Tuesday's NBA betting tips, DFS picks: Brunson, Bridges to lead Knicks
ESPN's basketball daily cheat sheet is your pregame destination before you lock in daily fantasy and betting decisions for that night's games. Here you'll find our top insights for the slate, including players to target for your daily fantasy rosters, along with game-by-game injury reports.
What you need to know for Tuesday
The Eastern Conference finals have arrived, though this might not have been the matchup most people expected back in October. The third-seeded New York Knicks and fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers enter the series on very different paths, but with the same goal: a trip to the NBA Finals. New York has looked dominant throughout the postseason, winning seven straight playoff games by overwhelming opponents on both ends of the floor. Jalen Brunson continues to play at an All-NBA level, while Karl-Anthony Towns has transformed the Knicks' offense with his playmaking and spacing. Add in a healthy OG Anunoby and a surging Mikal Bridges, and the Knicks suddenly look like the most complete team left in the East.
While the Cavaliers arrive battle-tested. Cleveland survived back-to-back seven-game series against the Toronto Raptors and the Detroit Pistons, shaking off long-standing questions about their toughness along the way. Donovan Mitchell has delivered superstar performances, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen have controlled the paint, and the addition of James Harden has given Cleveland another creator in high-pressure situations. Now, two talented but very different teams collide with the NBA Finals on the line. Let's dig further into the matchups to identify some betting angles and DFS value picks for tonight's action.
Moody's bets for Monday
Jalen Brunson 34-plus points and assists (-121)
Brunson has been superb this postseason. He's recorded at least 34 points-plus-assists in five of his last 10 games while averaging 27.4 points and 6.1 assists during that span. He's also averaged 20.2 field goal attempts and 34.7 points-plus-assists per game, so the usage should be there. The Cavaliers' defense has been inconsistent this postseason, and even with opposing defenses loading up on Brunson, he continues to produce from all over the floor this postseason.
Mikal Bridges over 13.5 points (-106)
Bridges is surging at the perfect time for the Knicks. His defense will be vital in this series, especially against Donovan Mitchell, but he also contributes as a scorer. Bridges has averaged 13.0 points and 9.1 field goal attempts over his past 10 games, and he has cleared this line in four of his past five games. He also went over this number in two of three games against the Cavaliers during the regular season.
Top daily fantasy values of the day
$8,100+ Salaries
Donovan Mitchell, SG, Cleveland Cavaliers ($10,400)
Mitchell's game-by-game fantasy production in the semifinals against the Detroit Pistons was inconsistent, but he still averaged 42.9 fantasy points per game. His postseason usage rate sits at 30.4%, and the Cavaliers should continue leaning on him against a formidable Knicks defense. Mitchell scored at least 40 fantasy points in three regular-season games against New York, making him my favorite captain option in Tuesday's game.
$6,100-$8,000 Salaries
Mikal Bridges, SF, New York Knicks ($6,800)
Bridges is an intriguing Game 1 DFS option because his offensive role has grown at the right time. Over his past five games, he's averaged 32.8 fantasy points per game. The Cavaliers will be focused on slowing Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, which means Bridges should have chances as a cutter, spot-up shooter and transition finisher. Bridges also brings defensive upside against Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, giving him multiple paths to value.
$6,000 and under
Dean Wade, SF/PF, Cleveland Cavaliers ($2,800)
Wade defended Brunson well during the regular season, according to the league's tracking data from possessions when Wade was his primary defender. That could help solidify Wade's minutes in this series. He also scored at least 18 fantasy points in two of three games against the Knicks during the regular season.
Projections and injury reports
Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook
Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks
8 p.m. ET
Line: Cavaliers +7.5 (-115) | Knicks -7.5 (-105)
Money line: Cavaliers +215 | Knicks -265
Total: 217.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Knicks by 6.8, straight up 70%, 220.0 total points.
Injury Report:
Cavaliers: Larry Nance Jr., (GTD - Illness)
Knicks: OG Anunoby, (GTD - Hamstring)
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