The Spurs and Knicks square off! ͏
Finally, the NBA Finals are set, as the New York Knicks will square dance with the San Antonio Spurs in a series that begins Wednesday night. The Knicks have been sitting at home patiently waiting for an opponent for about a week now, while the Spurs and Thunder were finishing up their penultimate battle. Now that the big card is set, let’s take a look at who might win it all.
WHO WE GOT?
New York Knicks (53-29) vs. San Antonio Spurs (62-20)
WHAT DOES HISTORY TELL US?
Well, the Knicks haven’t won a title in 53 years. That tells us a lot! Meanwhile, the Spurs have won five rings since 1999.
NO, RECENT HISTORY!
Oh, like this season? Well, the Knicks and Spurs have played three times. The Knicks won in New York City, the Spurs won in San Antonio, and the other match was won by the Knicks in the NBA Cup final. Although Spurs star Victor Wembanyama came off the bench and was on a minutes restriction in that game, so maybe we don’t read as much into it? Then again, the Knicks weren’t clicking back then the way they are right now.
TOUGHER ROAD?
The Knicks have gone 12-2 in the postseason, including sweeping each of their last two series. The Spurs have had more of a struggle, losing six games across the course of the Playoffs. At the same time, the Spurs just knocked off the defending champs, winning twice in Oklahoma City, including in the pivotal Game Seven. Then again, the Knicks have won 11 in a row!
UP TOP
Jalen Brunson is undoubtedly the key player for the Knicks , averaging almost 27 points per 36 minutes in the postseason. Brunson has flourished under a ball-dominant style of play the last few seasons, as the Knicks were mostly reliant on defense. But this season, under new head coach Mike Brown, the Knicks have uncovered a more even offensive approach, which has sort of culminated here of late, as the Knicks have posted a 123.3 offensive rating in the Playoffs. Spurs PG DeAaron Fox has been hobbled by a bum ankle in the postseason, but I thought he was fantastic in Game Seven against OKC, finishing with 15 points and 5 assists, more importantly, helping stabilize the Spurs offense whenever they were in the halfcourt. I also wouldn’t be shocked to see the Knicks and Brunson target Fox in the same way they did James Harden in the Conference Finals.
WING MEN
If we’ve seen anything the last few years in the postseason, it’s that you can’t have enough wing players with size, defense and shooting. San Antonio has a collection of young players led by Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, flanked by Julian Champagnie, Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell. The Spurs would seem to be built to help slow down this surging Knicks offense. Meanwhile, the Knicks have their own collection of sturdy 3-and-D wings, including OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart, which may not be quite as deep or dynamic as San Antonio’s group.
INSIDE GAME
Karl Anthony Towns has been an effective stretch big for the Knicks, but in this series he’ll have to go up against The Alien himself, Victor Wembanyama, a player who plays unlike anyone we’ve even seen before. Can Towns’ shooting keep Wemby out of the paint? Also, keep an eye on Mitchell Robinson, who can give the Knicks a more traditional interior presence, but is dealing with a mysterious broken hand.
BENCH
I tend to feel like benches matter a little less in the postseason, as teams shorten rotations and have time to recover between games. That said, we’ll likely have at least one game where someone like Landry Shamet or Carter Bryant makes some impactful plays.
COACHING
Which leads us to which coaches will make the right moves? Who will bring in the right players? Postseason coaching is all about making the right adjustments as a series goes along, and while Mitch Johnson did just that for the Spurs against the Thunder, Mike Brown has extensive postseason experience from his time all over the NBA.
WHO’S THE FAVORITE?
According to the people who, ahem, study such things, the Spurs are the favorites. That said, the Knicks have covered the spread in 10 of their last 11 games. Do with that information what you will.
WHO AM I PICKING?
The Knicks are currently playing the best basketball they’ve played in years. The Spurs seem to be ahead of schedule, rounding into form as they reach the Finals. Wemby is a lot to deal with, sure, but I am more focused on the matchup between Castle and Brunson, and the Spurs ability to slow down the Knicks and create some turnovers. And as much as I’d like to see my old city of New York finally win another basketball title, I think San Antonio wins in six games.