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The San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks will battle for the Emirates NBA Cup championship on Tuesday. San Antonio booked a ticket to the title game after beating the highly favored OKC Thunder 111-109 on Saturday. Victor Wembanyama’s return helped his team end the Thunder’s 16-game winning run.
The Knicks head into the clash with the Spurs riding the momentum of five straight wins. Behind the red-hot Jalen Brunson, the Knicks have lost just once in December. New York’s captain hopes to lead his team to the championship past their giant-killing opponents.
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San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks Preview, Predicted Starting Lineups, Betting Tips and Prediction
Moneyline: Spurs (+109) vs. Knicks (-156)
Odds: Spurs (+3.0 -122) vs. Knicks (-3.0 -118)
Total (O/U): Spurs (o230.5 -122) vs. Knicks (u230.5 -118)
Editor’s Note: The odds could change closer to the game.
San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks Preview
San Antonio bucked double-digit odds in eking out a win against Oklahoma City in the NBA Cup semifinals on Friday. The Spurs overcame the Thunder by hitting key shots and holding up defensively.
Victor Wembanyama was the biggest reason the Spurs won. Wemby’s team had a 132.6 offensive rating and 85.1 defensive rating in his 21 minutes, according to Hardwood Junkies. Without him, San Antonio struggled, putting up an 84.7 offensive rating and a 116.9 defensive rating.
Wemby will again be on minutes restriction, so it’s important that De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Luke Kornet, Devin Vassell and Dylan Harper keep the team afloat.
The Knicks are aware that Wembanyama will play under 30 minutes in the NBA Cup Final. They have to take advantage of those stretches when the 7-foot-5 center is on the bench. San Antonio is a different team on both ends, so the Knicks better make the most of his absence.
New York must also slow down San Antonio’s bevvy of guards from attacking the paint with impunity. Against the Thunder’s No. 1 defense, San Antonio turned the game around by relentlessly pushing the ball for easy opportunities.
The Knicks can’t afford to commit careless turnovers after the Spurs consistently punished the Thunder for their errors.
San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks Predicted Starting Lineups
Spurs
PG: De’Aaron Fox | PG: Stephon Castle | SG: Devin Vassell | PF: Harrison Barnes | C: Luke Kornet
Knicks
PG: Jalen Brunson | SG: Josh Hart | SF: Mikal Bridges | PF: OG Anunoby | C: Karl-Anthony Towns
San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks Betting Tips
Victor Wembanyama loves playing against the Knicks, averaging 41.0 points in his last two games against them. Wemby will be limited, but he dropped 22 points in 21 minutes against the Thunder’s top-ranked defense. Expect the Frenchman to ease past his 21.5 (O/U) points prop.
During the Knicks’ five-game winning run, Jalen Brunson has averaged 32.8 ppg on 55.9% shooting, including 45.7% from deep. With a championship at stake, the lefty guard likely blows past his 29.5 (O/U) points prop.
San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks Prediction
The San Antonio Spurs have momentum after sending the OKC Thunder packing. They also beat the Denver Nuggets and the LA Lakers, even without Wemby, on the way to the semis.
The New York Knicks are battle-hardened in high-stakes games, but the NBA Cup could end up in San Antonio.
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Edited by Michael Macasero
English (US)