Free NBA Expert and Computer Picks For Every Game May 21, 2026
CLE
@
NY
Thu, May 21 • 8:00 PM ET
Jalen Brunson o6.5 Total Assists (+111)
Jalen Brunson came up short for us on this prop in Game 1 with only six assists, but if the sportsbooks are going to hang 6.5 again at plus money, I’m hitting the button without hesitation. Nothing I saw in Game 1 changed my opinion on this number. If anything, I feel even more confident attacking it in Game 2. Brunson absolutely cooked James Harden in isolation, and I have a hard time believing the Cleveland Cavaliers will continue letting him attack Harden one-on-one over and over again. More help defense and double teams should create additional assist opportunities for Brunson. Even though Brunson attempted 29 field goals in Game 1, he still finished with 12 potential assists, which is very encouraging in my opinion. I price the Over 6.5 assists closer to -165.
NY -6.5 (-105)
New York showed plenty of rust in Game 1 after an eight-day layoff but still controlled most of the key metrics despite trailing by 22 in the fourth quarter. The Cavs won’t catch them flat again. The Knicks lead all playoff teams in net rating and effective field goal percentage, while Cleveland’s road efficiency has fallen off a cliff. The Cavs also looked badly rattled late in Game 1 which is a big red flag the the MSG crowd ready to errupt again.
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