New York Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers 4/18/2023 Previews, Predictions and Picks
East 1st Round – Game 2, NY leads series 1-0
The New York Knicks are set to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers in an Eastern Conference matchup on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, at 7:30 PM ET at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in OH. The Knicks are determined to build on their unexpected victory in game one over the weekend and aim to start the series 2-0. However, replicating their performance from the first game might be challenging, as they had to give it their all to secure the win. Despite the challenges, the Knicks have reasons to be confident, given their performance against Cleveland this season, particularly winning the last two meetings on the road. With a winning road record this year and already clinching a road win in this series, the Knicks will be playing with a sense of freedom and confidence on Tuesday night.
However, the absence of Josh Hart, who is questionable due to an ankle injury, could be felt by the Knicks. With three additional bench players also unavailable due to travel, depth might become a concern for New York in game two. The Knicks will be looking for ways to match Hart’s double-double output from the first game. Despite Cleveland’s strong defense, the Knicks will rely on Julius Randle to lead the way, as he has been a key player for them throughout the season.
- The New York Knicks are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games on the road against Cleveland.
- New York is 5-1 SU in their last 6 games against an opponent in the Eastern Conference.
- The Knicks are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games against an opponent in the Central Division.
New York Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers 4/18/2023 Previews, Predictions and Picks
Cleveland knows they can’t afford to fall behind 0-2 when they travel to New York for the road leg of the series after suffering a loss at home over the weekend. They only managed to win one of their five encounters with the Knicks this season, despite having the superior seed. They’ll be optimistic they can recover on Tuesday night despite the fact that they don’t have the easiest home record in the league. After only having three players score in double figures in match one, they not only need to be stronger in the frontcourt, but they also need to score more points. This team has talent and depth, but they must put on a complete show, or else they will truly be up against it for the remainder of the season.
Cleveland also benefited from being able to maintain their health throughout the season. The Cavaliers will just be missing a reserve player while New York manages without one of their top two players. Although Dylan Windler (foot) was ruled out, the outcome of this contest shouldn’t be affected by his absence.
- The total remained UNDER in 5 of Cleveland’s last 6 games at home.
- The Cleveland Cavaliers are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games at home against New York.
- The total stayed UNDER in 5 of Cleveland’s last 7 games with a team in the Eastern Conference.
New York Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers. The NBA pick for this game is the New York Knicks. There’s little reason to doubt that New York will at least keep things close in this one given how they played in this matchup so far this season. Their frontcourt and backcourt balance is essential, especially in light of Cleveland’s difficulties in the previous game. Additionally, the Knicks are 4-0 ATS in the previous four meetings with Cleveland overall and 6-2 ATS in the last eight encounters in Cleveland. They are also 11-3-1 ATS in their last 15 matches after an ATS victory. The Knicks will win to a predicted score of 109-105.
NBA Starting Time: 7:30 PM ET
Location: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, OH
Date: Tuesday, April 18, 2023
TV: TNT
NBA Odds: New York Knicks +5.5
NBA Totals: 214
