At some point in May, the Finals became New York’s to lose. Outside of Knicks fan circles (an admittedly large group that includes the likes of Taylor Swift and Spike Lee) this idea might not have been spoken out loud.
But it felt true. While the Spurs and Thunder were battling their ways through a gritty seven game series, the Knicks swept the 76ers in a decisive set of games that never even felt particularly close.
The Spurs have had an excellent year—no question—but since the post-season, it’s been the Knicks that had all the magic on their side.
Do the Spurs have a path forward? We won’t have props for you until tomorrow. For now, let’s take a look at what it would take for San Antonio to take the Championship.
The Spurs Need A Complete Game
If you take a look a quarter-by-quarter look at all of the games in this series so far, you’ll see that the Finals have actually been quite competitive. It’s just that the Spurs have struggled to put together four strong quarters.
They were leading by nine at the half on Game 1, and would have won were it not for a (almost literally) last minute 11 point Knicks run.
Game 2, which was decided by a single point, was a good deal closer. The Spurs ended the first quarter with a 9 point lead, which they subsequently more than gave up in the second and third. They actually rallied in the fourth, outscoring the Knicks by 8 points. It just wasn’t enough to close things out.
Game 3 they did win—and outscored the Knicks in three out of four quarters.
Game 4—well. That puts the bow on our point. The Spurs developed an almost 30 point lead in the first half, and then proceeded to lose by a single point.
Now, to be fair, it’s not just that the Spurs are spoiling their own opportunities. The Knicks are in the middle of one of the best post-season performances of all time. Any team would struggle to slow them down. Many already have.
But we’ve come to a moment of truth. The Spurs were widely regarded as underdogs before this series even started. They now have no margin of error.
If the Spurs are going to win this series, they need to put together four great quarters, and they need to do it three games in a row. That’s a steep hill to climb against any NBA team. Against the Knicks? Well. We will see what happens.
Don’t Forget About The World Cup
The NBA may be winding down, but sports fans have a lot to look forward to. MLB is well underway. The WNBA is active for people who can’t get enough basketball, and, as of yesterday, the World Cup has officially started!
Played in 16 cities across North America, the World Cup will consist of 104 matches played by an expanded roster of 48 teams. This is the largest tournament in World Cup history, making it a truly great opportunity for soccer fans new and old alike. Check it out!
That’s it for today
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