The NBA playoffs get underway today – and the Cleveland Cavaliers are part of the postseason fun for the first time since 2018. Cleveland, the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, hosts the New York Knicks at 6 p.m. today in Game 1 of their best-of-seven first-round series. If you believe the Cavs are a good bet to handle the Knicks, then you'll want to start a BetMGM Ohio account with the BetMGM Ohio bonus code SBWIRE so you can have a first-bet offer up to $1,000.
First, as we examine the Cavs-Knicks matchup, let's address the bad news first: New York won three of the four regular-season meetings. The Cavs weren't always at full-strength for those games, but whatever.
It's more fun to focus on the good news: Cleveland boasted the NBA's stingiest defense during the regular season – allowing just 106.9 points per game – which is a good part of the reason Basketball Reference believes the Cavs are the second-most-likely team to capture the NBA title.
According to Basketball Reference, Cleveland's SRS (Simple Rating System) number is 5.23 – second only to the Boston Celtics' 6.38. The SRS number, which accounts for points differential and strength of schedule, translates into the Cavs having a 14.7 percent chance to win it all. If you're buying even a little of what these metrics are selling, then you're definitely going to want to take advantage of the BetMGM Ohio bonus code SBWIRE to earn that first-bet offer up to $1,000.
Quick Steps to BetMGM Ohio Bonus Code SBWIRE
| BetMGM Ohio Bonus Code | SBWIRE |
| BetMGM Ohio Bonus | $1,000 First-Bet Offer |
| Terms and conditions | New customers 21 and older; 7-day expiration and 1x playthrough on bonus bets. |