The New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers met three times this season, with New York taking two of the three matchups. Not many expected Cleveland to even be here after blowing Game 6 at home against the Detroit Pistons, but now the Cavs find themselves facing one of the hottest teams left in the playoffs.
I think the Knicks are going to find a lot of success offensively in this matchup. Jalen Brunson will constantly hunt mismatches against Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, while Karl-Anthony Towns has the ability to completely pull Cleveland’s massive frontcourt away from the rim because of his shooting and playmaking. I’m also expecting Cleveland to heavily sag off Josh Hart, potentially using Jarrett Allen or Evan Mobley to roam defensively and protect the paint. If Hart knocks down open shots, this series could get ugly fast.
Cleveland should still be able to score efficiently themselves. Their game plan will almost certainly revolve around attacking Brunson defensively and trying to force Towns into foul trouble early. It also wouldn’t be surprising to see the Cavs test OG Anunoby and that lingering hamstring issue right away. Mitchell should thrive offensively because the Knicks likely won’t aggressively double him, but the true X-factor may end up being Mobley. New York will gladly live with him taking perimeter shots, so whether he can punish that strategy could decide how competitive this series becomes.
Prediction: Knicks in 5
