A thunderous comeback by the New York Knicks forced overtime in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, where the Cleveland Cavaliers wilted. How the Cavs recover from that gutting loss will be key for Thursday's Game 2, as will the performance of Cleveland star James Harden, who had more turnovers than buckets in Tuesday's defeat. New York got yet another heroic performance from Jalen Brunson while OG Anunoby returned to the lineup to deepen the Knicks' rotation. Tipoff at Madison Square Garden is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET and both teams have clean injury reports.
We've put together a same-game parlay for Cavaliers vs. Knicks Game 2 for those interested in parlay betting. We're using odds from FanDuel Sportsbook and recommendations from the SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every game 10,000 times. The model entered the conference finals of the 2026 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 26-10 roll (72%) on top-rated NBA spread picks this season. Anyone following its NBA betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
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Cavaliers vs. Knicks Game 2 same-game parlay picks
- Knicks -5.5
- Karl-Anthony Towns Over 17.5 points
- Mikal Bridges Over 19.5 points + assists + rebounds
Same-game parlay odds: +459
Knicks -5.5
Just how deflated will Cleveland be after blowing Game 1 in such dramatic fashion? Just how involved will Donovan Mitchell be with the offense after he barely touched the ball in overtime? Did Harden expend his last ounce of excellence in the Pistons series, or can he bounce back with a superstar performance for Game 2? Between Cleveland's issues and the magic of a Madison Square Garden crowd that believes the Knicks can go to the Finals, it's hard to go against New York on the spread. Look for Brunson and the Knicks to head to Cleveland with a 2-0 lead. New York covers in 63% of the model's simulations.
Karl-Anthony Towns Over 17.5 points
Towns was just 1-for-5 from downtown in Game 1, which helped contribute to a paltry 13-point showing for the big man. But the Knicks as a whole struggled with the longball, and we should expect some regression to the mean in Game 2. The Cavs also showed some willingness to hack Mitchell Robinson even with an early lead in the third quarter, which could prompt Mike Brown to keep Towns on the floor longer. Look for Towns to get some better shots while also using his size to his advantage inside. The SportsLine props model has a 20.5-point projection for Towns.
Mikal Bridges Over 19.5 points + rebounds + assists
Bridges was excellent in Game 1, finishing with 18 points, five rebounds and an assist (along with two steals). This is the version of Bridges the Knicks originally traded for -- a do-it-all pest. Even if Bridges takes a step back in the scoring department, he's still good enough in other facets of his game to clear this line. The SportsLine model projects Bridges at 23.1 PRA.
