The New York Knicks will begin their NBA Finals quest for a first title in 52 years as significant Game 1 underdogs at San Antonio on Wednesday night.
The Spurs, who enter as the series favorites, open at home as consensus 4.5-point favorites just hours ahead of tip-off. However, that is a full point lower at BetMGM than the 5.5 points they opened at after the series was finalized.
San Antonio has been backed by 61% of the point-line bets and 67% of the money wagered at the book. However, New York’s +150 moneyline to win the game outright has drawn 67% of the bets and 54% of the money.
For the series, the Spurs are being offered at -225 on the strength of superstar Victor Wembayama, and have been backed by 78% of the bets and 60% of the money to win the title.
“The Spurs have the best player and the better overall team making them clear favorites in the NBA Finals,” BetMGM sports trader Anthony Parenti said. “The sportsbook will be cheering for the Knicks as San Antonio is the biggest remaining liability on the futures book.”
GAME 1 PROP PICKS
–Devin Vassell Over 3.5 1st Quarter Points (+125 at BetMGM): This has received the most total bets among player props at the book. The Spurs guard averaged 13.9 points in 36.1 minutes per game in the seven-game series against Oklahoma City. That included double-digits in all but one game.
–Knicks to Win Series (+155 at DraftKings): Ahead of Game 1, New York is a significant underdog to take the series from San Antonio (-185). Those odds could change dramatically should the Knicks take home-court advantage away with a win on Wednesday night. That has led to 82% of the series winner money backing New York.
THE NEWS
The Spurs are riding high after taking down the defending champion Thunder in seven games in the Western Conference finals.
The Knicks have been wildly hot in the postseason with 11 consecutive victories, including a four-game sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals.
Still, New York is viewed as a team that has little chance of beating Wembanyama and the Spurs.
“We’ve been doubted a lot,” New York star guard Jalen Brunson said Tuesday. “There’s been a lot of noise from the outside that we could talk about, complain about, do something about — but we’ve always gone back to the gym and worked on our game. We can’t be satisfied just because we’re here.”
Of course, the Knicks’ championship drought is well known. They are in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 — when they lost in five games to the Spurs — and are looking for their first NBA title since 1973 when guys like Walt Frazier, Willis Reed, Dave DeBusschere and Bill Bradley led the way.
In New York’s last Finals appearance in 1999, there was a Brunson on the roster. That’s Rick Brunson, father of Jalen and currently an assistant coach on the Knicks.
“It’s pretty surreal — it’s something I haven’t really thought about,” Jalen Brunson said of the 1999 angle. “Once the season’s over, once the career’s over, there will be times to think about this stuff. … It’s definitely a cool feeling.”
The Knicks made a deep run last season before losing to the Indiana Pacers in six games in the East finals. Tom Thibodeau was fired as coach in the aftermath and Mike Brown was hired as the new leader.
“Getting to the Finals is not easy,” Brown said. “If you can navigate through some of those adverse or tough times throughout the season, you’ll give yourself a chance when it really matters, which is the postseason.”
The Spurs are in the early stage of the “Wembanyama Era” and are part of the Finals for the first time since winning the crown in 2014, the franchise’s fifth title. Wembanyama has averaged 23.2 points, 10.8 rebounds and 3.5 blocked shots in 17 postseason games.
The 7-foot-4 Frenchman said the key is for the Spurs to put their epic series win over the Thunder behind them.
“Coming back down from this is a challenge,” Wembanyama said. “It’s not done yet. We still need to really come back down to earth and realize we haven’t done the hardest yet.
“The job isn’t done at all. So we still got about, I don’t know, what time is it, like 30-plus hours to re-center.”
INJURY REPORT
Knicks big man Mitchell Robinson (broken right pinkie) is listed as questionable. Robinson wore a wrap on his hand Tuesday and did light shooting and dribbling at practice. He reportedly will be available to play Wednesday.
Robinson grabbed 15 rebounds in 18 minutes when New York won the NBA Cup matchup.
Spurs point guard De’Aaron Fox (right ankle) continues to improve and “is moving in a better direction,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. Fox missed the first two games of the Western Conference finals and was less than 100% the rest of the series, averaging just 11.2 points.
PREDICTION
While the Spurs are heavy favorites, the Knicks have the defensive size and strength to make this a very intriguing Finals — and one they can absolutely win. That could start on the road, where New York arrives fresh with more than a week off, while the Spurs are coming off a taxing seven-game series. –Knicks 108, Spurs 106
