Knicks, Hurricanes, and More: Monday’s Big Game Lineup

The New York Knicks began their playoff run by beating the Atlanta Hawks, then lost two games before winning again. They are now on a 5‑game streak and want to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. Their next test is Game 4 against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena, where they hope to finish a sweep. In Game 1 of that series the Knicks came back from a 22‑point fourth‑quarter gap to win 115–104 in overtime. In Game 2 they won by double digits, putting the Cavaliers on the brink of elimination. Jalen Brunson scored 30 points and Mikal Bridges added 22 in Game 3, giving New York a 121–108 victory. The Knicks now have an all‑time postseason record of 5–0 against Cleveland and are aiming to sweep the series for a third time. On the other side, Evan Mobley scored 24 and Donovan Mitchell had 23 for Cleveland, who has lost both of its home games after a six‑game winning streak early in the playoffs. Cleveland has been swept four times in best‑of‑seven series, most recently by the Warriors in 2018.The NHL playoffs continue with the Montreal Canadiens facing the Carolina Hurricanes at the Bell Centre for Game 3 of their Eastern Conference final. Carolina, the top seed, had a 6–2 win in Game 1 after an 11‑day break but evened the series with a 3–2 overtime win, thanks to Nikolaj Ehlers’ goal. Carolina has won all four of its road games this postseason, while Montreal is 2–4 at home. In baseball, six MLB games will take place. The Miami Marlins (25–29) open a series against the Toronto Blue Jays (25–28) at Rogers Centre. The Marlins recently swept the Mets, allowing only two runs in three games, while the Blue Jays’ four‑game winning streak ended with a loss to Pittsburgh. Seattle’s Mariners (25–29) will travel to West Sacramento for a series opener against the Athletics (27–26). The Mariners lead their division, but the Athletics have won two of three games at Seattle earlier this season. The betting odds favor the Knicks over Cleveland by 2. 5 points, Carolina over Montreal by 142 on the money line, Toronto over Miami by 162, and Seattle over Oakland by 117. Various sports betting sites offer promotions for Monday’s games.