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Knicks vs Cavaliers Player Props, Predictions & Picks for Feb 21

Eric Rosales

By Eric Rosales in NBA Basketball

Updated: February 25, 2025 at 12:40 pm EST

Published:


Jalen Brunson dribbling
Feb 20, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson (11) dribbles the ball against the Chicago Bulls during the overtime at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
  • The Cleveland Cavaliers are 8.5-point favorites when they host the New York Knicks on Feb 21
  • Both teams will be playing on the second night of a back-to-back
  • See the Knicks vs Cavaliers predictions, player props, and best available odds on Feb 21

It’s a potential Eastern Conference Finals preview Friday night when the New York Knicks (37-18, 17-8 away) visit the Cleveland Cavaliers (45-10, 25-4 home). Both teams will be playing the second half of a back-to-back, with Cleveland handling Brooklyn, and the Knicks outlasting the Bulls in overtime. The NBA-best Cavs are the home favorite in the NBA odds, with this one tipping of at 7pm ET from Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland. ESPN will carry the broadcast.

Knicks vs Cavaliers Odds

TeamSpreadMoneylineTotal
New York Knicks+8.5 (-115)+290O 240.5 (-110)
Cleveland Cavaliers-8.5 (-105)-385U 240.5 (-110)

The Knicks are 8.5-point road underdogs, and a distant +290 on the moneyline. The total comes in at 240.5 points, with -110 odds on either side of the number.

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We’re still not sure if New York’s Josh Hart (knee) and OG Anunoby (foot) will be available, as both sat out the front end of this back-to-back on Thursday. Mitchell Robinson (ankle) is still just getting to 5-on-5 contact at practice.

Cleveland’s lone injury to report is reserve Dean Wade (knee). He missed Thursday’s win against the Nets, and his status is also undetermined against the Knicks.

NYK vs CLE Player Props

PlayerPointsReboundsAssistsThree-Pointers Made
Jalen Brunson (NYK)26.5 (Ov -111 | Un -115)2.5 (Ov -178 | Un +136)8.5 (Ov +116 | Un -148)2.5 (Ov +158 | Un -205)
Karl-Anthony Towns (NYK)26.5 (Ov -102 | Un -125)13.5 (Ov -113 | Un -113)3.5 (Ov +116 | Un -148)1.5 (Ov -150 | Un +118)
Mikal Bridges (NYK)17.5 (Ov +100 | Un -128)3.5 (Ov -113 | Un -113)3.5 (Ov -113 | Un -113)1.5 (Ov -180 | Un +140)
Donovan Mitchell (CLE)23.5 (Ov -125 | Un -102)3.5 (Ov -166 | Un +130)5.5 (Ov +116 | Un -148)3.5 (Ov +102 | Un -130)
Darius Garland (CLE)19.5 (Ov +100 | Un -128)2.5 (Ov +118 | Un -150)6.5 (Ov -113 | Un -113)2.5 (Ov -125 | Un -102)
Evan Mobley (CLE)17.5 (Ov -122 | Un -104)9.5 (Ov -146 | Un +114)3.5 (Ov +144 | Un -186)OFF
Jarrett Allen (CLE)11.5 (Ov -130 | Un +102)11.5 (Ov -113 | Un -113)OFFOFF

NBA player props from FanDuel Sportsbook on February 21.

New York’s all-star tandem of Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns check in tied with the highest scoring prop in this matchup at 26.5 points. Towns came out of the all-star break with a biggie, dropping 32 points and pulling down 18 rebounds against Chicago.

Donovan Mitchell has the top scoring odds for the Cavaliers at 23.5 points. He’s coming off a 26-point effort vs BK, though it was on a rough 8-for-21 shooting night.

Brunson has the top assist prop at 8.5, with Darius Garland the lead man for the Cavaliers at 6.5. Both failed to top that figure in their only previous meeting this season, a 110-104 Cavs win in Gotham.

New York Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction

  • Knicks vs Cavaliers pick: Under 240.5 points (-110)
  • Knicks vs Cavaliers prop pick: Brunson Under 8.5 assists (-148)

Cleveland picked up right where they left off heading into the all-star break: winning.

The 110-97 win over the Nets was the team’s fifth straight, and fourth straight by a margin of at least 10 points.

Overall, the Cavaliers have just one loss in their last 10, and they’e been beating up on the opposition, scoring at a 124.3 point-per-game clip, shooting 49.5% from the field and a 36.4% from three-point range.

Cleveland owns a plus-16.7 point differential over that span.

They are also finding the range defensively, holding those opponents to 107.6 points per contest, down four points from their regular-season average.

New York is also on its own nice tear of late. They started the second half run the way they got into the all-star break, needing an overtime victory. After dumping Atlanta 149-148, they escaped Thursday with a 113-11 victory against the Bulls.

The Knicks have just two losses across their last 12, and can match the Cavaliers in the offensive fireworks department, putting up 123.1 points on 49.6% shooting from the field and 35.9% from downtown.

The major difference might be that the Knicks are outscoring their opponents, rather than stopping them. New York is surrendering 117.4 points during this streak, nearly five points more than they average through the season.

You would think that teams playing the second of consecutive nights would struggle putting up points, but the Knicks and Cavs appear to be built different.

The Knicks have hit the Over on the second half of back-to-back games seven times in eight contests, the second best success rate in the NBA.

They’re followed closely by Cleveland, in third, who have gone Over the total eight times in 11 games playing on the second straight night.

But together, it just doesn’t hit the same way. The Cavs and Knicks have combined to go Under the total in nine straight matchups.

With four New York starters logging 42+ minutes and Brunson the low man at 38 on Thursday night, combined with the less-than-full lineup, this one should stick to head-to-head script.

Eric Rosales
Eric Rosales

Sports Writer & Editor

Having worked in and around sports since 1997, Eric is truly a knowledgeable expert. The two-time journalism grad specializes in all things NBA and NFL. From TSN.ca to CTV's Olympic Broadcast Consortium, Eric's work has appeared in local and national publications alike.

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