An Eastern Conference rivalry is renewed for the second round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs, as the upstart New York Knicks take on the surging Miami Heat. 

Neither side was projected to get out of the first round, but Julius Randle and the Knicks downed the favored Cavaliers in five games, while Jimmy Butler brought down the NBA’s overall No. 1 seed Bucks in just five games. 

The teams split the four games, each winning one at home. All four games were decided by single digits. It should be a highly competitive and physical series. 

Ahead of Game 1, Bookies.com breaks down the series and makes our NBA picks to back on sports betting apps.

Heat vs. Knicks Game 1 Odds

Heat vs. Knicks Betting Tips

Over South, Under North: Each team went 1-1 at home in the season series, but the ball found the basket far more in Miami. In the two games at Madison Square Garden, the totals were just 210 and 193 points. At Kaseya Center, the numbers were 242 and 247. 

Butler Does It (At Home): Jimmy Butler willed the Heat past Giannis’ Bucks, averaging 37.6 ppg in 37.2 minutes per game. That includes 56 and 42 points in the final two games of the series. We might see a similar trend here, at home anyway. Butler scored 33 and 35 points vs. the Knicks in Miami, but only 10 and 12 in NYC. His points-rebounds-assist totals were just as lopsided (48 and 46 at home, 21 and 19 away). 

Offensive Surge: Miami ranked dead-last in the NBA in scoring at just 109.5 ppg. In the first-round, however, it scored 124 ppg, and at least 119 in all five games. Gabe Vincent, who averaged 9.4 ppg and 2.5 apg in the regular season, upped his play with 13 ppg and 5 apg. 

Heat vs. Knicks Picks

Julius Randle ranked No. 1 on the Knicks in scoring (25.1 ppg), free throws, 3-pointers and rebounds. And yet, in the series vs. Cleveland, the Knicks statistically performed far better with Randle on the bench. 

Randle re-sprained an ankle in the series-clincher, but the Knicks showed they can win with or without him. 

Jimmy Butler defied everything the Bucks tossed at him for the series of his life. But New York is a better defensive team, upped it in a big way vs. Cleveland, and Butler has had his issues with the lineup. Butler can’t do it all, and the injuries to Tyler Herro and Victor Oladipo may prove too much in this series. 

New York is -155 to win this series, while Miami is at +130 at NBA betting sites. We like the Knicks to advance here. 

Heat vs. Knicks Schedule

• Game 1: Miami at New York, Sun., April 30, 1 p.m. ET (ABC)
• Game 2: Miami at New York, Tues., May 2, TBD (TNT)
• Game 3: New York at Miami, Sat., May 6, TBD (ABC)
• Game 4: New York at Miami, Mon., May, 8, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
• *Game 5: Miami at New York, Wed., May 10, TBD (TNT)
• *Game 6: New York at Miami, Fri., May 12, TBD (ESPN)
• *Game 7: Miami at New York, Mon., May 15, 8 p.m. ET (TNT)

* if necessary