Fans were treated to an absolute thriller at the Garden in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, and we pick back up at the Garden for Cavaliers vs. Knicks Game 2 tonight.
Our basketball experts have their favorite NBA picks for this contest, where we're cashing in on how both teams will adjust their defensive schemes.
Cavaliers vs Knicks Expert Picks Tonight
| Pick | Odds |
|---|---|
 Jon Metler:  Brunson 7+ assists |
+102 |
 Jason Logan:  Harden 18+ points |
-120 |
 Joe Osborne: Knicks -6.5 |
-105 |
Odds courtesy of bet365.
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Jon Metler's expert pick: Jalen Brunson Over 6.5 assists
Price: +102 at bet365
Jalen Brunson fell just short for us in Game 1 with six assists, but if sportsbooks are going to repost 6.5 at plus money, I’m going right back to it. Nothing from Game 1 changed my outlook on this prop. In fact, I feel even better about it heading into tonight: Brunson consistently broke down James Harden in isolation, and it’s hard to imagine the Cleveland Cavaliers continuing to let that happen without sending more help defenders or double teams. If Cleveland adjusts defensively, it should naturally create more passing opportunities for Brunson. What really stands out is that despite taking 29 shot attempts in Game 1, Brunson still generated 12 potential assists. That’s a very strong underlying number and suggests the playmaking opportunities were there all night. I price the Over 6.5 assists closer to -165.
Jason Logan's expert pick: James Harden Over 17.5 points
Price: -120 at bet365
The New York Knicks blitzed James Harden in the first half of Game 1, sending extra defenders to force the ball out of his hands. He scored only seven points on 3-for-5 shooting and couldn’t get inside to draw fouls in the opening two frames. However, Cleveland was able to skip the ball to open hands, building a big lead in the process. New York’s crazy comeback started when it switched up its defensive scheme in the second half and played Harden straight up. He took 10 FGAs and got to the foul line six times but walked away with just eight points in the second half due to poor shooting (2 for 10). Harden’s usage jumped from 23.7% in the 1H to 29.2% in the 2H, and if the Knicks stick to what worked, Harden will get plenty of scoring opportunities — but the Cavs won’t generate so many wide-open looks. Projections are bullish on "The Beard" with most models north of his 17.5-point total, including a few on the happy side of 20 points.
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Knicks -6.5
Price: -105 at bet365
I’ll take the Knicks to pick up where they left off in Game 1. There were clear signs of rust after an eight-day layoff, yet New York still finished on top in most key statistical categories... despite trailing by 22 in the fourth quarter. Zooming out, New York leads all playoff teams in both net rating and effective field goal percentage, with eight of their nine postseason wins coming by 11+ points. Cleveland’s road efficiency has cratered, and the Cavs looked completely rattled late in Game 1, which is an enormous red flag with a raucous MSG crowd to contend with again.
More Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 2 picks
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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