The New York Knicks take on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night in Cleveland. The game tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET at Rocket Arena.
The Cavaliers are 4.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook with the total for this game set at 232.5 points. Let’s get into my preview, prediction and pick for this Cavaliers vs. Knicks game.
Cavaliers vs. Knicks prediction, preview
The Cavaliers are playing some of their best basketball of the season as of late. Cleveland won 64 games last season to seize the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. After a shakier first half of this season, they are starting to play at that elite level once again. Over their last 14 games, they are 12-2 and have moved up to fourth place in the Eastern Conference. The Cavaliers are just one game behind tonight’s opponent, the New York Knicks, in the standings. Donovan Mitchell is quietly having a great season, ranking seventh in the NBA in scoring. The addition of James Harden has also looked like a good move so far. Cleveland is 5-1 since acquiring Harden, and he has led the team in assists in five of those six games.
The Knicks are also playing well at this stage of the season. After a horrible start to the 2026 calendar year, the Knicks went on an eight-game winning streak to right the ship. Over their last six games, the Knicks have picked up important wins over the Celtics, 76ers, Bulls and Rockets. New York needs to hold off the Cavaliers, who are just one game behind them in the Eastern Conference standings. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns have both been playing well since the All-Star break. When that duo is clicking together, the Knicks are a hard team to beat. So, slowing them down should be the main focus for Cleveland in this game.
Cavaliers vs. Knicks pick, best bet
This is an important game for both teams. After the All-Star break, every game against other elite teams feels like a playoff game. The Knicks have had a few recently, getting wins over the Celtics, Rockets, Nuggets and 76ers, but losing twice to the Pistons. Meanwhile, Cleveland is coming off a loss to the defending NBA champions, Oklahoma City. Only one game separates these teams in the Eastern Conference, so these games are not only an important benchmark but could be the difference in seeding in April.
My best bet is for the Knicks to cover as 4.5-point underdogs. This should be a tight game between two great teams, both of whom are playing some of their best basketball of the season. There is a definite concern about the Cavaliers beating up on inferior opponents but struggling against other top teams. This season, Cleveland is 1-8 against the other four teams in the top five of the Eastern Conference: Boston, Detroit, New York, and Toronto. Specifically against the Knicks, the Cavaliers are 0-2 this season. Cleveland has yet to prove itself against the elites in the NBA, so I’ll back the Knicks as underdogs in this game.
