NBA’s five-game Christmas Day schedule will get started with a matchup between the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers at Noon ET on Thursday in Madison Square Garden on ABC/ESPN.
In a lot of ways, these two teams should face off on the marquee day of the NBA regular season.
The Knicks have established themselves as the Eastern Conference favorites after winning the NBA Cup. The Cavaliers have disappointed after being the No. 1 seed in the East last year.
The baton could officially be passed (if it hasn’t already), as New York is a 6.5-point favorite against Cleveland.
Cavaliers vs. Knicks Prediction: Thursday, Dec. 25
- Knicks -5 (-114) – Prediction made on Monday
Based on the initial NBA betting lines, I’d prefer to lay the points with New York at -6 or better for my favorite Cavaliers vs. Knicks prediction on NBA Christmas Day.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see the line move in New York’s favor throughout the week. The Cavaliers will play their third game in four nights when they travel to face the Knicks after playing a back-to-back against the Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans.
More importantly, the way these two teams have played will dictate how people project this game. The Knicks are fourth in the league with an 18-12 record against the spread, while the Cavaliers are last at 9-22.
According to Cleaning the Glass, Cleveland ranks 30th in spread difference, failing to cover the line by an average of 4.4 points. That mark is even worse over the past two weeks (as of this writing), ranking 27th at -9.7.
In addition, the Cavs have been without center Evan Mobley since Dec. 13. He suffered a Grade 1 left calf strain.
Mobley’s potential absence would loom large against a Knicks team that has leaned more into double-big lineups with Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson. According to Databallr, the Knicks have a net rating of +9.5 in the 118 minutes they have shared the floor this year.
I expect New York to win by a few possessions when these two teams clash on Christmas Day.
Prediction: Knicks -5
Cavaliers vs. Knicks Odds for NBA Christmas Day
- Cavaliers spread: +6.5
- Knicks spread: -6.5
- Total: 239.5
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