New York Knicks at Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks — ECF Game 4 (May 25, 2026, Rocket Arena, 8:00 PM ET, ESPN)

Today's Injury/Availability Status

Per Fox Sports 980 WONE, May 25 and Fear The Sword, May 25: Cleveland Cavaliers — ZERO players on the injury report. Full roster available.

Note from The Athletic, May 21: Donovan Mitchell has been described as "working through something" by Atkinson, and ESPN analysts Richard Jefferson and Tim Legler noted he "didn't have his usual explosiveness" in Game 2. Mitchell has denied any health issue. He scored 23 pts in G3 on 9-of-19 shooting.

Rest & Travel

CLE last played May 23 (2 days rest). Knicks also last played May 23. No back-to-back, no travel for either team — CLE is at home. Even rest situation.

Head-to-Head History (This Series — ECF)

Per Basketball-Reference and The Athletic, May 23:

• G1 (May 19 @ NYK): CLE L 104-115 OT — CLE blew 22-pt lead with ~8 min left in Q4; NYK closed on 44-11 run
• G2 (May 21 @ NYK): CLE L 93-109 — NYK won by 16; CLE's largest lead was 6 pts
• G3 (May 23 @ CLE): CLE L 108-121 — CLE never led; Brunson 30/6A, Bridges 22, Anunoby 21; Shamet added 14 off bench
• Series: NYK leads 3-0. NYK is 12-2 all-time vs. CLE in playoffs. No NBA team has ever recovered from 3-0 deficit.
• ECF series-wide CLE shooting: 42.9% FG, 29.4% 3PT, 67.6% FT (CBS Sports, May 24)

T-12h Betting Lines

Per Covers.com, May 25 and Yahoo Sports/NBC, May 25:

• Spread: Cavaliers -2.5 (home favorite) — opened CLE -1.5
• Moneyline: NYK -130 / CLE +110 (DraftKings); Covers shows NYK -135 / CLE +115
• Total: 217–217.5 (opened 215.5)
• Note: CLE is listed as the home spread favorite (-2.5) but a moneyline underdog (+110/+115), an unusual split reflecting the market's respect for NYK's 10-game win streak

Matchup Advantages & Vulnerabilities

CLE advantages:

• Home court at Rocket Arena (6-2 SU in 2026 playoffs at home). Crowd engagement is a factor.
• CLE has four starters averaging 17+ pts in G3 (Mobley 24, Mitchell 23, Harden 19, Strus/Allen contributing) — shot-making regression to the mean is plausible after a 29.4% 3PT series rate
• NYK's bench is thin beyond Landry Shamet (14 pts G3) and Miles McBride — CLE bench depth (Merrill, Schröder, Tyson) could matter in extended rotations

CLE vulnerabilities:

• NYK's defensive versatility (Bridges/Anunoby/Hart) has overwhelmed CLE's perimeter attack all series. Harden targeted on defense; his isolation-heavy tendencies have been exploited
• CLE shot 12-of-41 from 3 in G3 (29.3%) at home — home court has not cured the 3PT drought
• CLE shooting 67.6% from FT in series — exploitable in late-game fouling situations
• Only 4 fast break points in G3 per The Athletic, May 23, indicating fatigue and transition defense sufficiency from NYK
• NYK has led all playoff teams in FG%, 2PT%, and 3PT% entering G3 per [The Athletic]; KAT's passing (7 AST in G3) creates mismatches CLE's scheme can't consistently cover

Pace & Tempo

Both teams play at moderate pace (~99 possessions). This series has played at a deliberate half-court pace; G3 totaled 229 points (NYK 121, CLE 108). Total opened at 215.5 and has moved to 217-217.5 — the market is pricing in moderate scoring. CLE's 4 fast break points in G3 suggests little transition activity. This is likely a half-court, grind-it-out game with modest scoring implications — analysts lean Under (Yahoo/NBC, May 25; Covers, May 25).

Motivation Factors

CLE faces elimination sweep — losing G4 would end the season; no team has ever come back from 3-0. Mitchell's first ECF, CLE's first ECF since 2018. CLE is 0-4 in all-time playoff series vs. NYK. Atkinson's controversial "analytically winning" comments (May 24) may add psychological pressure. The crowd factor at Rocket Arena is legitimate, but CLE went 0-1 there in this series in G3.

Market Inefficiency Flags

• Unusual line structure: CLE is home spread favorite (-2.5) but moneyline dog (+110 to +115). This reflects market uncertainty — sharp money appears to be on NYK outright while the spread accounts for home court. The line opened at -1.5 and has moved a full point to -2.5, suggesting public CLE money on the spread.
• Mitchell health ambiguity: ESPN analysts flagged reduced explosiveness in G2; Mitchell denied injury. He played 40+ minutes in G3. Any confirmation of a physical limitation could be underpriced given his official clean injury report status.
• "Analytically winning" narrative: Atkinson's claim that CLE's expected scores show better performance than the scoreboard — plausible as a regression-to-mean argument for 3PT shooting, but heavily contested by NYK's historically dominant 10-game run.

NYK @ CLE — ECF Game 4 — May 25, 2026 | Rocket Arena | 8:00 PM ET | ESPN

Today's Availability (NYK)

No Knicks players on the injury report. Full squad available for Game 4. Clean bill of health confirmed by Fox Sports WNCO and cleveland.com (as of 6 a.m. ET May 25). (Fox Sports WNCO, May 25; cleveland.com, May 25)

Rest & Travel

NYK last played May 23 at Cleveland (2 days rest). This is Game 4 of the same road series — no additional travel since Game 3. NYK is already settled at a Cleveland hotel. No back-to-back situation.

Matchup Advantages & Vulnerabilities

NYK advantages:

• Balanced scoring overwhelms CLE's defense: four starters scored 17+ in G3 (Brunson 30, Bridges 22, Anunoby 21, Towns 13-8-7 near triple-double), plus Shamet added 14 off the bench. Per The Athletic, all five starters shooting 50%+ in G3 — NYK leading all playoff teams in FG%, 2PT FG%, and 3PT% entering G4.
• Anunoby and Bridges are holding Mitchell to well below his norm; Mitchell is reportedly not "looking like himself" this series per The Athletic's Joe Vardon, despite being listed healthy. CLE coach Kenny Atkinson insists Mitchell is healthy, but fatigue appears to be a factor.
• NYK's rebounding and size (Towns + Robinson) has neutralized CLE's double-big advantage of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.
• Shamet's bench production (14 pts in G3) is a wildcard CLE cannot scheme for.

NYK vulnerabilities:

• CLE's Harden (19 pts G3) and Mobley (24 pts G3) can generate offense; CLE had four starters at 17+ but still lost by 13 — a result of NYK's efficiency.
• CLE shot only 12-of-41 from 3 in G3 (29%) — regression to the mean is possible in a desperation Game 4.
• NYK as road favorites: only 12-19 ATS this season in that role (per NBC Sports/DraftKings data). The market is aware.

Pace & Tempo Matchup

NYK (97.5 pace) vs. CLE (higher-pace offense): NYK has successfully slowed CLE's transition game — CLE scored only 4 fast break points in G3, per The Athletic. NYK's half-court defense has held CLE to 30% 3PT shooting in the series. Implications for the total: NYK's defense is suppressing the total regardless of pace; NBC Sports model projects UNDER 217.5. Line opened at 215.5, moved to 217–217.5. ()