The top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers are heading to Madison Square Garden to face the New York Knicks Friday night in what could be a playoff preview.
The Cavs have already locked up the East’s No. 1 seed with their impressive 63-17 record, while the Knicks are fighting to hold onto the No. 3 spot.
New York enters as 7.5-point favorites at home.
Why such a big spread for the underdog? Cleveland will likely rest its stars since they’ve already clinched their playoff position.
Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley are all listed as questionable as Coach Kenny Atkinson looks to keep his key players fresh for the postseason.
The Knicks have much more to play for.
They’re clinging to a one-game lead over the Indiana Pacers for the third seed with just two games left in the regular season. A loss here could drop them to fourth if Indiana wins out.
“We talked about it. I think that as you head down the stretch, you want to check boxes,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “You want a winning record at home, winning record on the road. 50 wins is good. You want the highest seed possible, and then you want to be playing well.”
Despite being favorites tonight, the Knicks have struggled against Cleveland this season.
The Cavs have swept all three previous meetings, including a 110-104 win at MSG back in October and two comfortable home victories (142-105 in February and 124-105 in April).
Cleveland has been on fire lately, going 7-3 in their last 10 games while putting up 121.3 points per game and shooting a blistering 49.1% from the field.
The Knicks haven’t been too shabby either, posting a 6-4 record in their last 10 while averaging 113.3 points.
Both teams are dealing with injury concerns beyond just rest. Max Strus (knee) is questionable for Cleveland, while New York has Mitchell Robinson (ankle), Josh Hart (knee), and OG Anunoby (thumb) all listed as questionable.
The game tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET and can be watched on NBA League Pass or via free live stream on Jazz Sports.
ESPN’s Basketball Power Index still gives Cleveland a slight edge with a 53% chance to win, even with their stars potentially sitting. The Cavs are also 4-1 in their last five games against New York.
After tonight, the Knicks will close their regular season Sunday in Brooklyn, while Cleveland prepares for what they hope will be a deep playoff run as the East’s top seed.
