NBA Eastern Conference Finals Betting Preview: Cavaliers vs. Knicks
The 2026 NBA Playoffs are crushing it. After going 24 years without an Eastern Conference Finals appearance, the Knicks have made it for the second straight season. Last year’s series ended in heartbreak and a coaching change. Will things be different this time around with the Cleveland Cavaliers on deck?
No team has played more games this postseason than the Cavs, who went the distance against both the Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons. They’re still standing, though, and they’re back in the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since LeBron James left in 2018.
The stakes are high, and the stage is set. Only four wins separate one of these teams from the NBA Finals.
NBA Eastern Conference Finals Odds
Odds for the Eastern Conference Finals are current as of Monday, May 18, and come from the industry’s best offshore sportsbooks.
Series Winner
- Cavaliers (+210)
- Knicks (-250)
The Knicks open as significant favorites to defeat the Cavaliers. They won the season series 2-1, and they’ve also looked like the more dominant team throughout the playoffs. New York comes into the Eastern Conference Finals on a seven-game winning streak. Its last loss came when it went down 2-1 against the Atlanta Hawks in the opening round.
Game 1 Odds – Tuesday, May 19 at 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
- Spread: Cavaliers +7 (-115) / Knicks -7 (-105)
- Moneyline: Cavaliers (+215) / Knicks (-260)
- Total: Over 217 (-110) / Under 217 (-110)
The Cavaliers are heavy underdogs on the road in Game 1 at Bovada. The 7-point spread likely has to do with how strong the Knicks have looked lately. During their seven-game winning streak, they’ve averaged 125.3 points while limiting opponents to 98.9 points per game.
New York is 7-3 against the spread in the playoffs. Cleveland is 7-7. Overall, these teams are trending toward the over: The Cavaliers have hit it in nine out of 14 games, while the Knicks are split at five apiece.
Full Eastern Conference Finals Schedule
The entire Cavaliers vs. Knicks schedule has been revealed. All times Eastern.
- Game 1: Cavaliers @ Knicks – Tuesday, May 19 at 8 p.m. (ESPN)
- Game 2: Cavaliers @ Knicks – Thursday, May 21 at 8 p.m. (ESPN)
- Game 3: Knicks @ Cavaliers – Saturday, May 23 at 8 p.m. (ABC)
- Game 4: Knicks @ Cavaliers – Monday, May 25 at 8 p.m. (ESPN)
- *Game 5: Cavaliers @ Knicks – Wednesday, May 27 at 8 p.m. (ESPN)
- *Game 6: Knicks @ Cavaliers – Friday, May 29 at 8 p.m. (ESPN)
- *Game 7: Cavaliers @ Knicks – Sunday, May 31 at 8 p.m. (ESPN)
New York has home-court advantage in the series after clinching the No. 3 seed. Madison Square Garden hosts Games 1, 2, 5, and 7. Cleveland, which started in a 0-2 hole against the top-seeded Pistons last round, gets Games 3, 4, and 6.
How the Cavaliers Got Here
As the East’s No. 4 seed, the Cavaliers have been challenged every step of the way. Cleveland went toe-to-toe with Toronto in the first round in a back-and-forth series before going to seven games against Detroit in the conference semifinals.
Road games have been a major problem for the Cavs. In the first round, Cleveland dropped all three of its games in Toronto. It then opened up the second round by losing its first two games in Detroit before winning the final two, including a lopsided 125-94 victory in Game 7.
Offensively, Donovan Mitchell and James Harden have carried the load. Mitchell has struggled with his efficiency – he’s shooting just 31.1 percent from three-point range – but he’s had a handful of big performances, including a 43-point showing in Game 4 against the Pistons.
Harden has only played 40 games with the Cavaliers following a midseason trade from the LA Clippers, but he’s quickly ingrained himself in the offense. The former MVP has had trouble with turnovers, but his ability to get to the free-throw line and convert has been an enormous help.
Defensively, Cleveland leans heavily on Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Both standing 6-foot-9 or taller, the bigs dominate the glass and paint. Mobley (4.1 assists per game) has also been a reliable playmaker throughout the postseason.
Cavaliers Playoffs Leaders
- Points: Donovan Mitchell (25.6 points per game)
- Rebounds: Evan Mobley (8.0 rebounds per game)
- Assists: James Harden (6.2 assists per game)
- Steals: James Harden (1.9 steals per game)
- Blocks: Tie between Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen (1.9 blocks per game)
- 3PT%: Sam Merrill (40.4 percent on 4.4 attempts per game)
How the Knicks Got Here
New York’s playoff run did not get off to the best start. The Knicks went down 2-1 to the Hawks in the first round after losing consecutive games by one point apiece, and with Game 4 set to take place in Atlanta, it looked like New York could be in real trouble.
