After coming off a strong 130-110 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, New York prepares for a Knicks vs Cavaliers matchup. The Cavaliers are one of the biggest surprises this season starting the year 3-0. Can the Knicks play upset once again?
Knicks vs Cavaliers Preview
The Cavaliers have won three of the last four meetings with each other. However, the Knicks took the latest meeting between the two teams, which was held in November 2019. Julius Randle led the team with 30 points, while Marcus Morris Sr. added 23 points. Kevin Porter Jr. led the Cavaliers with 18 points.
The Surprise Cavaliers
The Cavaliers started with two wins over the Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons. Owning wins over those two teams might not have sparked any commentary from ESPN given the state of all three teams last year. However, the Cavaliers dismantled the Philadelphia 76ers 118-94 to move to 3-0 on the season. Needless to say, this is quite a shock of how well the team is playing.
Who Needs to Be Stopped in Knicks vs Cavaliers?
Collin Sexton is showing glimpses of becoming a strong player in the league. He has started the season with point totals of 27, 32, and 22. Not to mention, Andre Drummond is playing fairly well for someone with nothing to lose. Drummond is making over $25 million this season in a contract year and knew this was a bad team. Yet, he is producing at a high level, coming off a 24-point, 14-rebound effort against Philly.
Knicks Hope to Stay Hot
Elfrid Payton had one of his best games as a Knick with 27 points in the team’s win over Milwaukee. Alec Burks is averaging over 20 points this season, while Julius Randle is looking like an early contender for All-Star status with his 29-point effort on Saturday. Can these guys keep up the hot start?
Knicks vs Cavaliers Predictions
Given how New York played and how Cleveland has started, this set of Knicks vs. Cavaliers predictions are a lot trickier than before.
Knicks Hand Cavaliers First Loss
The Cavaliers were riding high after Kevin Love went down with a calf injury after nine minutes of play. Love will not play in Tuesday’s game and is set for an MRI. The Knicks are coming off the bigger win, so New York will pull to 2-2 with a win over Cleveland.
Julius Randle Drops 30
Randle scored 30 points last time the two teams played, so why wouldn’t he do it again? Randle is playing at a high level this season, averaging 23.7 points and 10.0 rebounds through three games. He’s going to continue to ride the hot hand.
Mitchell Robinson Secures Double-Double
Here’s a hot take for you: Mitchell Robinson is going to outplay Andre Drummond in the battle of centers. Better yet, Robinson is going to score 10 points and 10 rebounds. He is long overdue for a double-double, so he is going to take advantage of Love’s absence and do it now.