Sometimes the best things in life come unexpectedly.
When the NBA Cup semifinals started, most people wondered if any of the three teams not named the Oklahoma City Thunder could even be competitive, let alone get a win. Then the Thunder ran into Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
The Orlando Magic had not lost a Cup game as they reached the final four of the season tournament. The Knicks reminded them that this is basketball, not dodgeball.
Now we have an NBA Cup championship game that few predicted, but everyone should be excited to watch.
Knicks vs Spurs odds, prediction
The Knicks appear to be the best offensive team in the NBA right now. The problems they had at the start of the season are starting to feel like a distant memory, and their starting five with Josh Hart is looking much better than last season. Jalen Brunson certainly made a statement with an efficient 40-point game that looked about as easy as any big scoring game he’s had since coming to New York.
Wembanyama already had a statement game in the season opener when he scored 40 points and grabbed 15 rebounds against the Dallas Mavericks. What he did Saturday night was something different.
Wembanyama sat out the entire first quarter against the Thunder, playing just 20 minutes and finishing the night with a plus-21 plus/minus in his first game in almost a month. One player having so much impact in a limited number of minutes is absurd.
Bet on the NBA?
Considering Wembanyama hadn’t played since mid-November and said he felt a little out of breath at times, it would be reasonable to expect Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson to follow a similar game plan.
I think this creates an interesting dynamic for the Knicks, who have been red hot to start games lately. Over the past ten games, the Knicks have led the NBA in first-quarter scoring with 33.8 points per game. The team right behind them? The Spurs, who averaged 33.7 points over that stretch.
When Wembanyama is on the ground, he completely changes the opposing team’s attacking strategy and slows down the pace as teams try to figure out how to attack him. When he’s off the floor, the Spurs seem to be running up and down with their speedy guards.
If Wembanyama rests for most of the first quarter, which I expect will happen on Tuesday night, I think we’ll see an attacking explosion from both teams to start.
I’m betting the Over in the first quarter at 55.5, which feels low considering the output we’ve seen from these two offenses.
The Game: Over 55.5 points in the first quarter (-125, FanDuel)
Why trust New York Post betting
Malik Smith has been immersed in the sports betting industry since 2017. He is a data nerd with a particular focus on the NBA and martial arts. He spends his winter weeknights looking for NBA player prop benefits with more money.
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