TST Best Bets: May 23, 2026
May 21, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives around Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) during the fourth quarter of game two of the eastern conference finals during the 2026 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. As two behemoths clash in the Western Conference Finals, the winner of the Oklahoma City Thunder versus San Antonio Spurs series is all but guaranteed to be heavy favorites in the NBA Finals. But as these teams duel in what very well could be a seven-game series, the New York Knicks are setting themselves up to have a major rest advantage in the NBA Finals, should they seal the deal and make it there for the first time since 1999.
After a gutsy 22-point fourth-quarter comeback in Game 1, New York looked like the clearly superior team over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2. The Knicks are currently -800 favorites to win the series, but whether they allow the Cavs to prolong this series will have a major impact on their chances to win the championship. The biggest challenge will be to take a 3-0 lead against a Cavs team that has been great at home this postseason, going 6-1 through two series.
To come out a winner during these NBA Playoffs, here are tonight’s TST Best Bets brought to you by BetOnline. ag. Click here to join.
All new players get a 50% welcome bonus and up to $250 in free bets. First Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers -2. 5 over New York Knicks Rundown: Through 12 games this postseason, New York has a point differential of +221, which is the greatest in NBA history.
Even the Steph Curry and Kevin Durant Golden State Warriors in 2017, who famously were one game away from sweeping through the entire playoffs, trail behind these Knicks with a +196 point differential. While the Knicks would be a worthy Eastern Conference champion if they are to get there, they were also a three-seed and a 53-win team this season, making this postseason run of dominance all the more unexpected. The Knicks were just barely over .