The New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers will look to turn around their fortunes when they meet on Monday. The Knicks (10-45) have lost 16 in a row, 24-of-25, and 29-of-31, while the Cavs (11-45) have dropped four in a row and 22-of-25. Something has to give when the game tips at 7 p.m. ET from Quicken Loans Arena. The teams have met once this season, with the Cavaliers posting a 113-106 win at home. Both teams have nearly identical against the spread records and point differentials, but the Cavaliers are 1.5-point favorites in the latest Knicks vs. Cavaliers odds after the line opened as a pick'em. The over-under for total points scored is 209, down slightly from the opener. You'll want to see what the SportsLine Projection Model is saying about the game before laying any Knicks vs. Cavaliers picks down.
This model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, is crushing its NBA picks this season. It entered Week 17 of the 2018-19 NBA season with a sterling 200-146 record on all top-rated picks, returning more than $4,000 to anybody following them. And it has been particularly red-hot on its A-rated NBA picks against the spread, entering Week 17 on a blistering 35-19 run. Anybody following it is way up.
Now the model has dialed in on Knicks vs. Cavs. We can tell you it is leaning under, but it has also locked in an against-the-spread pick that cashes in nearly 60 percent of simulations. That one is available exclusively at SportsLine.
The model knows the Cavaliers have gotten strong play from their bench in recent games. Against Indiana, guard Jordan Clarkson scored 18 points and added six assists as the Cavs' reserves outscored their opponents 45-36. Clarkson also had 24 points off the bench against Washington. Clarkson leads Cleveland in scoring with 16.8 points per game. In the December win over the Knicks, he added a game-high 28 points and five rebounds off the bench.
The Cavaliers have a slight edge in long-distance shooting. Cleveland is 12th in the league in three-point percentage at 35.3, while New York is 28th at 33.7 percent. The Cavs also covered the earlier meeting this season, winning by seven as one-point underdogs.
But just because Cleveland beat New York once already this season doesn't guarantee it'll cover the Cavs vs. Knicks spread on Monday.
Despite their struggles, the Knicks have won two of the past three meetings in Cleveland and lead the overall series 111-96. The Knicks are reaping some rewards from their recent trade of Kristaps Porzingis and three other players to Dallas. In four games since being acquired from the Mavericks, guard Dennis Smith Jr. is averaging 19.3 points. He scored 31 at Detroit on Feb. 8 and 25 against the Pistons on Feb. 5 in New York.
Center DeAndre Jordan is averaging 11 points and 13.6 rebounds in four games since the trade, including 18 boards against the Raptors on Saturday. Among the trends favoring the Knicks include Cleveland's 1-3 record against the spread as a home favorite.
Who wins Knicks vs. Cavaliers? And which side of the spread can you bank on in nearly 60 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Knicks vs. Cavaliers spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up more than $4,000 on its NBA picks this season, and find out.
