The New York Knicks and Miami Heat, each fresh off ousting higher-seeded teams in the first round, resume their NBA playoff rivalry when the teams meet for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Sunday.
Jimmy Butler and the Heat, who advanced through the play-in round to earn the No. 8 seed, ousted the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in five games.
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The fifth-seeded Knicks, one of the NBA’s founding franchises, dispatched the No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers, also in five games.
Either the Heat or Knicks will become just the fourth low seed (fifth or lower) in the past 24 years to reach the conference finals.
This will be the sixth postseason matchup between the two but first since 2012 when the Heat went on to win title.
The other four postseason meetings between the teams were played in consecutive seasons from 1997-2000. Each of those series went the distance, with the Knicks taking three of the four.
Knicks power forward Julius Randle, a two-time All-Star, re-sprained his left ankle during Game 5 against the Cavaliers on Wednesday. Randle’s status for the series opener is unknown.
Here’s a look at the series from a betting perspective, with odds at FOX Bet:
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Heat at Knicks, 1 p.m. ET Sunday, ABC (series opener)
Point spread: Knicks -4.5 (Knicks favored to win by more than 4.5 points, otherwise Heat cover)
Moneyline: Knicks -200 favorites to win (bet $10 to win $15 total); Heat +140 underdogs to win (bet $10 to win $24 total)
Total scoring over/under: 207 points scored by both teams combined
SERIES WINNER
Knicks -143 (bet $10 to win $16.99 total)
Heat +120 (bet $10 to win $22 total)
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Here is the schedule for the series (all times ET):
Game 1: Heat at Knicks, 1 p.m. Sunday, ABC
Game 2: Heat at Knicks, 7: 30 p.m. Tuesday, TNT
Game 3: Knicks at Heat, 3: 30 p.m. Saturday, ABC
Game 4: Knicks at Heat, 7: 30 p.m. May 8, TNT
Game 5: Heat at Knicks, time TBD May 10, TNT *
Game 6: Knicks at Heat, time TBD May 12, ESPN *
Game 7: Heat at Knicks, 8 p.m. May 15, TV TBD *
= if necessary
Regular-season results
Feb. 2: Knicks 106, Heat 104
March 3: Knicks 122, Heat 120
March 22: Heat 127, Knicks 120
March 29: Knicks 101, Heat 92
So, are you throwing some money on the NBA playoffs? Get your bets in at FOX Bet!
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