Patryk Stachowiak
The New York Knicks hold a commanding 2-0 lead in the 2026 NBA Eastern Conference Finals after a pair of wins over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Game 1 required a 22-point comeback and overtime, but Game 2 was more decisive: New York rolled to a 109-93 win with four players in double figures, led by Josh Hart’s 21 points. Now the series shifts to Rocket Arena in Cleveland, where the Cavaliers are 6-1 in the 2026 NBA playoffs.
No team has ever rallied from a 3-0 deficit in NBA playoff history, making Saturday night a must-win for Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, and the rest of the Cavaliers roster.Cleveland enters as a 2.5-point favorite at FanDuel Sportsbook, with the over/under set at 214.5, up a point from the opening line.
Current Odds for Knicks vs. Cavaliers Game 3
What the SportsLine Model Projects for Game 3
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on top-rated NBA picks across eight-plus seasons. Entering the conference finals, the model sat at a 26-10 (72%) record on top-rated NBA spread picks this season.
After running 10,000 simulations of Game 3, the model’s primary lean is the Over (214.5). The Over hit in Game 1 (219 total points with overtime), while Game 2 finished well under at 202 points. On the season, the Knicks and Cavaliers combined to average 234.7 points per game. The Over has hit in five of the last seven games for Cleveland and four of the last seven for New York.
Player Projections
The model projects five Knicks players to reach 15 points or more, with Jalen Brunson leading at 26.3 points and Karl-Anthony Towns contributing 19.9 points alongside 10.7 rebounds. On the Cleveland side, Donovan Mitchell is projected to lead all scorers with 27 points, followed by James Harden at 19.1 and Evan Mobley at 17.7.
Combined, the teams are projected to put up 224 total points, with the Over hitting in 63% of simulations. That makes it a strong candidate for NBA parlay bettors eyeing Saturday’s slate.
Spread Pick and How to Bet Game 3
Beyond the total, the model identifies one side of the 2.5-point spread that covers in more than 60% of simulations. That full spread pick is available at SportsLine. With Cleveland’s home-court record, the pressure of elimination, and a model strongly projecting a high-scoring game, Game 3 sets up as one of the most consequential nights of the 2026 NBA playoffs.
Stay with TipsGG for continued coverage of the Knicks vs. Cavaliers series, including updated picks, line movement, and in-depth analysis for every remaining game.
Read also: Down 2-0, Donovan Mitchell Must Conquer the Team He Once Worshiped