicks were one of the better teams as an ATS underdog this season, posting a 23-16-2 record. Tom Thibodeau’s squad also won three of four meetings with Cleveland this year.

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Odds as of April 14th at FanDuel.

Knicks Betting Outlook

New York bounced back in a big way this year after missing the 2022 playoffs, locking down the No. 5 seed in the always-competitive East. That was much in part to the duo of Jalen Brunson and Randle, who led the way. Brunson’s arrival was highly anticipated in free agency and he certainly lived up to expectations.

The former Dallas Maverick averaged 24 points, 6.2 assists, and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 41.6% from long range, all career highs. As for Randle, he put up a stat line of 25.1 points, 10 rebounds, and 4.1 dimes. Without him, it would be difficult to imagine the Knicks giving Cleveland a run for its money in this series. Thankfully,  he’s now healthy, or at least close.

Julius Randle (left ankle sprain) is targeting a return for Game 1 on Saturday, per @wojespn

Randle suffered the injury on March 29 pic.twitter.com/XPXtbsTkvz

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 14, 2023

It will be very interesting to see how the NY offense, which ranked second in the Association, holds up against the league’s best defense. The Cavs are pests on the opposite end of the floor and have two twin towers in Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. Needless to say, it’ll be a stern test for the Knicks.

Cavs Betting Outlook

Just like New York, Cleveland also had a superstar free agent arrive last summer by the name of Donovan Mitchell. Spida balled out,  taking the Cavs from a fringe playoff team to a serious contender. The 26-year-old averaged 28.3 points, 4.4 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per night while draining 38% of his triples.

The supporting cast around him is stellar, too. Darius Garland formed a lethal backcourt with Mitchell, while Allen and Mobley are imposing figures down low. Okoro is also a fantastic wing defender. On both ends of the floor, JB Bickerstaff’s group is solid, ranking top 10 in offensive and defensive rating.

It’s time to get excited, CLE. #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/RcM2um6cwd

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) April 14, 2023

It’s been a long time since Cavs fans had a home playoff game to watch. The atmosphere should be electric Saturday and it also helps that Cleveland was practically unbeatable at Rocket Mortage Fieldhouse during the season, posting a 31-10 record.

Knicks vs Cavaliers Prediction

Whether Randle is on the floor or not, I expect the Cavs to take a 1-0 series lead at home, a place where they’ve gone 23-15-1 as an ATS favorite. The energy from the Cleveland faithful will play a key part.

Pick: Cavs -5.5 (-106)