2026 NBA Playoffs: Knicks vs. Cavaliers, Eastern Conference Finals Game 2 Odds & Best Bets

How do you overcome a collapse like the Cleveland Cavaliers experienced in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals? We'll find out tonight as the series resumes in historic Madison Square Garden.

The Cavaliers blew a 22-point fourth quarter lead on Tuesday. The Knicks inexplicably reversed their shooting woes in Game 1 and dropped 3 after 3, driving layup after driving layup on the Cavs to snatch a victory. The overtime felt like a postscript, as the Knicks stunned their opponent.

(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

The ignominious loss in Game 1 brings up an old debate: what is worse, losing a game like countless games are lost, or losing it by blowing a huge lead? Which is more difficult to bounce back from?

How do you watch Game 2?

• GAME DETAILS: Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN Radio

Eastern Conference Finals Game 2 Best Bets: Knicks vs. Cavaliers

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Here's your comprehensive preview for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals featuring the Cavaliers and Knicks:

Injury Report, Game 2 of ECF

• Both teams are fully healthy, according to NBA.com official injury reports.

Game 2 Odds: Cleveland/New York

• Cleveland (+195) at NY Knicks (-235)
• Cleveland +6.5 (-115) at NY Knicks -6.5 (-105)
• Over/Under 216.5 Points (-105, -115)

Odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook.

What to expect from Cavs/Knicks

Should we assume that the Cavaliers and Knicks will handle the basketball with better care in Game 2? You'd think so. In all, 40 turnovers were committed in Game 1: 21 by the Cavs and 19 by the Knicks. A whopping 13 (32.5%) of those were from Karl Anthony Towns and James Harden.

Will the Knicks carry over their late-game shooting into Game 2? That's not how it works. Momentum stops when the clock is turned off. Game 2 is a new game, and it will be important for both teams to be more consistent in shooting from the field. The Cavaliers shot 40% from the field and 30% from beyond the 3-point line.

But shooting wasn't why the Cavs lost. The culprits were porous defense down the stretch and bad coaching. There is no universe where Harden should be on the floor when you have a 20-point lead with less than 10 minutes to play.

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Jalen Brunson blew past The Beard like a pair of clippers, scoring 12 points one-on-one against Harden in the last six minutes of the game. In total, 19 of the 44 points the Knicks scored in their 44-11 flurry were scored off Harden.

Head coach Kenny Atkinson may have to move out of Ohio if the Cavs end up losing this series. His decision to keep Harden and defensive black hole Donovan Mitchell on the floor together for long stretches cost his team Game 1 on the road. In Game 2 maybe he'll learn how to call a timeout, too.

The Cavs need to find help for Evan Mobley, who pulled down 14 rebounds in Game 1 against the Knicks. The Cavaliers were out-rebounded 47-38, and they need to tighten up that gap. Cleveland recorded 44 boards per game in the regular season.

Eastern Conference Finals Game 2 Best Bets: Knicks vs. Cavaliers Player Props

I am making three game props for tonight's NBA Playoff game with odds coming from BetMGM.

• Jalen Brunson Under 8.5 Points in 1st Quarter: -140

In his last five Game 2's, Brunson has recorded a lower shooting percentage than he had in Game 1's. Does this mean the opponent has better success after seeing him once? Possibly. Or it may be fatigue. I'm willing to pay $140 for the chance to win $100 with this Player Prop bet for the first quarter of tonight's game. The Cavs must stabilize the threat of Brunson, and I'm hoping they hold him under nine points in the first 12 minutes.

• Landry Shamet To Record 3+ 3-Pointers: +310

One of the lowkey most proficient 3-point threats still in these playoffs is Shamet, who spent much of the season on the Injured List, and then was used as a rotational piece by Mike Brown. In limited minutes (23 MIN per game) he managed at least two 3s in 29 of 51 games. He has nine in his last three games.

I'm going one half-unit ($50). A winning bet would pay $155.

• OG Anunoby To Make 3+ Three-Pointers: +130

The wiry Anunoby is unafraid of launching from downtown. He averaged six 3-point attempts per game in the regular season, and only one less in these playoffs. Much of that difference is due to his decreased minutes because the Knicks have had several blowouts. OG had averaged 2.6 made 3s in the eight playoff games before Game 1 on Tuesday. A winning $100 wager will win $130 of Anunoby improves on his 1-for-6 from beyond the arc in Game 1 and gets three triples or more.