With the NBA Finals beginning today, it is one of the first in many years where no one really knows who will claim the Larry O'Brien trophy. It will be a rematch of the 1999 Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks in what is sure to be a series packed with storylines and excitement.
The Spurs are one of the youngest teams to ever make the big dance and are looking to start their dynastic dominance, backed by an unprecedented amount of raw talent that has trumped some of the league's best teams during their playoff run.
While the Knicks have finally gotten over the hump of decades of playoff failure to reach their moment and try to reclaim the biggest achievement in the sport.
Going into the series, the Spurs are the favourites, but the Knicks are no ordinary underdog, with them already claiming the season series against the Spurs and beating them in the Emirates Cup. So how can the Spurs knock off a white-hot Knicks team and move on to claim their sixth banner?
Pushing the pace by hunting size
Playing to their strengths will be what the Spurs need to do to stop the high-productivity of the Knicks' half-court offence and that entails them pushing the pace whenever they can to make the orange and blue as uncomfortable as possible. Finishing first in total transition points in the playoffs at 2,075 in 18 games means that their guards will have to attack early and gamble quickly on defence if they want to be at their best offensively.
Having the capability to switch on almost all positions with versatile defenders in OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges will force the Spurs to get to their actions early and put the pressure on the Knicks to trust one-on-one matchups, which is something you clearly don't desire if you have Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns on your team.
