New York Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Pick & Prediction 2/21/25

At 7:00 ET, the Cleveland Cavaliers (-354) will host the New York Knicks (+282) in a matchup of the top two teams in the Eastern Conference. The Cavaliers are favored by 8.5 points and the over/under line is set at 239.5.

ESPN will have the television coverage from Rocket Arena in Cleveland. The Knicks have won three straight games and are 3rd in the East, while the Cavaliers have won five straight and are the top team in the conference.

NEW YORK KNICKS VS CLEVELAND CAVALIERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers -8.5

This game will be played at Rocket Arena at 7:00 ET on Friday, February 21st.

WHY BET THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 113-76 in favor of the Cavaliers.
• Our projections have Darius Garland finishing with 19 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists.
• From the field, we have the Cavaliers finishing with a field goal percentage of 49.4% and knocking down 15 threes.

Is a Win at Cleveland Possible for the Knicks?

With a 113-111 win over the Bulls on Thursday, the Knicks improved to 37-18 for the season. New York, who were -10.5 favorites, didn’t cover the spread, and the total score of 224 points fell short of the O/U line of 245.

After trailing 21-19 in the 1st quarter, the Knicks bounced back with a 31-22 2nd quarter. The Bulls outscored them 38-33 in the 3rd, but New York held a narrow 83-81 lead going into the 4th, where they edged out Chicago 21-23.

Karl-Anthony Towns led the Knicks to a win over the Bulls with 32 points and 18 rebounds, shooting 46.7% from the field. Miles McBride added 23 points, hitting 5 threes at 41.7%, while Jalen Brunson contributed 22 points and 12 assists, despite shooting just 38.1% and 22.2% from deep.

The Knicks hit 14 threes at a 30.4% clip, finishing with a 43% overall shooting percentage. Towns scored 20 points in the 3rd quarter, while Brunson added 13 in the 2nd. Mikal Bridges chipped in 9 of his 13 points in the 4th quarter.

The Knicks’ defense held strong in the 1st and 2nd quarters, giving up just 21 and 22 points, respectively, but they struggled in the 3rd, allowing 38 points. They bounced back in the 4th, limiting the Bulls to 23 points, which helped secure the win. Overall, the Knicks held the Bulls to 39% shooting.

New York sent Chicago to the line 12 times, where they made 10 free throws. The Knicks allowed 19 made threes on 39% shooting. Defensively, they recorded 10 steals and 7 blocks.

Can Cleveland Lock in a Home Win?

The Cavaliers improved to 45-10 with a 110-97 win over the Nets on Thursday. Cleveland, favored by 12.5 points, covered the spread with the 13-point victory. The game’s total of 207 points fell short of the 225-point over/under line.

A key moment came when the Cavs went on a 13-0 run, stretching the score from 69-65 to 82-65. Cleveland outscored Brooklyn 35-27 in the 3rd quarter and 27-20 in the 4th to close out the game.

In their win over the Nets, the Cavaliers managed just 42.6% shooting from the field and hit 11 threes at a 28.2% clip. Donovan Mitchell led the way with 26 points, 14 of which came in the 3rd quarter.

Darius Garland and Evan Mobley each added 18 points, with Garland also dishing out 9 assists. Jarrett Allen contributed 16 points, including 8 in the 3rd quarter.

The Cavaliers put together a strong defensive performance against the Nets, holding them to just 97 points on 40% shooting from the field. Cleveland’s defense was particularly effective in the 1st and 4th quarters, where they allowed just 19 and 20 points, respectively.

From beyond the arc, the Cavaliers limited the Nets to 10 made threes on 26% shooting. Cleveland also sent Brooklyn to the free-throw line 19 times, where they made 11. The Cavaliers finished with 8 steals and 5 blocked shots.