One of the most stunning collapses in recent playoff memory just happened at Madison Square Garden. The Cleveland Cavaliers led by 22 with under eight minutes left in Game 1 before Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks went on a 44-11 run to steal a 115-104 overtime victory. Now the Cavaliers must regroup for Game 2 at MSG on Thursday night. We're here with our best Cavaliers vs. Knicks predictions to help you navigate what's shaping up to be a fascinating series.

We'll also share today’s Kalshi prediction market promo code bonus so you can put your Cavaliers vs. Knicks picks to work on the world's most unique prediction market - fully legal in all 50 states.

🔥 Cavaliers vs. Knicks Expert Predictions for Game 2, 5/21

The story of Game 1 was simple: Cleveland's collapse + New York's comeback. The Cavaliers committed eight turnovers in the final 13 minutes of regulation and overtime. Brunson relentlessly targeted James Harden in the pick-and-roll, and the Knicks' three-point shooting went from 11% at halftime to 32% by the final buzzer. Our Cavaliers vs. Knicks predictions heading into Game 2 center on whether Cleveland can clean up the turnover mess, while the Knicks were fortunate enough to have that shooting performance stabilize at the right time.

The good news for Cleveland is that the bones of their performance through quarters two and three were genuinely excellent. They controlled the game, dominated the boards, and held the Knicks' offense in check until everything fell apart at once. That kind of collapse is actually more correctable than a wholesale talent gap. For our NBA expert picks, the Harden vs. Brunson matchup remains the series' central variable - if Cleveland can limit the pick-and-roll damage in Game 2 the way they did for the first three quarters of Game 1, the result could look very different at MSG on Thursday night.

Home court has been a major factor with the Knicks going 4-1 at MSG this postseason, and Game 2 gives New York the chance to go up 2-0 before the series shifts to Cleveland, so let’s get into the best bet from our Cavaliers vs. Knicks predictions for Game 2.

🏅 Cavaliers vs. Knicks Best Bet: Over 215.5 Points (Use Kalshi To Make Picks On Anything)

We cashed in with our top pick on Tuesday night by taking the game total over, but we did, in fact, need the overtime period to do so. That was largely thanks to a very, very sloppy first quarter from both teams. However, with our Cavaliers vs. Knicks predictions for Game 2, we’re still going back to it.

With New York sweeping the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round, we can attribute their shaky start to some rust. To further exemplify that, OG Anunoby clearly needed to shake even more rust off coming back from his hamstring injury. Given what we saw from New York down the stretch, we expect that momentum to carry over into Game 2 - also at home.

It’s also not just Cavaliers vs. Knicks predictions that have benefited from New York. The Knicks were on absolute fire, scoring 137+ in three of their last five games. Similarly, Cleveland finally got into a groove on the road, eliminating the defensive-minded Detroit Pistons by putting up 125 points at Little Caesars Arena.

We see the total only slightly lower than Game 1 despite the slow start, so the books aren’t overreacting either. Let’s lock in a best bet from our Cavaliers vs. Knicks predictions for Game 2 by taking over 215.5 points (trade contracts on anything at Kalshi).
 

 

 

👀 How To Watch Cavaliers vs. Knicks Game 2

After the chaos of Game 1 at the Garden, Thursday night's Game 2 is must-watch television. Here's how to watch Cavaliers vs. Knicks Game 2:

  • Where: Madison Square Garden in New York, NY
  • When: 8 PM ET on 5/21
  • Watch on TV: ESPN
  • Where to stream: ESPN+

🔢 Cavaliers vs. Knicks Odds, Spreads, Total & Betting Lines

New York remains a significant home favorite after taking Game 1. Here are the latest Cavaliers vs. Knicks odds for Game 2:

 

 

 

🏀 Cavaliers vs. Knicks Injury Report & Latest News

The most significant Cavaliers vs. Knicks injury news heading into Game 2 remains on the Cleveland side. Donovan Mitchell completed Game 1, but his left ankle continues to bear watching as the series progresses. Larry Nance missed Game 1 against the Knicks and is considered day-to-day - his availability as a backup matters for Cleveland's rotation depth.

On the New York side of Cavaliers vs. Knicks injuries, OG Anunoby is healthy and fully available after another strong postseason run. That said, he did get off to a very slow start in the series opener. Keep up with all the latest Cavaliers vs. Knicks injury news with our Fantasy Alarm NBA injury report before locking in your picks for Thursday night's Game 2.

💲 How To Make Cavaliers vs. Knicks Picks at Kalshi & Claim Your Guaranteed Bonus w/ Promo Code ALARMX

Whether you're riding with our Cavaliers vs. Knicks predictions for Game 2 or even fading us completely, Kalshi is the most unique place to put them to work. Getting set up before Thursday night's tip-off is straightforward:

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MSG was electric for Game 1 - Thursday night's Game 2 will be even louder. ➡️ Sign up here ⬅️ right now and activate our exclusive Kalshi NBA promo code ALARMX before the 8 PM ET tip-off to lock in some Cavaliers vs. Knicks picks!