Cleveland vs Knicks Prediction 8 November 2026

The hosts recently beat Philadelphia 119-95. Their offence was firing on all cylinders, even without much help from the perimeter. They made just 35.1% of their three-point shots, compared with 37% for the season. They are likely to improve in that area at home. With Harden running the offence, the Cavaliers will get very good looks, often open ones. What’s more, playing Mobley at centre creates additional opportunities on the perimeter. There will be significant stretches when all five players are shooting from beyond the arc.

There are plenty of questions about Cleveland’s defence. They concede 114.7 points per game. James Harden plays significant minutes, but his age means he can no longer defend at a high level. Last year’s playoffs showed that New York can exploit this. The hosts will therefore find it extremely difficult to contain the reigning champions’ offence. They will have to rely entirely on their own attack.

After a very poor start to the season with three straight defeats, the reigning champions have gradually found their rhythm. They have won four of their last five games, helped in part by the schedule. Beating Chicago (135-105) and Brooklyn (103-90) was not particularly difficult. They are still having problems against top teams, having recently lost to Philadelphia (93-98). New York’s scoring average looks modest at just 110 points per game. Still, the reigning champions could improve against Cleveland in their current configuration.

Hart’s absence could be a significant problem. He is a key defensive player. Moreover, with Towns at centre, their defensive play will leave much to be desired. So it is not worth placing too much weight on the visitors conceding just 105.1 points per game. They could allow considerably more in this game. But the team can respond at the other end. Like their opponents, the Knicks have recently started placing a lot of emphasis on three-point shots. Those could help them here too.