Cleveland Cavaliers vs New York Knicks Picks and Prediction for Thursday May 21 2026

By: Eddie Kline Published 05/21/2026, 12:45 AM ET

Cavaliers Preview

Game Two of the Eastern Conference Finals will take place on Thursday night, when the Cleveland Cavaliers battle the New York Knicks from Madison Square Garden. For other NBA action see our NBA Predictions. The fourth-seeded Cavaliers have dropped six of their eight seven road playoff games and rank eighth this postseason in defensive efficiency. In the series opener, Cleveland was unable to protect a 22-point lead with eight minutes remaining during a 115-104 overtime loss at New York.

All-Star G Donovan Mitchell led six Cleveland players in double figures with 29 points (12-23 FG) and six steals. Evan Mobley scored 15 points to go along with 14 rebounds and three blocks. All-Star G James Harden added 15 points on 5-for-16 shooting and was exposed defensively down the stretch.

Knicks Preview

The New York Knicks are riding an eight-game winning streak and are looking to capture their first NBA title since 1973. The third-seeded Knicks (1-0) rank second this postseason in offensive efficiency and are well ahead of all teams in rebounding rate. During Tuesday’s home victory, New York outscored Cleveland 60-38 in the paint and won the rebound battle by a 47-38 margin.

All-Star G Jalen Brunson poured in a game-high 38 points on 15-for-29 shooting and dished out six assists. New York G Mikal Bridges nailed a couple of clutch three-pointers and finished with 18 points. All-Star F/C Karl-Anthony Towns added 13 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists for the Knicks.

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Cavaliers vs Knicks Pick

New York F OG Anunoby (hamstring) returned to action on Tuesday and scored 13 points (8-10 FT) in 34 minutes. The Knicks have a major edge on the glass and take better care of the ball than the Cavaliers. New York has the deeper bench and Cleveland will have a difficult time responding from an epic collapse. Take the Knicks to cover and take a 2-0 series lead. Final Score Prediction, New York Knicks win 118-97.

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