This will go down as the most dramatic NBA Finals . . . that only lasted five games.
Thanks to a remarkable postseason run, the Knicks captured their first NBA championship since 1973 with a 94-90 victory over the Spurs on Saturday night.
Jalen Brunson scored 45 points and earned Finals MVP honors.
The Spurs will spend the offseason wondering what could have been. San Antonio led in the final two minutes of each of the first four games of the series and was tied 88-88 with 1:16 remaining Saturday before New York closed the door.
Despite the loss, the Spurs open as co-favorites with Oklahoma City at +250 to win next season’s title.
Zach Cohen is already looking ahead.
👉 Zach’s early NBA title futures →
Thanks to a remarkable postseason run, the Knicks captured their first NBA championship since 1973 with a 94-90 victory over the Spurs on Saturday night.
Jalen Brunson scored 45 points and earned Finals MVP honors.
The Spurs will spend the offseason wondering what could have been. San Antonio led in the final two minutes of each of the first four games of the series and was tied 88-88 with 1:16 remaining Saturday before New York closed the door.
Despite the loss, the Spurs open as co-favorites with Oklahoma City at +250 to win next season’s title.
Zach Cohen is already looking ahead.
👉 Zach’s early NBA title futures →
🏀 Zach’s Final NBA Report
This Knicks’ run, and this team, should be talked about forever.
After falling behind 2-1 in their opening-round series against the Hawks, the Knicks rattled off wins in 15 of their final 16 games. New York swept Philadelphia. The team then swept Cleveland. And despite very little belief in the Eastern Conference winner beating the Western Conference winner during the regular season, the Knicks took the Spurs out in five electric games in the NBA Finals.
What New York accomplished against San Antonio wasn’t normal either. The Spurs had double-digit leads in all five games in the series, including a 29-point cushion in Game 4. But this Knicks team never checked out of games.
Game 5 was no different. San Antonio led by as many as 16 points, and the lead was 15 points with 2:25 left in the third quarter. But New York simply wasn’t going to let it happen, and it was Brunson, the NBA Finals MVP, who stood in front as the Knicks fought the Spurs off. Brunson had 45 points in 41 minutes of action, coming up with timely buckets whenever his number was called.
All in all, calling this run “special” almost doesn’t do it justice. Between the underdog story of Brunson turning into a superstar, the Villanova brotherhood winning together, Mike Brown proving to be the perfect head coach for the group, and the whole New York City of it all, the Knicks will go down as unforgettable champions in an unforgettable season.
After falling behind 2-1 in their opening-round series against the Hawks, the Knicks rattled off wins in 15 of their final 16 games. New York swept Philadelphia. The team then swept Cleveland. And despite very little belief in the Eastern Conference winner beating the Western Conference winner during the regular season, the Knicks took the Spurs out in five electric games in the NBA Finals.
What New York accomplished against San Antonio wasn’t normal either. The Spurs had double-digit leads in all five games in the series, including a 29-point cushion in Game 4. But this Knicks team never checked out of games.
Game 5 was no different. San Antonio led by as many as 16 points, and the lead was 15 points with 2:25 left in the third quarter. But New York simply wasn’t going to let it happen, and it was Brunson, the NBA Finals MVP, who stood in front as the Knicks fought the Spurs off. Brunson had 45 points in 41 minutes of action, coming up with timely buckets whenever his number was called.
All in all, calling this run “special” almost doesn’t do it justice. Between the underdog story of Brunson turning into a superstar, the Villanova brotherhood winning together, Mike Brown proving to be the perfect head coach for the group, and the whole New York City of it all, the Knicks will go down as unforgettable champions in an unforgettable season.
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🏒 Stanley Cup: Another Clincher?
The Stanley Cup will be in the building tonight.
Carolina (-112) can clinch the championship with a victory over the Golden Knights (+100) in Game 6 at T-Mobile Arena (8 p.m. ET, ABC).
Vegas will be without forward William Karlsson, who has been ruled out with a wrist injury.
The Hurricanes will have Frederik Andersen available, but backup Brandon Bussi has won the last two games.
Jonathan Davis has already posted his Best Bets for tonight’s game.
