NBA Odds: Knicks (even)
The Cleveland Cavaliers (34-22) travel to New York to take on the Knicks (10-44) in what should be a low-scoring game. Action begins at 1:00 pm ET on Sunday, Feb. 22 and can be seen on ABC.
The Knicks are hoping for a better outcome after their 111-87 loss to the Heat on Friday. Tim Hardaway Jr. had a solid performance, recording 17 points, four assists, and three rebounds for New York. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, are coming off a 127-89 win against the Wizards on Friday. LeBron James led the game in scoring by accounting for 28 points on 12-for-21 shooting.
Half-court execution will be of utmost importance when two of the NBA’s slowest-paced teams square off. New York ranks 28th in the league in possessions per game (93.5), while Cleveland is 26th (95.2). Moreover, the fifth-ranked offense of the Cavaliers (offensive efficiency of 107.8) will try to exploit the 28th-ranked defense of the Knicks (defensive efficiency of 107.5).
Both teams have won a game in the season series. The Cavaliers had the upper hand in the most recent game, a close 90-87 win. In the victory, Kyrie Irving led all scorers with 37 points.
The odds for New York and Cleveland are even, while the Over/Under (O/U) is currently unavailable. The Knicks come into this game 10-44 Straight Up (SU) and 21-31-2 Against The Spread (ATS). They are 6-28 SU and 13-20-1 ATS against the Eastern Conference.
Over on the other bench, the Cavaliers have 34-22 SU and 27-29 ATS records. Cleveland performed well ATS during its last 10 games, earning a 7-3 record.
The Cavaliers’ win over New York in their last clash wasn’t enough for them to overtake the Knicks in the recent head-to-head series. Their record is now 4-6 SU over the last 10 meetings. The Knicks also lead the matchup ATS with a record of 6-4. New York held the edge in field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers three times, while Cleveland was never able to do so in their most recent 10 games.
Predictions: SU Winner – CLE, ATS Winner – CLE
Notes
New York is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games.
New York is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of New York’s last 10 games.
The total has gone OVER in 6 of New York’s last 9 games at home.
New York is 4-15 SU in its last 19 games at home.
New York is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing Cleveland.
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New York’s last 6 games when playing Cleveland.
The total has gone OVER in 11 of New York’s last 14 games when playing at home against Cleveland.
New York is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Cleveland.
New York scores an average of 92.4 points per game (ranked 29th), while Cleveland gives up 99.1 points per game (ranked 13th).
On average, New York puts up 91.7 points per home game (ranked 30th), while Cleveland allows 101.1 points per away game (ranked 18th).
In its last game, Cleveland won by a 38-point margin. New York is 0-10 in games decided by a margin of 18 points or more. Cleveland has an 8-6 record in blowouts.
In games where they allow fewer than 100 points, the Cleveland Cavaliers are a dazzling 24-5. In games where they score fewer than 100 points, the New York Knicks have an abysmal record of 6-38.
Cleveland is a losing 10-17 when it gives up 100 or more points. New York has a 4-6 record when it hits triple digits.
Ranked fifth, the Cavaliers have an offensive rating of 107.8. The Knicks, on the other hand, rank 28th with a defensive rating of 107.5.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have one of the best field goal percentages this season, ranking ninth in the league with a FG% of 45.7%. When their opponents record a similar or higher FG%, the New York Knicks have a subpar 3-28 record.
New York averages 20.4 three point attempts per game, and Cleveland attempts 25.7 per game. In games where the teams have 25 or more three point attempts, the Knicks have an underachieving 1-12 record while the Cavaliers have a 17-15 record.
New York has an assist to turnover ratio of 1.60 this season (ranked 17th). Cleveland ranks higher with an A/TO of 1.65 (ranked 12th).
New York ranks 29th in rebounds per game with 39.7, while Cleveland ranks 18th with 42.7 per game.
New York is ranked 30th in defensive rebounds, while Cleveland ranks 11th in offensive rebounds.
Cleveland has forced an average turnover percentage of 13.4% this season. New York has a subpar 6-26 record when its TOV% is 13.4% or higher.
