The San Antonio Spurs will be hoping to stave off elimination against the New York Knicks in Game 5 of the NBA Finals at the Frost Bank Center on Saturday night. Here’s a Spurs vs Knicks Prediction. This article will include a Spurs vs Knicks Pick.
New York Knicks Betting Preview
The New York Knicks are now just one win away from taking the crown as NBA champions after rallying past the Spurs in a dramatic 107-106 win in Game 4 to take a 3-1 series lead. Jalen Brunson led the team in scoring with 36 points and seven assists on 12 of 25 shooting. OG Anunoby drained seven 3-pointers to finish with 33 points on 10 of 15 shooting, while Karl-Anthony Towns chipped in with 13 points, but no other player scored more than seven points.
As a team, the Knicks shot 46 percent from the field and 15 of 32 from the 3-point line as they got off to a nightmare start and found themselves in deep trouble after trailing by as many as 29 points. However, the Knicks chipped away at the deficit in the third quarter and were good enough to snatch the game away in the final moments thanks to Anunoby, who capped off the dramatic finish with a block and putback layup with just 1.3 seconds left on the clock. Mikal Bridges had a quiet game of just seven points on three of nine shooting, while Josh Hart scored just six points.
San Antonio Spurs Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the San Antonio Spurs might still be scratching their heads as they looked all set up to square up the series with a dominant win, but they lost their focus and got fully punished by the Knicks in Game 4. Victor Wembenyama led the team with 24 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks, Dylan Harper added 21 points on eight of 12 shooting off the bench, while De’Aaron Fox and Devin Vassell each scored 18 points.
As a team, the Spurs shot just 42 percent from the field and 17 of 43 from the 3-point line as they set the tone with 41 points in the first quarter to open up a 29-point lead, but they got too comfortable and made just about every mistake you can to allow the Knicks back into the contest. The Spurs fell in love with the 3-point shot that served them so well in the first half, and just when it looked like they were able to get away with it at the end, Fox ended up getting blocked on a breakaway layup when he should have just dribbled down the clock with the lead in the final seconds.
Why the San Antonio Spurs will win
- The Spurs have won 17 of their last 18 games as home favorites against Atlantic Division opponents following a loss.
- The Knicks have lost Game 5 in five of their last six playoff series when leading the series 3-1.
- The Spurs have covered the spread in 14 of their last 16 games following a loss.
- The Knicks have failed to cover the spread in seven of their last nine games against Western Conference opponents.
Why the New York Knicks will win
- The Knicks have won each of their last eight road games.
- The Spurs have lost three of their last four NBA Finals games as favorites.
- The Knicks have covered the spread in each of their last eight road games.
- The Spurs have failed to cover the spread in four of their last five home games against Eastern Conference opponents.
Total Points Facts
- Eight of the Knicks’ last nine games as underdogs following a home win have gone UNDER the total points line.
- Each of the Spurs’ last four home games has gone UNDER the total points line.
- Sixteen of the last 19 NBA Finals games have gone UNDER the total points line.
San Antonio Spurs Player Facts
- Victor Wembanyama ranks 1st amongst qualified players for blocks per game (3.1) this season.
- Dylan Harper has recorded 10 career three-pointers against the Knicks – equal-most against any opponent (including playoffs).
New York Knicks Player Facts
- Mitchell Robinson ranks 1st amongst qualified players for rebounds per 36 minutes (16.1) this season.
- Karl-Anthony Towns ranks 2nd amongst qualified players for rebounds per game (11.9) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Spurs rank 1st in the league for Q1 points per game this season (31.9).
- The Spurs rank 1st in the league for H1 points per game this season (62.2).
- The Knicks rank 1st in the league for opponent offensive rebounds per game this season (10.0).
- The Knicks rank 1st in the league for Q4 opponent points per game this season (25.3).
Spurs vs Knicks Prediction
The Spurs did just about everything correctly in the first half of Game 4, and it looked as though they were able to reclaim home-court advantage with a massive road win, but instead they made mistake after mistake from the players to the coach and ended up with the title of blowing the biggest lead in NBA Finals history. The Spurs are playing for their lives at home, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they got off to another strong start, but if they start slow, I can see the Knicks coming away with the blowout win.
This is a tough one to pick, but the league wants this series to continue, so I predict the Spurs will respond with a gritty win here with some extra help from the referees.