New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Playoff Series Preview

The No. 5 seed New York Knicks (47-35) and No. 4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers (51-31) tip off their opening-round playoff matchup Saturday from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Ohio.

Cleveland enters the best-of-seven series as an outright favorite of -205 per FanDuel Sportsbook.

Need to Know

• Regular Season Record: Knicks (47-35), Cavaliers (51-31)
• Head-to-Head Record: Knicks 3-1
• Offensive Rankings: Knicks 116.0 PPG (11th), Cavaliers 112.3 PPG (25th)
• Defensive Rankings: Knicks 113.1 PPG (13th), Cavaliers 106.9 PPG (1st)
• Home Record: Knicks (23-18), Cavaliers (31-10)
• Away Record: Knicks (24-17), Cavaliers (20-21)

Check Out Our Hawks/Celtics Series Preview

Injury Report

All eyes are on the health of New York Knicks All-Star forward Julius Randle, who has been sidelined since March 30 due to a left ankle sprain. New York’s leading scorer in the regular season, Randle, was a non-contact participant during Tuesday’s practice and will likely draw the questionable tag ahead of Game 1.

Cavaliers fans await word on forward Isaac Okoro after the 22-year-old missed the final six regular season games due to a knee injury. Okoro’s return would be a big boost as one of Cleveland’s better defenders. 

Key Matchups

Jalen Brunson vs. Donovan Mitchell: What more can be said to describe the impact on their respective organizations? New York signed Brunson to a four-year, $104 million free agent contract last offseason, while Cleveland acquired Mitchell in a trade from the Utah Jazz for a package that included multiple first-round picks. Needless to say, both players have been worth every penny, proving to be the missing link as the Knicks and Cavs enjoyed impressive turnarounds.     

The last time these teams squared off, Brunson (48 PTS) and Mitchell (42 PTS) combined for 90 points in one of the more entertaining duels in recent memory. They may not be assigned to each other defensively, but there’s no denying the pair are the headlining acts.

Series Pick

It isn’t easy to make a surefire prediction until more is known about Randle’s status. If the 28-year-old is unable to play or is hindered in any way, New York’s chances take a sizeable hit. On the other hand, a healthy Randle could very well mean this series goes the distance. For now, I’ll roll with the Cavs in six games.

Best Bet

• NYK v CLE Series Total Games: 6 (+210)