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?
Harping on the X-Factor
One of the most intriguing players going into the series is probably the 2025 overall Pick 2, Dylan Harper. The rookie guard plays with a sense of composure and maturity that is uncommonly seen for a player at this stage of his career. It helps that his defence and IQ with the ball make him an easy slot for late-game scenarios, with his ability to crash the boards rivalling New York's on Josh Hart, in how he can reset second-chance possessions.
These factors make Harper an easy pick for the X-Factor of the Spurs during the series, as he already proved against the Thunder that he can step up offensively when called upon in relation to De'Aaron Fox's absence in Games 1 and 2 of the Conference Finals.