👉 See which bets JD is waiting to fire on →
Carolina (-112) can clinch the championship with a victory over the Golden Knights (+100) in Game 6 at T-Mobile Arena (8 p.m. ET, ABC).
Vegas will be without forward William Karlsson, who has been ruled out with a wrist injury.
The Hurricanes will have Frederik Andersen available, but backup Brandon Bussi has won the last two games.
Jonathan Davis has already posted his Best Bets for tonight’s game.
👉 See which bets JD is waiting to fire on →
⚽ World Cup Day 4
Day 4 of the World Cup features four more matches:
Germany vs. Curaçao (1 ET)
Netherlands vs. Japan (4 ET)
Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador (7 ET)
Sweden vs. Tunisia (10 ET)
Nigel Seeley’s favorite value play comes in the Ivory Coast-Ecuador matchup.
👉 Nigel’s World Cup Best Bet →
Alex Blowers believes sportsbooks have mispriced Sweden-Tunisia.
👉 Alex’s analysis →
👉 VSiN’s World Cup hub →
Germany vs. Curaçao (1 ET)
Netherlands vs. Japan (4 ET)
Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador (7 ET)
Sweden vs. Tunisia (10 ET)
Nigel Seeley’s favorite value play comes in the Ivory Coast-Ecuador matchup.
👉 Nigel’s World Cup Best Bet →
Alex Blowers believes sportsbooks have mispriced Sweden-Tunisia.
👉 Alex’s analysis →
👉 VSiN’s World Cup hub →
⚾ Total Watch
The Total for Saturday’s Rockies-Athletics game was 14.5 at Circa.
Final score: Athletics 7, Rockies 5.
The Under is now 4-1 for this week’s games in Las Vegas.
Today’s Total: 14.
Greg Peterson’s plays for today, plus betting analysis from Adam Burke, Zach and Josh Appelbaum.
👉 MLB picks, previews and betting analysis →
👉 MLB player prop projections →
Final score: Athletics 7, Rockies 5.
The Under is now 4-1 for this week’s games in Las Vegas.
Today’s Total: 14.
Greg Peterson’s plays for today, plus betting analysis from Adam Burke, Zach and Josh Appelbaum.
👉 MLB picks, previews and betting analysis →
👉 MLB player prop projections →
🥊 UFC: Weather Watch
Weather, not the fighters, could be the biggest obstacle Sunday.
The UFC White House card is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET on Paramount+, but thunderstorms in the Washington area could cause delays.
👉 First Strike model projections and best bets →
👉 Lou Finocchiaro’s full card breakdown →
The UFC White House card is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET on Paramount+, but thunderstorms in the Washington area could cause delays.
👉 First Strike model projections and best bets →
👉 Lou Finocchiaro’s full card breakdown →
🏁 NASCAR: Hamlin Dominates
Steve Makinen’s final simulation for Pocono shows Denny Hamlin with the highest simulation rating of any driver this season.
Says Steve: Fade him at your own risk.
Top 5: Hamlin, Larson, Byron, Gibbs, Buescher
Top underdogs to consider: Gibbs, Buescher, Briscoe, Suarez
Favorites to fade: Bell, Elliott, Wallace, Keselowski
👉 Steve’s simulation →
👉 More NASCAR coverage →
Says Steve: Fade him at your own risk.
Top 5: Hamlin, Larson, Byron, Gibbs, Buescher
Top underdogs to consider: Gibbs, Buescher, Briscoe, Suarez
Favorites to fade: Bell, Elliott, Wallace, Keselowski
👉 Steve’s simulation →
👉 More NASCAR coverage →
🎯 NBA Postscript
I want to thank Zach for his late-night work throughout the NBA season to provide his analysis for the newsletter.
And congratulations to Gill Alexander for finishing with a 26-12 record (68.4%) in the VSiN/KillerSports contest.
👉 See the final standings →
I asked Gill for the secret to his success:
“Being unencumbered by the entrenched viewpoints that following an 82-game schedule too closely often create.”
A lesson to be learned there.
👉 See the final standings →
I asked Gill for the secret to his success:
“Being unencumbered by the entrenched viewpoints that following an 82-game schedule too closely often create.”
A lesson to be learned there.
