NBA Summer League 2021: Cleveland Cavaliers vs New York Knicks Prediction & Match Preview - August 14th, 2021
The Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks will lock horns on Saturday in a 2021 NBA Summer League game.
The Cleveland Cavaliers will be playing their fourth game of the tournament, winning only one of their previous three games. Meanwhile, the New York Knicks will be playing their fifth game of the off-season competition, winning two of their four games.
Match Details
Fixture - Cleveland Cavaliers vs New York Knicks | NBA Las Vegas Summer League 2021.
Date & Time - Saturday, August 14th, 8:00 PM ET (Sunday, 5:30 AM IST).
Venue - Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV.
Cleveland Cavaliers Preview
The Cleveland Cavaliers are coming off a 74-87 loss against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Cavs did well in the first half, trailing the Pelicans by just four points heading into the second.
The Pelicans played more aggressively in the third quarter, though, which swung the game in their favor. The Cleveland Cavaliers conceded an 18-27 lead in that quarter, registering 17 turnovers and shooting only 36.4% from the field.
Their #3 pick from this year's draft, Evan Mobley, did not have a productive outing on the night. He tallied eight points and 11 rebounds, shooting only 4 of 11 from the field. Guard Brodric Thomas led the team with 15 points, but did not have an efficient night in terms of shooting, converting only 30.8% of his attempts from the floor.
Key Player - Evan Mobley
Evan Mobley hasn't had the best of Summer League campaigns. He has averaged 11.3 points and 7.7 rebounds on just 34.9% shooting from the floor. He has also recorded 3.3 turnovers per contest. If the Cavs are to have a decent chance of winning Saturday's contest against the New York Knicks, they will need Mobley to do a better job at both ends of the floor.
He could likely be tasked with guarding sophomore Obi Toppin, who has been the Knicks' best player in the 2021 NBA Summer League so far. That could be a decisive duel in the outcome of the clash.
Cleveland Cavaliers Predicted Lineup
G - Brodric Thomas l G - Chandler Vaudrin l F - Lamar Stevens l F - Evan Mobley l C - Mfiondu Kabengele..
New York Knicks Preview
The New York Knicks lost to the Detroit Pistons 87-94 in their last game. The Knicks had a difficult time keeping up with their opponents for most of the game, getting outscored 13-25 in the first quarter.
Obi Toppin had a great outing once again, scoring 31 points and nine rebounds, while shooting at 65% from the floor. However, the rest of his teammates endured a difficult night at the offensive end, as the New York Knicks shot just 36.3% as a team from the field.
The New York Knicks struggled on the boards as well, getting outrebounded 38-39. They committed 18 turnovers as well. The Knicks will have to improve in all these areas to ensure they do not endure a third defeat in their Summer League campaign.
Key Player - Immanuel Quickley
Obi Toppin has been the most consistent player for the New York Knicks in Las Vegas, but the same cannot be said for his draftmate Immanuel Quickley. The latter scored 15 points in his previous outing, but didn't shoot the ball with much efficiency. He also shot only four of 18 from the field, and also committed three turnovers.
Quickley is a much better player than what he showed in the last game. So he needs to produce a better outing to ensure his team emerges triumphant on Saturday.
New York Knicks Predicted Lineup
G - Immanuel Quickley l G - Quentin Grimes l F - Wayne Selden l F - Obi Toppin l C - Reid Travis.
Cavaliers vs Knicks Prediction
The New York Knicks have looked better compared to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the ongoing Summer League. Their squad is bolstered by sophomores Toppin and Quickley, which gives them a distinct advantage over the Cleveland Cavaliers, who'll have to be disciplined at both ends of the floor to have a healthy chance of winning this game.
Where to watch the Cavaliers vs Knicks game?
The 2021 NBA Summer League game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks will be televised nationally on ESPN2. Fans can also stream the game online via NBA League Pass.