Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks Game 3 Betting Preview

The 2023 NBA Playoffs continue to roll right along, and the Cleveland Cavaliers are right in the middle of things. Cleveland will be on the road in New York on Friday night for Game 3 of their first round playoff series. 

The Cavaliers were the favorites to win this series, but they gave away home court advantage with a loss in Game 1. Cleveland was able to bounce back with a win in Game 2, and they now have some momentum in this matchup. 

New York is looking to find some success in the postseason after a rough few years of no playoff success. The Knicks are going to have a big crowd behind them at Madison Square Garden for this game. 

The Cavaliers are 1.5-point underdogs in this Game 3 matchup with the New York Knicks.

Mitchell Making Things Happen

Donovan Mitchell averaged over 28 points per game this season for the Cavaliers, and he has been terrific in this series as well. If the Cavs are going to find a way to advance then it will be up to Mitchell to set the tone in each game. 

Darius Garland was terrific in the Game 2 win as he was able to pour in 32 points. The Cavaliers continue to dominate in the paint, but they shot 42 percent from deep during that victory as well. 

The Cavs have been one of the best defensive teams in the league this season as well, and they held the Knicks to just 90 points in Game 2. Cleveland will need another terrific defensive effort to take a series lead. 

Dynamic Duo Delivering For Knicks

The Knicks are going to go as far as Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle can take them, and that duo has been terrific. Those two stars are both capable of scoring over 30 points in any game, but they will have the full attention of the Cavaliers. 

Brunson had 27 points in the Game 1 win, and Randle was a monster in the Game 2 loss. The Knicks are a team that doesn’t shoot the ball well from deep, and that’s going to be something to watch in this game. 

The Knicks are a team that wants to play slow, and they will try to establish the pace of play in this matchup. 

Cavs Have Big Opportunity

The Cavaliers allowed the Knicks to push them around in the series opener, but they figured some things out in Game 2. Look for Cleveland to come out with that same game plan in this game, and they are clearly the better overall team. 

The Knicks are going to enjoy a huge advantage at home in this game, but they still have to prove that they can win a big game in front of their home fans. New York doesn’t always shoot the ball well, and that is going to be something to watch in this game. 

This should be another game that comes down to the wire, and the Cavaliers are going to have a great chance to steal a game and take control of this series.