The Cleveland Cavaliers are set to face the New York Knicks in Game 2 at Madison Square Garden. This follows the Cavaliers’ epic 22-point collapse against the Knicks in Game 1 of the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals. Cleveland had New York on the ropes in Game 1, but Jalen Brunson had other ideas.
Brunson’s Dominance and Cavaliers’ Response
Jalen Brunson proved to be a handful for the Cavaliers in Game 1. Brunson scored a game-high 38 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter and overtime. The Cavaliers seemingly had no answer for Brunson. Brunson continuously hunted James Harden on defense, and Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson watched Harden get abused.
Donovan Mitchell offered an explicit assessment of the team’s historic collapse to the Knicks. Atkinson’s strategic decisions were questioned in the postgame press conference. The question now is: what have Atkinson and Cleveland learned for Game 2?
Betting Preview: Game 2 Total Points
The game opened with a 214-point total and is up to 215.5 at the time of writing. Despite expecting another rock-fight in Game 2, the game total has increased. After cashing a luck-box Over 217.5 in Game 1, the writer is zagging on the result and taking the Under.
In Game 1, only 39 points were scored in the first quarter. The writer needed overtime to cash the Over. The Knicks ranked 27th in pace during the regular season.
The Knicks have better turnover and rebounding rates on both ends of the floor. They should control the flow of the game. In Game 1, NYK scored exactly 23 points in each of the first three quarters, and Cleveland scored 16 and 18 points in the first and fourth quarters, and three points in overtime.
Series History and Game 2 Expectations
- The teams’ first two regular-season meetings went Over the total.
- In their final regular-season meeting, when both teams had their playoff rosters, the Cavaliers beat the Knicks 109-9.
Dan Dakich can’t understand why Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson said he was proud of his team after blowing a 22-point lead to the New York Knicks.
Considering the writer’s history of positive “closing line value” on bets with a negative return on investment in the last two seasons, there is no respect for the NBA market.
With two nights to sleep on it and a day to adjust, it remains to be seen what Atkinson and Cleveland have learned when they meet New York on Thursday.