AROUND the NBA:

[meistermatze]

NBA Base: Brian Windhorst says people around the league are surprised by how much the Spurs are favored against the Knicks: "You know the more and more people I've talked to around the league Greeny, scouts and other coaches, they're really surprised that the Spurs are favored by as much as they are. They get with Wembanyama and how tough the West playoffs were, but they really believe that the Knicks have some advantages in the series and that this thing could absolutely go New York's way."

I’m surprised that anybody gives the Knicks a realistic shot.

Fatigue is the only real argument in favor of the Knicks, and even that could be cancelled out by rust on their part. One of those factors may turn out to matter, but in a vacuum, even this could go either way.

From a pure basketball standpoint, I just don’t see it.

Experience? The Knicks are older, but nobody on either side has played on this stage before. And experience did not seem to matter much when the Spurs beat the Thunder.

Weaknesses? The Spurs have very few. KAT pulling Wemby out of the paint? Wemby can guard him one-on-one, and I don’t see the Spurs’ paint defense completely collapsing because Wemby is so mobile. Also, if that matchup is a problem for San Antonio, it goes both ways. KAT having to defend Wemby would give me nightmares as a Knicks fan. I would much rather be the Spurs in that matchup.

Same with Brunson. He will get attacked relentlessly by Fox, Harper, and Castle.

Yes, the Knicks are on a historic run, and their plus-minus has been amazing — but against whom? They went through a 9–11 stretch at one point during the season, and the personnel has not changed. I don’t buy them suddenly becoming the best team in the league for one second.

This team still relies heavily on KAT, one of the biggest chokers around. Wemby is going to manhandle him, inside and outside.

Injuries can obviously change any series. But barring that: Spurs in 5. If the Knicks get hot more than once, maybe Spurs in 6.