SportsLine's model and team of experts have revealed top NBA props picks and NBA predictions for the NBA Playoffs on Thursday
By Brandt Sutton May 21, 2026 at 9:06 am ET • 2 min read 
Imagn Images The Cavaliers suffered a devastating defeat in Game 1, but center Evan Mobley was extremely effective on both ends of the floor, finishing with 15 points and 14 rebounds. Mobley has recorded a double-double in each of his last two games, which will likely make him a focal point for NBA prop bets when the Cavaliers take on the Knicks in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals at 8 p.m. ET. Mobley averaged 18.2 points and 9.0 rebounds during the regular season, and his over/under for total points + rebounds on Thursday is 23.5. The SportsLine Projection Model is expecting him to exceed his point + rebound total tonight, projecting that Mobiley will finish with 25.4 combined points and rebounds on average.
SportsLine expert David Bearman is also high on Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns to be an effective facilitator on Thursday. Towns has finished with five or more assists in eight consecutive games, and his over/under for total assists in Game 2 is 4.5. Before locking in Thursday's NBA prop picks and other NBA bets on betting sites like FanDuel, be sure to check out top picks from the proven computer model and team of experts at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past eight-plus seasons. The model entered the conference finals of the 2026 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 26-10 roll (72%) on top-rated NBA spread picks this season. Anyone following its NBA betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
Top NBA player prop picks for Cavaliers vs. Knicks
- Evan Mobley, Cavaliers, Over 23.5 points + rebounds
- Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks, Over 4.5 assists
- Mikal Bridges, Knicks, Over 16.5 points + assists
Evan Mobley, Cavaliers, Over 23.5 points + rebounds
Mobley is coming off a dominant performance in Game 1, recording a double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds. Mobley has now recorded a double-double in each of his last two games. Mobley averaged 18.2 points and 9.0 rebounds during the regular season, and the SportsLine Projection Model is expecting him to exceed his point + rebound total tonight, projecting that he'll finish with 25.4 points and rebounds on average.
Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks, Over 4.5 assists
"Karl-Anthony Towns has hit his assist prop in 8 straight postseason games, averaging 7.6 assists per game, with at least 5 in each," SportsLine expert David Bearman said. "Wednesday's Game 1 was the first game in the streak in which he 'only' had 5 assists, although he had 4 in the first half. During the 8-game stretch, KAT is averaging 8.3 assist chances per game, playing only 27.8 minutes a game due to blowouts and foul trouble. He averaged 6.5 assists per game in the final four games of the regular season. Going back to April 1 (16 games), KAT is averaging 6.1 assists per game."
Mikal Bridges, Knicks, Over 16.5 points + assists
Bridges continues to be an effective playmaker for the Knicks this postseason. In Game 1, Bridges finished with 18 points and one assist. He's now scored 17 or more points in five of his past six postseason appearances, and SportsLine's model is expecting he'll exceed the posted total for points + assists again on Thursday, predicting he'll finish with 19.4 points + assists on average.
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