New York Knicks vs Cleveland-cavaliers Picks and Predictions December 25th 2025

New York Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Preview

Christmas Day basketball returns to Madison Square Garden as the Knicks open the NBA’s five-game holiday slate against Cleveland. New York plays on Christmas for the 58th time and enters after a short-handed loss in Minnesota where Karl-Anthony Towns carried the offense. Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby both sat out for maintenance but are trending toward returning, which changes the ceiling of this lineup.

Cleveland arrives with momentum. The Cavaliers put up 141 points Tuesday and finally had their rotation closer to full strength. Darius Garland completed his first back-to-back since offseason surgery, and Sam Merrill’s return adds spacing that has been missing. Cleveland’s recent offensive spike coincides with better ball movement and deeper scoring balance.

For league-wide holiday context, see the updated NBA previews hub.

Line Movement and Odds

New York opened around -3 and moved to -5.5 as Brunson’s availability priced in. Cleveland now sits at +5.5, drawing sharper interest at the higher number.

The total opened near 238 and climbed to 240.5, driven by Cleveland’s recent scoring surge and New York’s offensive efficiency when healthy. Moneyline pricing favors the Knicks around -200, with the Cavaliers returning roughly +175.

Monitor live changes on the NBA odds board.

Matchup Breakdown

New York’s edge is half-court execution. With Brunson back, the Knicks control tempo, limit turnovers, and score efficiently inside. Towns gives them a size advantage, and their rebounding remains a quiet separator at home.

Cleveland’s path is pace and spacing. The Cavaliers shoot better with Merrill on the floor and play faster when Garland pushes early offense. If Evan Mobley plays, Cleveland’s interior defense improves significantly. If not, they rely more on perimeter volume and transition scoring.

For additional opinions across the slate, review the latest NBA picks.

Injuries and Conditions

New York Knicks

• Jalen Brunson, ankle maintenance, expected to play
• OG Anunoby, ankle maintenance, expected to play
• Miles McBride, ankle, out

See full New York Knicks injury report.

Cleveland Cavaliers

• Evan Mobley, calf, questionable
• Max Strus, foot, out
• Larry Nance Jr., calf, out

See full Cleveland Cavaliers injury report.

This game is indoors, no weather impact.

Best Bets and Prediction

New York has covered consistently at home, and the market move reflects confidence in their full lineup returning. Cleveland’s offense is trending up, but their defense remains inconsistent away from home.

Projected Score: Knicks 121, Cavaliers 116
Best Bet: Knicks -5.5
Secondary Lean: Over 240.5

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