Overview
- Tipoff is set for 12 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden on ESPN/ABC to start the NBA's five-game Christmas slate.
- New York enters 20-9 (14-2 at home) against Cleveland at 17-14 after winning the Oct. 22 meeting 119-111.
- Final injury reports list Cavaliers starters Evan Mobley (calf), Max Strus (foot) and Larry Nance Jr. (calf) out, while Knicks guards Landry Shamet (shoulder) and Miles McBride (ankle) are out.
- Odds across major books have the Knicks around -5.5 to -6.5 with a total near 239–239.5 points.
- With Mobley sidelined, coverage notes Cleveland's reliance on high-volume 3-point shooting and the Knicks' potential edge on the glass and in depth.