Best Knicks vs. Cavaliers player prop bets for NBA Friday: Eye on Mikal Bridges

New York Knicks' Mikal Bridges, left, attempts to dribble the ball past Cleveland Cavaliers' Evan Mobley, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in New York.

New York Knicks' Mikal Bridges, left, attempts to dribble the ball past Cleveland Cavaliers' Evan Mobley, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)(AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

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The New York Knicks will travel to Cleveland on Friday to face the Cavaliers on Friday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. New York (37-18) will be aiming for a fourth consecutive victory after outlasting the Chicago Bulls at home on Thursday. Cleveland has the best record in the NBA at 45-10 and is riding a five-game winning streak.

This will be the second meeting of the season between the two teams. The Cavs won the first matchup on Oct. 28, 110-104. New York has won its last three road games at Cleveland.

In the 113-111 win over Chicago, all five Knicks starters scored in double figures for the 28th time this season, which leads the NBA. Tom Thibodeau’s crew will continue to be without the injured Josh Hart (knee), and OG Anunoby has not played since Feb. 1 because of a knee injury.

We provide the best player prop bets to place for Knicks-Cavaliers on DraftKings Sportsbook.

Note: Odds are based on the best value our experts find as of publication; check lines closer to game time to ensure you get the best odds.

Mikal Bridges over 16.5 points

Odds: -110 at DraftKings Sportsbook

With Hart out against Chicago, Deuce McBride stepped in to score a season-high 23 points, so he will be on the radar of the Cavaliers as a complementary option to be aware of tonight. The primary focus of the Cleveland defense will be to contain Jalen Brunson, while Karl-Anthony Towns also has to deal with the Cavs’ bigs.

There will be opportunities for Bridges to make key contributions, and he needs to turn up his game more for the Knicks to have a chance against the currently mighty-looking Cavs. He scored 19 points against them in the first meeting of the season. Bridges is averaging 17.6 points per game on the season.

Against Eastern Conference teams, the first-year Knick is averaging 16.4 points per game. Bridges moves to small forward with Hart out, and Cleveland ranks 17th in points per game allowed to small forwards, as noted by FantasyPros.

New York will have to get more offensively from Bridges and he is capable of delivering enough to help you cash out on this wager.

Precious Achiuwa over 9.5+ rebounds

Odds: +110 at DraftKings Sportsbook

Achiuwa has done an admirable job of filling in needed gaps for the Knicks because of injuries. With Hart unavailable and Towns needing help battling underneath against Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, the sixth-year power forward will be up to the task. Achiuwa checks in at 6-foot-8 yet frequently gets the job done against taller post players.

In the month of February, Achiuwa is averaging 9.3 rebounds per game. He has grabbed 29 rebounds in his last three outings.

In the Knicks’ first meeting of the season against Cleveland, Hart totaled 13 boards. Achiuwa will have to fill that void even though he is certainly a different type of player than Hart. The Cavs rank 27th in rebounds per game allowed to opposing power forwards.

Donovan Mitchell over 24.5 points

Odds: -120 at DraftKings Sportsbook

I would recommend wagering more than one unit here. Mitchell is averaging 24.0 points per game on the season and he is averaging 24.9 points per game in his career against the Knicks, per StatMuse. Against his hometown team, Mitchell has scored 25-plus points in the last four matchups.

The Cleveland superstar finished with 26 points vs. Brooklyn on Thursday, and he should be geared up to face the Knicks as usual. He may elevate his game even more overall because of the marquee nature of this matchup.

“Spida” has averaged 25.0 points per game against Eastern Conference opponents. The Knicks rank 22nd in points per game allowed to shooting guards.


      

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