The New York Knicks (20-9) and Cleveland Cavaliers (17-14) meet for the second time this season on Thursday, tipping off a five-game Christmas Day slate of NBA action.
On opening night, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns each had double-doubles, leading to a 119-111 win for New York over Cleveland.
The Knicks are 6-point favorites at the Garden, with the over/under set at 239 total points.
New York has gone 2-2 since their NBA Cup Championship triumph over Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs. One of the losses was a rare home game against the Sixers on Dec. 19.
However, that was only their second home defeat, as the Knicks’ 14-2 home record is second-best in the league behind the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Although the Cavs have won two games in a row, those wins have come against the Hornets and Pelicans, not exactly the cream of the crop. Thursday’s matinee for Cleveland will be their third game in four days.
Starting power forward Evan Mobley, who is a crucial part of their paint defense and rebounding, will miss this game. The Knicks’ front-line depth will take advantage of this, especially the efforts of Mitchell Robinson and Josh Hart on the boards.
With an early start time of noon, while most of us will be wrapping last-minute gifts, these two teams will be sharing the Garden floor.
The total of 239.5 is a high mark, given that in their opening-night matchup, it was 228. A noon tipoff presents challenges for some players, which is why I’m leaning towards the under.
Betting on the NBA?
Jalen Brunson and Anunoby are back in the Knicks lineup after sitting out Monday’s loss to the Timberwolves.
I like the Knicks to cover in this Christmas Day showdown. Target an alternate spread of -2.5 points.
The Cavs will have Darius Garland this time around, alongside Mitchell, who always seems to play with extra flair when he comes to MSG.
The Plays: Knicks alternate spread -2.5 (-174, FanDuel) | Under 239.5 Total Points (-110, BetMGM)
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Mike Turay is a sports journalist and editor who closely follows the NBA, NFL, college sports and UFC. He has demonstrated expertise in both NBA and NFL player prop bets for nearly three years. Mike is also highly knowledgeable about the sportsbook offer landscape, frequently trying and reviewing the latest apps and sites.
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