The New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers face off tonight at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, concluding a back-to-back for both clubs.
Jarrett Allen has been excelling in rebounding recently, and I anticipate this trend to persist in my predictions for the Knicks vs. Cavaliers matchup.
Proceed to see my NBA selections for Friday, February 21.
Prediction for Knicks versus Cavaliers
My optimal choice
Jarrett Allen More than 10.5 rebounds (-115 at bet365)
My assessment
Jarrett Allen is enjoying a commendable season with the dynamic Cleveland Cavaliers and has significantly contributed to their success in recent years due to his presence in the frontcourt alongside Evan Mobley. The player is averaging 10.5 rebounds over 55 games in the 2024-25 season.
The center has been excelling at rebounding recently. He secured 20 rebounds in a 110-97 victory against the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday and has exceeded the Over in five of his past six games. In that particular game where he did not achieve 11 rebounds, Allen nonetheless concluded with 10.
Indeed, the New York Knicks are top in rebounds allowed; nonetheless, Allen secured 15 rebounds against them earlier in the season. The veteran is currently experiencing his most productive month in terms of rebounding, averaging 13.6 per game in February.
The 26-year-old is currently exhibiting confidence and engaging in physical play in the low post. He will challenge Karl-Anthony Towns in this competition. Allen averages 10.9 rebounds per game at home, in contrast to 10.0 on the road. Adhere to the trends and choose for the Over.
Mobley’s significance for Cleveland is undeniable. He is experiencing a career-best season as a scorer, averaging 18.5 points per game with a shooting percentage of 56.7% from the field. Mobley resumed his performance from prior to the All-Star break on Thursday, scoring 18 points against the Nets.
He has exceeded the point total in four of his past five games, scoring 25 or more points in three consecutive matches prior to the break. Mobley performed admirably against the Knicks in October, scoring 17 points. In seven outings in February, the 23-year-old has averaged 20.3 points.
He will experience another fruitful evening at home against New York.
Jalen Brunson is excelling for the Knicks once more, averaging 2.3 successful three-point shots on 5.9 tries, resulting in a 39% shooting percentage. Highly commendable. However, he has recorded the Under in triples in five of his last seven games, achieving only 2-for-9 on Thursday against the Bulls. Brunson is averaging merely 1.6 three-pointers per game in February.
The guard was 0-for-4 from three-point range against Cleveland in October, while the Cavaliers are restricting opponents to 30% shooting from beyond the arc during their last three games.
Despite Towns’ exceptional performance, Kenny Atkinson’s team recognizes that restraining Brunson is essential for achieving victory tonight.
