All signs point to the Western Conference Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs going at least six games, possibly seven. Meanwhile, the New York Knicks are 1.5-point favorites to finish off the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday and advance to the NBA Finals.
The turn of events gives the Knicks a significant advantage heading into their first NBA Finals of the 21st century. While New York potentially enjoys eight days of rest before Game 1 on June 3, the Thunder or Spurs could have just two off days if their series goes to a Game 7 on May 30, or four if it ends in six games on May 28.
Advantage Knicks in NBA Finals?
Some analysts feel the Knicks will also benefit from the fact that the Thunder vs. Spurs series has been a physical one, leading to injuries to key players like Jalen Williams, Ajay Mitchell and Dylan Harper over the first three games. The Knicks seem primed to take a fully healthy squad into the Finals — another factor that boosts their chances.
The Denver Nuggets are a recent example of how extra rest benefits an eventual NBA champion. In 2023, they enjoyed eight days of rest before their NBA Finals series against the Miami Heat, who endured a brutal seven-game series against the Boston Celtics in the East Finals. The Nuggets won the first two games of the Finals by a margin of 15 points against a bruised and battered Heat squad.
Similarly, in 2022, the Golden State Warriors enjoyed a week off before the NBA Finals, while the Celtics needed seven games to edge out the Heat in the East and had only 48 hours to prepare. Although the C’s took a 2-1 lead in the Finals, they proceeded to lose three in a row as injuries and fatigue caught up to them.
Knicks Continue Historic Run
The Knicks seized a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals on Saturday to extend their franchise record postseason winning streak to 10 games. In this dominant run, they’ve outscored opponents by an average margin of 22.5 points — the largest by any team during a 10-game winning streak in postseason history.
With a dominant 121-108 win in Game 3, the Knicks also became just the third team to win five consecutive road playoff games by 10+ points.
History suggests the Knicks have a better than 50% chance to end their 53-year NBA title drought next month.
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