The NBA playoffs tip off on Saturday with one of the tightest matchups taking place in the Eastern Conference. The 4th seed Cleveland Cavaliers will be welcoming the 5th seed New York Knicks. The Cavaliers have homecourt advantage and they could certainly need it, as the Knicks won the regular season series 3-1. With both sides not involved in the play-ins, they should be well prepared for tonightR 17;s encounter. It should make for a very tense and tightly contested game on ESPN.
Do check out our NBA Playoffs predictions for all of today’s games. But for now, lets dive into my Knicks vs Cavaliers same game parlay below.
Donovan Mitchell ended the regular season in spectacular form for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was able to record 40 or more points in 4 straight games, including 42 points against this very same New York Knicks team. Look for him to continue his strong showing tonight as the playoffs begin. Mitchell has a history of showing up in the post season. He averages 28.3 points per game in playoff games in his career, up from a regular season average of 24.6. The Knicks had trouble over the last 10 games defending the 3-point line, allowing opponents to make 44.4% of their attempts. That was the worst mark in the league. With Mitchell making above 40% of his shots from there in 4 of his last 6 games, he looks set to take advantage. It should convert to a big scoring night for the guard.
Jalen Brunson stepped up for the Knicks the last time these sides faced off, dropping a season high 48 points. While he may not reach those same numbers tonight, he should be a focal point of the offense. Julius Randle is listed as doubtful to play here, which could put more of the offensive responsibility on the guard. Tom Thibodeau is likely to shorter his rotations tonight too so do not be surprised to see Brunson play over 40 minutes here. He will be matched up against Darius Garland here, who is not considered big for a point guard. It should allow the New York Knicks star to get his shot off with relative ease, especially with Mitchell Robinson creating space for him in pick-and-roll situations. Brunson should carry the Knicks tonight.