Poll: Who Will Win NBA's Eastern Conference Finals, Cavaliers or Knicks?

[Editor's note: Welcome to Athlon Sports' poll of the day, where we ask readers to weigh in on the biggest topic of the day. Thanks for voting, and be sure to sound off in the comment section.]

The NBA's conference finals got off to a monumental start Monday night, as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in double overtime of Game 1 in the Western Conference finals. Spurs star Victor Wembanyama had 41 points, 24 rebounds and three blocks - becoming the first player to record 30-plus points and 20-plus rebounds in his conference finals debut since Wilt Chamberlain in 1960.

It's the Eastern Conference finals taking center stage Tuesday night, as the No. 3 seed New York Knicks host the No. 4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers (8 p.m. ET, ESPN) at Madison Square Garden.

This is a quick turnaround for Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs, who needed seven games to dispatch the Detroit Pistons in the conference semifinals. That series ended two days ago, while the Knicks have had a full week off after sweeping the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round. The Knicks had been winning games in blowout fashion, so the time off could hinder their momentum. On the other hand, the extra time has allowed forward OG Anunoby to rest his injured hamstring. Anunoby will be ready to go for Game 1.

The Cavaliers are looking to get back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2018. The Knicks haven't been to the finals since 1999. So...

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This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 5:13 AM.