Cavaliers vs. Knicks Game 4 Point Spread Pick

Cleveland Cavaliers (51-31 SU, 45-39-1 ATS) vs. New York Knicks (47-35 SU, 47-36-2 ATS)
When: Sunday, April 23rd, 1:00 PM (ET)
Where: Madison Square Garden, NY, New York
TV: ABC

Point Spread: Cle +2.5/NY -2.5
Total: 206.5
Money Line: Cleveland Cavaliers +117/-140

Notable Injuries

Cavaliers

• Dylan Windler (Out) Foot

Knicks

• Quentin Grimes (Questionable) Shoulder
• Jericho Sims (Out) Shoulder

Recent Form

Heading into the game, Cleveland is 51-31 overall. When taking to the road, Cleveland has a mark of 20-21 and a win percentage of 49%. Currently, the team is 4th in the Eastern Conference. So far, they are 45-39-1 vs. the spread. When looking at how the team has performed of late straight and vs. the spread, they are 2-3 in their past 5 games and 2-3 ATS. Over their past 10 games, they are 5-5 SU and 4-6 ATS.

In their last outing, Cleveland was unable to come away with a win against the Knicks, losing by a score of 99-79. Donovan Mitchell led the team with 22 points, but it was not enough to overcome their status as 2-point underdogs. The Cavaliers also ended up with an ATS loss in the game.

Heading into the game, New York is 47-35 overall. When playing at home, New York has a mark of 23-18 and a win percentage of 56%. Currently, the team is 5th in the Eastern Conference. So far, they are 47-36-2 vs. the spread. In New York’s last 5 games, the Knicks have a straight-up record of 2-3 while going 2-2-1 in those games. Going back to the last 10, they are 7-3 and 6-3-1 ATS.

The Knicks came away with a win in their last matchup against the Cavaliers, achieving a 99-79 victory as 2-point favorites. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with an impressive performance, scoring 21 points on a shooting percentage of 55.6%. In addition to the win, the Knicks also covered the spread.

The Historicals

In the most recent matchup between the two teams, the Knicks picked up the 99-79 win over the Cavaliers. The Knicks’ margin of victory was enough to cover the spread as a 2.0-point favorite. So far this season, the Knicks have a record of 5-2 vs. the Cavaliers. The Knicks have had the better record vs. the spread over the last 5 games, going 4-1. The team’s average scoring margin in these contests sits at 5 points per game. The over-under record in these same games is 1-4, with the teams combining for an average of 205 points per game.

Analysis

This season, Cleveland is averaging just 112.3 points per game, which places them 34th in the league. A major reason for these low numbers is the fact that they play at one of the slower paces in the NBA at just 95.7 possessions per game. Cleveland comes into the game ranked just 31st in 3-point attempts per game. So far, they have connected on 36.7% of their shots from deep, which places them 29th in the NBA. Defensively, the Cavaliers have been one of the best units in the NBA, allowing just 105.67 points per game. So far, they have allowed a 3-point shooting percentage of 35.29%, placing them 16th in the NBA.

Donovan Mitchell is the top scorer for Cleveland, averaging 28.3 points per game. This season, his field goal percentage is 48.4%. The team’s second-leading scorer is Darius Garland, with an average of 21.6 points per game.

This season, the Knicks’ offense is averaging 116.0 points per game, which is 16th in the NBA. In terms of pace, New York has been playing at one of the slower tempo’s in the league, averaging just 97.7 possessions per game. New York’s 3-point shooting numbers are below the league average, as they have hit just 35.4% of their looks from deep. On average, the team gets up 35.7 3-point shots per game, placing them 15th in the NBA. Defensively, the Knicks have been one of the best units in the NBA, allowing just 106.6 points per game. So far, they have done an excellent job defending the 3-point arc, allowing teams to hit just 34.2%.

Going into today’s game, Julius Randle is the leading scorer for the New York team with an average of 25.1 points per game. This season, his field goal percentage is 45.9%. The team’s second top scorer is Jalen Brunson, who is averaging 24.0 points per game.

Betting Trends

• The Cavaliers are 8-3-2 ATS in their last 13 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.
• The Cavaliers are 13-5-1 ATS in their last 19 Sunday games.
• The Knicks are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
• The Knicks are 13-4-1 ATS in their last 18 games following a straight up win.

Joes Pick To Cover The Spread

I’m coming right back with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the same reason I’ve been riding them all series. They have better talent and better chemistry. I’m betting the Cavs at +2!