Last season, the New York Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers were in absolute beast mode during the regular season with 51-31 and 64-18 records, respectively. Naturally, the Eastern Conference is wide open this season, too, with the two teams that could emerge as true contenders clashing tonight. The New York Knicks will be hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers at the iconic Madison Square Garden, but even in the celebration, a few might miss out on the big stage.

Both teams have been working on their rosters for the past few years, and this season could be the perfect window for either of them to finally make it worthwhile. But who will emerge victorious tonight? To know that, we’ll have to take a closer look at both franchises’ injury reports and starting fives, so that we can get a good idea of which team might have the better shot at a win tonight in the Big Apple.

New York Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers injury reports

Well, the good news is that both teams have fairly small injury reports, suggesting that we’ll be seeing the majority of the big names taking the court tonight, except for a few. Starting with the Cavs, who will be without a few of their rotational players due to injuries. The most notable name among these will be that of their star guard, Darius Garland.

The 25-year-old has been out with a toe injury for some time now and will be missing tonight’s opening game for the same reason. That’s a huge loss for Cleveland as Garland is a key player in head coach Kenny Atkinson’s system. Last season, the former Vanderbilt standout showcased just how valuable he is, averaging around 20.6 points along with 2.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists. So, his not being available tonight will definitely hurt his team. Nonetheless, he’s not the only one whom the Cavaliers will miss.

Cleveland will also be without Max Strus. The 29-year-old guard has suffered a foot injury and will not just miss this game, but is expected to be on the sidelines for at least a few more clashes. Lastly, De’Andre Hunter is also on the injury report alongside these two guards. Hunter, who sustained a knee injury, is questionable for Wednesday’s game against the Knicks. So, that concludes the injury report for the Cleveland Cavaliers, but what about the Knicks? Well, things are not too good for them either.

New York is expected to be without the likes of Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson, both of whom are key players for the franchise. Hart has been ruled out with a back issue; meanwhile, Robinson won’t be participating in tonight’s matchup due to load management. As if missing these two weren’t enough for the MSG crowd, the Knicks also might end up entering this game without two of their starters. The storied franchise might be without Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby.

KAT, who joined the Knicks only last season, finished the campaign as their second-highest scorer last season. The 29-year-old center averaged a staggering 24.4 points along with 12.8 rebounds while shooting 52.6 percent from the field. However, he might not play tonight due to a quadriceps problem. He has also missed a couple of preseason games for the same reason. Right now, the seven-footer is on a day-to-day basis, as per ESPN. So, it will be interesting to see whether Coach Mike Brown plays him tonight or not.

Meanwhile, OG Anunoby might also be joining Karl-Anthony Towns on the sidelines. The forward has suffered an ankle injury and, similar to his teammate, is also probable for this clash. This could be a massive blow for the New York Knicks, who are entering tonight’s game against a much healthier Cleveland team. So, who will head coach Mike Brown pick for his first official game, given that they are expected to miss these many superstars?

New York Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers predicted starting fives

Both teams will be without a few key names, the Knicks more so if Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby end up missing the game. So, what could their lineups look like? Well, here we go. Here’s how the New York Knicks could start:

Here’s how the Cleveland Cavaliers could start:

So, that’s how both sides could look tonight. Clearly, we can see that for the Knicks, a lot will depend on two of their superstars. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers look much more stable with their starters. With the injury and starting lineup almost decided, here’s how you can watch this game live.

Where to watch the Knicks vs the Cavaliers matchup live?

Tonight, being the opening game for both teams, we can expect them to come out swinging. So, it will be interesting to see who finally comes out on top at the end of it all. Here’s how you can watch the two teams play:

Date: Wednesday, 22nd October

When: 7:00 p.m. ET/10:00 p.m. PT

Where: Madison Square Garden, New York City

TV: ESPN, DirecTV, Fubo, Hulu, and NBA League Pass

So, that’s all that you’ll need to know as we all await tip-off for this exciting game. While Cleveland seems a bit ahead according to us but given the fact that it is at the Knicks’ den, it’s hard to predict which team will take home the win tonight. Either way, it should be a great watch for the fans.