Instead, the Knicks turned things around in dramatic fashion, winning the next three games by an average of 32 points and eliminating the Hawks in six. New York then went on to sweep the 76ers, winning Game 1 by 39 points and taking all four by an average of 22.3 points per game.
Jalen Brunson has been as reliable as ever, scoring at least 22 points in eight of his first 10 games. His efficiency has been top-notch, too: Brunson is hitting 48.5 percent of his attempts from the field and nearly 41 percent from three-point range.
If versatility is what you want, look no further than Karl-Anthony Towns. The seven-foot center has been a monster on the glass and an excellent facilitator throughout the playoffs, and he leads the team in both rebounds and assists per game. He’s not scoring quite as much as he was during the regular season, but he’s put in a massive effort elsewhere.
One player will be key for continued success: OG Anunoby. The veteran forward hasn’t played since Game 2 of the conference semifinals due to a hamstring injury. He’s expected to return in time for Game 1 against Cleveland, but he needs to stay healthy – his three-and-D value is off the charts.
Knicks Playoffs Leaders
- Points: Jalen Brunson (27.4 points per game)
- Rebounds: Karl-Anthony Towns (10.0 rebounds per game)
- Assists: Karl-Anthony Towns (6.6 assists per game)
- Steals: OG Anunoby (1.9 steals per game)
- Blocks: Karl-Anthony Towns (1.5 blocks per game)
- 3PT%: OG Anunoby (53.8 percent on 4.9 attempts per game)
NBA Eastern Conference Finals Prediction
The resolve that the Cavaliers have shown this postseason is impressive. The Raptors did not make it easy on them in the first round, and Cleveland could have easily folded when it went down 2-0 to the Pistons in the second. Winning a pair of Game 7s this early in the playoffs certainly speaks to their ability to deliver when necessary.
The Knicks are a different beast, though. Neither Toronto nor Detroit boasts the same level of experience as New York, so Cleveland can’t afford to fall into another 0-2 hole. It’s encouraging that the Cavs managed to win their last two road games, but they may not get that same opportunity moving forward.
It would be irresponsible to say that the Knicks won’t lose again – a potential NBA Finals matchup with the Thunder or Spurs looms large – but they’re arguably playing their best basketball of the year right now. The path has been fairly light, but they’ve also been playing well above expectations.
Verdict: Knicks in six games
Best Cavaliers vs. Knicks Series Prop Bets
There’s no shortage of ways to bet this series. These are some of our favorite prop bets to place ahead of Game 1.
Knicks -1.5 Series Spread (-120)
There are only two ways in which the Knicks don’t cover this series spread: Either they win the series in seven games, or they lose it altogether. Essentially, this is a bet that New York closes it out in six games or fewer.
Their track record this postseason suggests that they can get it done. The Knicks are on a historic tear right now and haven’t lost a game in nearly a month. Perhaps they won’t blow through the Eastern Conference Finals as they have in the other rounds, but they have what it takes to win comfortably.
Jalen Brunson: Eastern Conference Finals MVP (-165)
Scoring gets noticed first, and that’s what Brunson does better than anyone else in this series. He’s averaging over 27 points in roughly 35 minutes per game this postseason, and he’s doing it on close to 50/40/90 shooting splits.
I don’t trust Cleveland to have an answer for him defensively. Harden has never been known for his effort on that end of the floor, and he’s also 36 years old. Max Strus is gritty and could work hard to slow Brunson down, but I don’t see how that would be sustainable over a series.
The only other player I would consider for this bet is Karl-Anthony Towns, given his all-around impact throughout the playoffs thus far. If you’re in for more of a long shot, consider backing KAT at +1000.
Knicks Win Game 1 and Series (-150)
This is an easy one. Cleveland’s lackluster record on the road this postseason suggests that it’ll have an especially hard time taking Game 1 at Madison Square Garden. Stranger things have happened – see the 2025 Indiana Pacers – but the Cavaliers haven’t proven that they can consistently win big games away from home.
Historically, the team that wins Game 1 goes on to win the series roughly 77 percent of the time. There are some outliers to that rule – including in these playoffs – but that’s a good rate to count on.
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Final Thoughts
The NBA Playoffs have been full of surprises, but Cavaliers-Knicks is a matchup that was widely projected for this year’s Eastern Conference Finals. Now, it’s time for both teams to lock in and show that they can truly contend for an NBA title.
Regardless of which way the series goes, the winner will almost certainly enter the NBA Finals as an underdog. The Thunder (-170) and Spurs (+300) are the top two contenders to win the championship.
