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Cleveland Cavaliers vs New York Knicks Playoff Series Predictions and Best Bets

by Spencer Toth - 5/19/2026

Cleveland Cavaliers vs New York Knicks playoff series predictions Jalen Brunson

After years of playoff disappointments, one of the New York Knicks or Cleveland Cavaliers will go to the NBA Finals. New York hasn’t made the Finals since 1999, while Cleveland is looking for their first Finals appearance since the LeBron James era. Both sides have been sniffing around the top for the last decade, but haven’t been able to turn consistent regular-season success into tangible playoff rewards. 

The Knicks made quick work of the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round, sweeping them in four games with a pair of 30+ point wins. New York improved to 8-2 in the postseason with both defeats coming by a single point, as they have been the most dominant team in the conference. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns have been truly electric, and the depth created by head coach Mike Brown makes it look as though they won’t run out of steam in the tail end of the playoffs. 

For the Cavaliers, the road to the Eastern Conference Finals has been far less straightforward. They needed seven games to beat the Toronto Raptors in the first round, and won in seven games against the Pistons in the second round. James Harden’s long history of playoff disappointments, especially in Game 7s, has come to an end. However, only one of these teams can book a spot in the NBA Finals against the Thunder or Spurs, so let’s dive right into the series breakdown and best bets. 

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New York Knicks: 

The New York Knicks have had one of the strongest starting fives over the last few seasons, but a lack of fresh legs in the postseason has been their downfall. Last year, three of their starters were in the top five for minutes played. They unsurprisingly got hurt in the playoffs and ran out of gas, so out went Tom Thibodeau and in came Mike Brown. The minutes leveled out, and the Knicks suddenly became a team with an elite starting five and a strong bench to round out the roster. Several blowouts in the first two rounds also let Brown go deeper into the rotation, with 15 Knicks appearing in at least five of the Knicks' 10 playoff games so far. The depth has been excellent, and the top-end talent has been even better. 

There are few players who can impact a game like Jalen Brunson can, and he seemingly gets even better as the pressure mounts. His left hand in the paint is truly unstoppable, but he can also drain it from three and set up his teammates if the double team comes. Brunson’s 27.4 PPG in just 34 minutes of action per game has been incredible to watch, and it truly looks as though he is just getting started. Karl-Anthony Towns has also been effective on both ends of the court, as he has been able to dial up the intensity on defense after being previously criticized for his lack of effort on that end of the floor. His 17.4 PPG has been mediocre, but he isn’t forcing shots and has turned into a playmaker for New York. The 10-game sample size is small, but his 6.6 assists per game is more than double his career average over the last decade.

While Towns and Brunson operate on offense, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges shut things down on the other end of the floor. Anunoby’s offensive breakthrough in the first two series has been a pleasant surprise, but he has carved out a long NBA career thanks to his work on the defensive end. Anunoby is a premier wing defender who can guard all five positions, and that will be especially important against a towering Cavaliers frontcourt. Josh Hart is the glue guy in New York, as his infectious attitude, coupled with 10/9/4 averages and nearly two steals a game, makes him a valuable member of this squad. Bridges can create his own offense and use his length on defense, giving New York a balanced, yet still top-heavy starting five. Now that they also have four players averaging 10+ minutes off the bench, it is no surprise that a fresh Knicks team is buoyed with confidence heading into the third round. 

However, it’s not all sunshine for New York. Anunoby is still dealing with a hamstring injury that kept him out of Games 3 and 4, so while the Knicks have enough depth to overcome his absence, they are no longer a dominant force without their two-way star. The nine-day break has helped Anunoby heal, but his status is still in doubt heading into Game 1. Cleveland is a dominant team on offense with Harden and Donovan Mitchell leading the charge, and the Knicks could be exposed on that end of the floor. Brunson’s defense is still a concern, and strong guard play from Cleveland will give New York a new challenge. The Hawks and 76ers both thrived on the inside, and New York won’t have the perimeter advantage they got used to over the last month. They are still clear favorites to win this series, and if Anunoby is healthy, they just may have a chance to snap their 53-year title drought as the Eastern Conference champions. 

Cleveland Cavaliers:
The Cleveland Cavaliers needed to dig deep to reach the Eastern Conference Finals, but they did exactly that and are now four wins away from the NBA Finals. After three straight top-four seeds netted them just two playoff wins, the Cavaliers went all-in at the trade deadline with the acquisition of James Harden. The decision to trade away Darius Garland wasn’t easy, but Harden’s impact on this offense has been noticeable. A backcourt of Harden and Mitchell, complementing a frontcourt of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, means it is no surprise to see the Cavaliers in the third round of the playoffs. 

