Who will win the Eastern Conference? The Cleveland Cavaliers punched their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday night, taking on the comfortable New York Knicks. This will be a fascinating series, especially with all its focus being primarily on the West.
Let’s take a look at our game-by-game Eastern Conference Finals predictions.
Game 1: New York Knicks 121, Cleveland Cavaliers 113
It’s fitting that the Eastern Conference Finals features a matchup between the Cavaliers vs. the Knicks, as they faced each other to open the season on October 22nd. New York won two of the three head-to-head clashes during the regular season and we suspect the rest will play out in the team’s favor in Game 1. We think All-Star guard Jalen Brunson opened the ECF with a bang, scoring over 30 points with five three-pointers and combining with. Karl-Anthony Towns for 50. The Knicks won Game 1 in a two-man show.
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Game 2: New York Knicks 115, Cleveland Cavaliers 108
New York knows at this point that Mikal Bridges is not going to provide much offensively. That’s fine in the Eastern Conference Finals; He just needs to be a blocker. Bridges did an excellent job of stopping Tyrese Maxey in the second period, and he will be tasked with another big defensive task here. We’re guessing the clamps will come out in Game 2, with both James Harden and Donovan Mitchell struggling when they are forced to match up with Bridges. Cleveland’s pair of All-Star guards battled the team’s issues on the glass, giving New York a 2-0 series lead with a clean record at home.
Read More: Western Conference Finals Predictions
Game 3: Cleveland Cavaliers 118, New York Knicks 110
The Knicks being well-rested certainly gives them an edge in the Eastern Conference Finals, but Cleveland has been battle-tested. Cleveland went 0–2 in the second round after losing on the road at Detroit and responded with three consecutive wins. We believe experience matters to win Game 3. It’s going to be a remarkable night for James Harden, who brings in over 30 points with 9 assists. The former NBA MVP responded with another vintage playoff performance in the series, which explains why the Cavaliers acquired him early this season.
Game 4: New York Knicks 121, Cleveland Cavaliers 117
With OG Anunoby injured, the Knicks have needed guard Miles McBride to step up more recently. He had a great performance in Game 4 vs. Philadelphia by making seven treys with 25 points and we think his perimeter shooting will shine once again in the Eastern Conference Finals. With Anunoby limited, McBride exploded with a game-high in three-pointers (five) made as part of the Knicks’ bench that made the difference in a Game 4 win on the road. This sent New York back to Madison Square Garden with a 3–1 series lead.
Game 5: New York Knicks 118, Cleveland Cavaliers 107
During the Eastern Conference Finals, we’re expecting Karl-Anthony Towns to be the biggest reason New York gets to the NBA Finals. Back home at Madison Square Garden, KAT would record his fourth double-double of the series and reach over 20 points for the second time since he has scored over 15 points in each contest. KAT and Brunson combined for over 40 points in a Game 5 loss to the Knicks’ rotation depth and team defense that gave the Knicks their first Eastern Conference title since 1999.
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