NBA betting tips, DFS picks for Thursday: Will Cleveland rally for Game 2? - ESPN

ESPN's basketball daily cheat sheet is your pregame destination before you lock in daily fantasy and betting decisions for that night's games. Here you'll find our top insights for the slate, including players to target for your daily fantasy rosters, along with game-by-game injury reports.

Game 1 between the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers had everything expected from the Eastern Conference Finals. Star power, matchup hunting, tactical adjustments… and a collapse Cleveland will be thinking about for a long time. The Cavaliers controlled much of the night and led by 22 points with less than eight minutes remaining, only for the Knicks to storm back behind Jalen Brunson and steal an overtime win at Madison Square Garden.

Now Game 2 becomes a test of response. The Knicks enter with momentum, eight straight wins and a formula that worked late, especially when Brunson repeatedly attacked James Harden in pick-and-roll actions. The Cavaliers must now decide how to adjust defensively, whether to find more answers on Brunson and how to keep its offense from going stagnant in crunch time. Donovan Mitchell played well, the Cavaliers generated quality looks and they had Game 1 within reach. But after letting it slip away, Thursday night becomes about composure, corrections and whether Cleveland can avoid falling into a 2-0 hole.

Let's dig further into the matchups to identify some betting angles and DFS value picks for tonight's action.

Evan Mobley over 27.5 Points, Rebounds and Assists (-110)

Mobley looked like the best frontcourt player on the floor in Game 1. He has cleared this line in four of his last five playoff games while averaging 12.8 field goal attempts, 17.0 rebound chances and 7.6 potential assists per game