The New York Knicks enter the NBA Finals without home-court advantage and as betting underdogs, regardless of their Western Conference opponent. However, OG Anunoby has all but vowed to end New York’s 53-year NBA championship drought with his latest social media post.
“4 more 🦾,” Anunoby wrote on Instagram on Wednesday, making it clear that his Knicks weren’t satisfied just getting to the NBA Finals. They plan to win it all.
Karl-Anthony Towns agrees with his teammate’s sentiments. The big man shared Anunoby’s post on his IG stories, while highlighting a photo of Anunoby holding the Eastern Conference Championship trophy with the caption “Aura.”
‘Job is Not Done’ for Knicks
After the Knicks swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals, Towns made similar comments, suggesting that his locker room was strictly business and locked in on four more wins. Towns, a lifelong Knicks fan, said he was thrilled for the city of New York, but he and his teammates weren’t ready to celebrate just yet.
“It’s a magical thing, it’s a historic thing. It’s something New York has been dying for, for a long time. I know how this team works. It’s OK for New York, the fans, us, our families, to enjoy this moment and be jubilant about this,” he said of the Knicks reaching the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years, via ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill
“But for us as players, the job is not done,” he added.
Knicks NBA Finals Betting Odds
On Wednesday, DraftKings sportsbook released hypothetical odds for the NBA Finals, where the Knicks will face either the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs.
If they play the Thunder, the Knicks are expected to open as massive +215 underdogs, while the reigning champions go in as -265 favorites.
“Based on these odds, the Thunder have an implied probability of 72.60 percent to win a second straight title,” wrote Sports Illustrated’s Peter Dewey. “The Knicks and Thunder played twice in the regular season with OKC winning both matchups, and oddsmakers clearly view them as the favorite, as they’re already odds-on favorites to win the Finals even though they haven’t advanced past San Antonio just yet.”
A clash against the Spurs is expected to be a lot closer, given that the Knicks beat them 2-1 in the regular season, including the NBA Cup Finals win. Oddsmakers have the Knicks as +185 underdogs and the Spurs as -225 favorites in a potential NBA Finals.
“Based on these odds, the Spurs have an implied probability of 69.23 percent to beat the Knicks in the Finals,” wrote Dewey. “So, even though San Antonio needs two more wins in the Western Conference Finals to reach the Finals, it still would be a pretty major favorite against the Knicks.”
Knicks will have eight full days of rest before Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 3, while the Thunder or Spurs could have just 48 hours of rest if their series goes to a Game 7 on May 30. Oddsmakers expect the Spurs to force a Game 7 with a win on Thursday.
Knicks Get 2-Word Promise From OG Anunoby Before NBA Finals