Ball security remains a concern for Harden, but otherwise, the Cavaliers are one of the few teams with a guard duo that is stronger than New York's. Brunson is still the best player on the court, but Harden and Mitchell are not far behind. Mitchell’s ability to score from all three levels makes him a truly elite scorer at 25.6 PPG, and he isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty on the glass either. Harden has turned into the playmaker for the Cavaliers, and the real development is his play on the defensive end. His 1.9 steals per game are a team-high, as Harden is a much smaller defensive liability at this stage of his career. 

Allen and Mobley are both strong big men who balance one another nicely. Mobley plays his best offense when he hangs out behind the three-point line before diving into the paint, while Allen’s screen-and-roll game is one of the best in the league. They both average more than seven rebounds per game, as Cleveland can be dominant in the paint with their combination of two big men and team rebounding. All five starters have at least five rebounds per game, taking some of the heat off Allen and Mobley when only one of them is on the court. 

If Cleveland is going to win this series, it starts on the defensive end of the floor. They used to be one of the best defensive teams in the league before they swapped Garland for Harden, but they still have that defensive identity there when they need it. Mobley was in the running for DPOY last year, Dean Wade and Max Strus are both three-and-D specialists, while Allen and Mitchell are no slouches on defense either. The Cavaliers have the scorers they need to keep pace with New York, but it won’t matter if they can’t get stops on the other end of the floor. 

Series Prediction:
The New York Knicks have yet to lose a game by more than one point in the playoffs, and I don’t see how the Cavaliers win this series. An extended rest period can often come with rust, and maybe the Cavaliers take Game 1, unlikely but possible, but that time off will pay dividends when Cleveland slows down in the second half of this series. They don’t have the same depth as New York does, and if OG Anunoby is healthy, this will be incredibly one-sided. New York is one of the few teams that not only has a pair of big men to handle Mobley and Allen, but surprisingly has an advantage in the paint. Mitchell Robinson and Towns have wreaked havoc together in the first two rounds, and we could even see both start if Anunoby is unable to suit up. 

Another factor that cannot be ignored is home court advantage. The Cavaliers have been night and day when they have been on the road this season, losing their first five road playoff games of the postseason. They made up for it with a stellar 6-1 home record, but I anticipate the Knicks stealing at least one game in Cleveland. New York’s non-stop pressure on defense will lead to several Harden turnovers, and it is only a matter of time before they make them pay from deep. The Knicks have surrounded Brunson and Towns with strong defenders who can hit the deep ball, making them a nightmare for a team like Cleveland. The Cavaliers will have their moments, but this is the Knicks series to lose. Not only do I think New York wins this one, but I think they get the job done at home in Game 5 to book their spot in the NBA Finals. 

Prediction: New York Knicks in Five Games

Best Bets:
The Knicks are coming into the series with -275 odds to win the series, and this is a line I can certainly get behind. The overwhelming rest advantage, home court advantage, and their better net ratings on both ends of the court will be too much for Cleveland to overcome. While the -275 price is a nice parlay piece or a solid pick straight up, we can get even better odds on New York with a -1.5 or -2.5 game handicap. While the -120 odds on -1.5 games are very playable, I would rather swing for the fences with the -2.5 game handicap at +165 odds. We can put three units on them to win the series and one unit on the -2.5 handicap, locking in a 2.8 unit profit if the Knicks win in five or fewer, while still virtually breaking even on any Knicks victory. New York is better all over the court and will send a message to the Western Conference champion with a dominant win over Cleveland. 

Finally, we will take Jalen Brunson to lead the series in points at -110. Mitchell is the other top threat with +100 odds, but I see him splitting opportunities with Harden when it matters most. Brunson has been the man the Knicks have leaned on time and time again, and as long as there aren’t too many blowouts for New York, he will pour in 25 or 30 points more often than not. Mitchell is a capable scorer as well, but I envision the Knicks collapsing on him early and often to force someone else to beat them. Cleveland will try to do the same against Brunson, but his excellent vision will prevent the double team from coming too often. With nearly coin-flip odds for the two stars, a rested Brunson holds all the value. 

Pick: New York Knicks to Win the Series -275

Top Pick: New York Knicks (-2.5 Games) +165

Pick: Jalen Brunson Top Points Scorer -110

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