The 2025-26 NBA regular season continues with an Eastern Conference showdown between the New York Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers will visit Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, October 22, to lock horns with the Knicks. Both teams enter the new season with high expectations and fresh rosters.
The Cavaliers acquired Lonzo Ball, Larry Nance Jr, and Thomas Bryant in the offseason, while Ty Jerome and Isaac Okoro departed to join the Memphis Grizzlies and the Chicago Bulls. On the other hand, the New York Knicks will feature their newest additions including Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele under new head coach Mike Brown. They will hope for a better campaign this season after the previous one ended in a heartbreak in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Cavs, on the other hand, ended their previous campaign at the top of the Eastern Conference standings. While their playoff run came to a halt in Conference Semifinals, the Cavs are still one of the favorites to post a similar tally this season and have a better playoff campaign.
Here are a couple of same-game parlays for the matchup between the New York Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers, sourced from FanDuel.
New York Knicks Moneyline (-168) + Donovan Mitchell to Score 25+ Points (-150) + Jalen Brunson to Score 20+ Points (-400)
Total Parlay Odds: +217
Taking the Knicks to win with -168 moneyline odds seems to be a safe bet considering their homecourt advantage as well as their veteran depth. They finished the previous season with a 27-14 tally at home, which showcases their dominance at Madison Square Garden.
Donovan Mitchell finished the previous campaign with a seasonal average of 24.0 points per game. He had 19 games with 30+ points in the previous season, and while one cannot expect him to go all out in the season opener and rather take a slow approach, Mitchell scoring 25+ points can be wagered upon.
For the Knicks, Jalen Brunson finished as a top scorer in the previous season with an average of 26.0 points per game. Him scoring 20+ points in the upcoming game doesn’t seem like a big deal.
Karl Anthony-Towns Over 21.5 Points (-122) + Jarrett Allen to Record 8+ Rebounds (-265) + Jalen Brunson to Record 6+ Assists (-210)
Total Parlay Odds: +457
Karl Anthony Towns averaged 24.4 points per game during the last season. He is expected to carry the momentum in the regular season opener and put up a strong scoring night at home on Wednesday.
Jarrett Allen, who is entering his eighth season in the league, and sixth with the Cleveland Cavaliers, posted an average of 9.8 rebounds per game in the previous season. However, the Knicks’ solid frontcourt depth might limit Allen to 8 rebounds on Wednesday.
Jalen Brunson led the New York Knicks in assists with an average of 7.3 assists per game in the previous season. Given his home-court dominance and the fact that the season is just getting started, 6+ assists seems to be a smart pick.
Here are some of the best player props for the New York Knicks’ season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers as per FanDuel.
Donovan Mitchell to hit 3+ 3PM: -205
Karl Anthony Towns to record double double: -260
OG Anunoby to record 2+ steals: -114
Donovan Mitchell, the Cavaliers’ explosive guard drained 3.3 3PM last season. As the Cavs face the Knicks’ perimeter defense without Josh Hart, Mitchell can be expected to drop three shots from deep. Karl Anthony-Towns, the Knicks’ rebounding machine posted 24.4 points and 12. 8 rebounds on an average last season. He is expected to feast on projected second-chance opportunities and easily recording 20+ points and 12+ rebounds in a high-pace opener.
Probable to play for the Knicks in the season opener with a sprained ankle, OG Anunoby had 1.5 steals per game last season. With Hart out of the lineup on Wednesday, Anunoby is the steal specialist, projected for 2.2 thefts a high-profile matchup.
The odds given above are sourced from FanDuel. Use FanDuel to ace your betting game across all sports.
The odds have been sourced from FanDuel. Use FanDuel to ace your betting game across all sports.
Garima is a sports writer with around two years of experience in Indian sports and a newfound interest in the NBA. Inspired by the leadership of cricketing legend MS Dhoni, she wishes to bring in newer perspectives to the NBA fanatics with her writing.
Read moreWe use cookies for ads and to improve your experience. By continuing on the site, you agree to our Privacy Policy. Read more about it
NBA