Though it was their least convincing performance in their eight-game winning streak, the New York Knicks kept the good times rolling in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, erasing a 22-point deficit with seven and a half minutes left to play to win, 115-104, in overtime.
Now, the Knicks are looking to take a commanding 2-0 lead tonight when Game 2 tips off at 8:10 p.m. ET. Teams that take a 2-0 lead in the conference finals go on to win the series more than 90% of the time, so New York could effectively end the series tonight before Cleveland even plays a home game.
The Knicks are 5.5-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook (-225 on the Moneyline), with the point total set to 215.5. The Cavaliers are +185 on the Moneyline. Below, I’ll take a look at the public betting splits and analyze which side has attracted bettors.
Cavaliers at Knicks Betting Splits on DraftKings Sportsbook
New York feels the buzz of the Knicks’ success, and so does the public, as 66% of the bets and 73% handle have come in on New York to take a 2-0 lead. Notably, the Knicks have even attracted big-money bettors, given that they’ve drawn a larger proportion of the handle than of the overall bets. New York won the regular season series, 2-1.
Additionally, users who believe the Knicks will win believe that they’ll win by a comfortable margin, as 63% of all bets have come in on New York to win by at least six points, as it did in Game 1 and in one of the three regular season matchups. Big-money bettors are even higher on the Knicks, as they’ve attracted 84% of the handle.
The public is also extremely high on both teams’ offenses, as the over has attracted 77% of all bets and 82% of the handle. Both teams had among the 10 highest-scoring offenses during both the regular season and the playoffs, and the over has hit in four of Cleveland’s last five games and three of New York’s.
You also can check back for all updated betting splits on DraftKings Network here.
Most Popular Player Prop Bets
Here are the most popular player prop bets for the matchup tonight:
- Jalen Brunson 1st Points Scorer (+519)
- Karl-Anthony Towns 11+ Rebounds (-161)
- Donovan Mitchell 4+ Assists (-135)
- Karl-Anthony Towns Triple-Double (+1480)
- Donovan Mitchell 1st Points Scorer (+730)
- Jalen Brunson 25+ Points (-199)
You also can read a full preview and pick for this Eastern Conference battle on DraftKings Network, as well as the top player prop picks ahead of tip-off.
