The New York Knicks are a game away from moving into Round 2 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs. Cleveland is yet to have an answer to the Knicks for two-consecutive games. If they don’t step up in front of the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse crowd on Thursday night, their stellar fourth-seed regular-season finish would have been for nothing.

Head coach J. B. Bickerstaff and the rest of his crew need to put up a fight and make things difficult for the visitors. If they can channel another performance similar to Game 2, we could see this series heading back to New York for Game 6.

Nitrobetting is ready to dish out key assists and lob passes with betting tips and news coverage throughout the 2023 NBA Playoffs. This time, let’s break down the upcoming playoff showdown between the New York Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Knicks vs. Cavaliers Game 5 2023 NBA Playoffs First-Round Information

• When: Wednesday, April 26, 2023, 7:00 PM ET
• Where: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
• TV: TNT
• Radio: 98.7 FM ESPN New York (Knicks) // WTAM 1100 AM (Cavaliers)
• Live Stream: NBA League Pass
• NBA Betting Odds: Knicks (+5.5) / Cavaliers (-5.5)

READ MORE: Lakers vs. Grizzlies 2023 NBA Playoffs Odds and Game 5 Preview – April 26th

Why Bet on the New York Knicks?

New York outplayed the Cavaliers once again following a wonderful performance by Jalen Brunson. The Guard scored 29 points on 11 of 22 from the field. He also facilitated quality plays and closed the night with six assists in 43 minutes. Mitchell Robinson stepped up and grabbed 11 boards and 12 points across his 27-minute shift.

As a team, the Knicks did well to keep Cleveland within striking distance. The Cavs were no more than three points ahead of the game, while the hosts managed to lead by as much as 15 points. Both teams were neck and neck. New York was slightly behind shooting from the field at 45.2% and 38 of 84 from the field. They struggled to drain threes and hit only eight of 29 attempts. Furthermore, the hosts were poor from the line and missed ten of 28 free throws.

What made the difference for the Knicks was their physicality. They collected 14 more rebounds than their opponents and recorded seven blocks. New York was clearly the better team that night. If they keep this momentum going, we might see the Cavs leave the playoffs just before Round 2.

Why Bet on the Cleveland Cavaliers?

The fifth-best defensive team in the league will collapse if they fail to change things up. Cleveland holds a 109.9 defensive rating, but it doesn’t look that way in Round 1 of the 2023 Playoffs. The Central Division team suffered their second-straight loss to the Knicks. It was a closer game this time, but the Cavs were still nine points behind their opponents by the final buzzer.

Cleveland shot 46.8% from the field but failed to light things up from longer distances. The team hit just six of 23 attempts from deep to finish the game with a 26.1% three-point percentage. They were much better on the line at 78.9% but failed to compete with the Knicks’ rebounding strength. The No. 4 Eastern Conference team grabbed 33 total rebounds and struggled to collect offensive boards.

It was Darius Garland that led the visitors that night. He finished his stint with 23 points on nine of 16 shooting. Caris LeVert grabbed nine rebounds and Garland topped the team once again in assists with ten to his name. They still hold onto the league’s best opponent points per game statistic at 106.5 points per game on 46.6% opponent shooting, which needs to show up against the Knicks if they want to survive the next meeting.

Knicks vs. Cavaliers Betting Trends

• The Knicks lost four of their last five playoff road games (1-4 ATS).
• The Knicks won four of their last five contests versus the Cavs (4-1 ATS).
• The totals have gone under in four of the Knicks’ last five games against Cleveland.
• The Cavaliers won three of their last seven games at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse (3-4 ATS).
• The Cavaliers dropped two of their last five home games when playing the Knicks (2-3 ATS).
• The totals have gone over in three of the Cavs’ last six home games against the Knicks.

Knicks vs. Cavaliers Game 5 Expert Betting Predictions

Again, you can’t discredit the fact that the Cavaliers are the better team on paper. They have a more talented player pool. But, the Knicks have a tight roster and grit that helps the team power through this time of year. They have the aggression and their will to win is off the charts. A road win is just what they need here. It also feels like they want it more than Cleveland.

But the challenge of playing in front of a hostile crowd could hurt their chances. This has been a low-scoring series, and that favors the Knicks. They can cover the spread and snatch the win. However, home advantage puts the Cavaliers at a slight advantage over their Game 5 opponents.

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This is just one of the many sports betting guides that you can read here at Nitrobetting news. Stay tuned for more 2022-23 NBA season previews and articles and don’t forget to check out the latest basketball betting odds on our online BTC sportsbook.

*All odds stated are subject to change without prior notice.