The New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers will square off in the opening round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Although the Knicks lost Julius Randle to an injury late in the year, he could return to the court as soon as Saturday. Bettors should know that DraftKings and FanDuel have left too much value on the Darius Garland and Julius Randle player prop markets for Game 1 of Knicks-Cavaliers. Check out OddsShopper’s tools for other sharp plays, including our Parlay Builder!
Knicks-Cavaliers Game 1 NBA Player Prop | Darius Garland
Darius Garland O/U 2.5 3-Pointers
Cleveland’s Darius Garland emerged as one of the NBA’s top young point guards this season. He has found ways to contribute in all parts of the offense and is averaging 21.6 points and 7.8 assists per game. Garland also averaged 2.4 3-pointers per game on a 41% conversion rate in the regular season and tended to step up at home. When playing in Cleveland, Garland averaged 0.4 more 3-pointers per game on a 4.6% higher conversion rate.
The New York Knicks have struggled to play perimeter defense this year. They allowed the fourth-most 3-pointers per game in the regular season (13), and that number ticked up on the road (13.6). They allowed the eighth-most above-the-break 3’s per game (9.4) during the regular season as well. After the All-Star Break, they allowed the fourth-most above-the-break 3’s (10.2) on the highest conversion rate (40.7%).
Donovan Mitchell did most of the damage against New York in the regular season, but Darius Garland still averaged a respectable 2.33 3-pointers per game when playing the Knicks. With him likely to play a larger share of minutes in a crucial home game for Cleveland, let’s back him to surpass this number at +115 via DraftKings Sportsbook. Readers yet to register at DraftKings can get $150 in bonus bets after winning a $5 moneyline wager!
Best Knicks-Cavaliers Player Prop: Darius Garland Over 2.5 3-Pointers +115 for 1 Unit at DraftKings
The legal gambling age is 21+ in most states. Gambling Problem? Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.
Knicks-Cavaliers Game 1 NBA Player Prop | Jalen Brunson
Jalen Brunson O/U 25.5 Points
After Julius Randle went down, the New York Knicks rode Jalen Brunson hard in a matchup with the Cavaliers. The star point guard racked up 48 points and nine assists in the contest. However, the Cavaliers were without both Jarrett Allen and Isaac Okoro, two of their best defenders, and Brunson will struggle to replicate that performance with them back in the lineup on Saturday.
Before that game, Brunson had been averaging only 17.7 points per game against the Cavaliers this season. His best performance, a 23-point showing, came in Madison Square Garden. Brunson averaged only 23.5 points per game on the road this year, worse than the 24.5 he averaged at home. With Cleveland hosting this series, it’s safe to expect a slow start from New York’s point guard.
Brunson is also worth fading because of Cleveland’s playstyle. The Cavaliers rank slowest in pace for the season and fourth-slowest since the All-Star Break. They also led the NBA in defensive rating this year (109.9), although they slumped to sixth in games since the All-Star Break (111.6). Still, the Cavaliers allowed the fewest points per game to point guards this year (21.2) and the third-fewest over the final 30 games (21.3), so Brunson is in for a tough task on Saturday.
Best Knicks-Cavaliers Player Prop: Jalen Brunson Under 25.5 Points -111 for 1 Unit at FanDuel
