The New York Knicks will try to put the finishing touches on their first NBA championship since 1973 when they visit the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, June 13. Tip-off at the Frost Bank Center is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
New York took a commanding 3-1 series lead on Wednesday night by completing the largest comeback in NBA Finals history. The Knicks trailed by as many as 29 points in the second half, but New York never quit, and OG Anunoby’s late-game heroics helped the hosts steal a 107-106 victory at Madison Square Garden.
After another deflating loss, can Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs get off the mat and keep their season alive? Or will Jalen Brunson and the Knicks lift the Larry O’Brien trophy on the road?
To prepare for this pivotal contest, I’ll examine the latest odds and my Knicks vs Spurs predictions for Game 5.
Knicks vs Spurs Game 5 Odds
All NBA odds used for these Knicks vs Spurs predictions are current as of Friday, June 12, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Moneyline: Knicks (+164) / Spurs (-198)
- Spread: Knicks +5.5 (-112) / Spurs -5.5 (-108)
- Over/Under: Over 216.5 (-110) / Under 216.5 (-110)
Knicks vs Spurs Game 5 Predictions
Score Prediction: Spurs 108, Knicks 104
The Spurs have been the better team for long stretches of the NBA Finals; they just haven’t been able to close out games.
San Antonio is a far less experienced team than New York, which has contributed to some of the late-game missteps it has made in this series.
However, that doesn’t excuse veteran point guard De’Aaron Fox for his decision to go up for a layup, which was blocked by Anunoby, instead of dribbling more time off the clock when San Antonio had a one-point lead in the final seconds of Game 4. It also doesn’t excuse the fact that Mitch Johnson’s team found itself in a close game after leading by 20 with 9:33 remaining in regulation.
That all being said, the Spurs led for 78% of Game 3 and 97% of Game 4, which showcases how dominant they’ve been since losing Games 1 and 2 at home. If San Antonio continues to play like that, it should be able to force a Game 6 back in New York.
Knicks vs Spurs Game 5 Best Bets
Knicks +5.5 (-112) @ Spurs
I’m picking the Spurs to win, but this spread is too big not to take the points with the Knicks.
New York has only lost three games this postseason, and all of those defeats came by margins of four points or fewer.
Additionally, every game of the NBA Finals has been close, with the previous three games being decided by four points or fewer. Game 1 finished with a 10-point margin, but it was tied with just over two minutes remaining.
While I don’t think it’s likely, there’s also a chance that this young Spurs team can’t get off the mat in Game 5, and the Knicks continue their run of dominating victories in close-out games after eliminating their first three playoff opponents with victories by 51, 30, and 37 points.
Take the points with the Knicks as one of your NBA best bets today.
Knicks @ Spurs: Under 216.5 Points (-110)
I haven’t had much of a feel for the total in the NBA Finals, but I’m leaning toward the under in Game 5.
Three of the previous four games in this series have gone under this total, with Game 4 somehow finishing with 213 points despite San Antonio scoring 76 on its own in the first half.
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Spurs’ home games have tended to be lower-scoring throughout the postseason, as they’ve only surrendered more than 106 points once in 11 playoff games at Frost Bank Center.
Games 1 and 2 finished with 200 and 209 points, and I’d expect a similarly low total on Saturday, with the pressure heightened.
