New York Knicks fans probably can’t believe how well things are going right now. In the team’s first NBA Finals in 27 years, the Knicks have a 2-0 lead against the San Antonio Spurs and now get to come home to Madison Square Garden.The Knicks are overwhelming favorites to end the team’s 53-year title drought, but they aren’t clear favorites for Monday’s Game 3 in New York. Sportsbooks are still valuing the Spurs as the better team on a game-by-game basis, based on the spreads.Game 3: San Antonio Spurs at New York Knicks
Knicks lead series 2-0Time: Monday, 8:30 p.m. ETTV: ABCSeries odds: Knicks -600, Spurs +380The Knicks are only favored by 2.5 points for Game 3, and the spread was tighter than that a couple of days ago. After the Spurs were favored by 4.5 and 5.5 points in the first two games at home, both of which they lost, the Knicks are smaller favorites than that for their first home game.After how frenetic Game 2 was, with the Spurs playing with absolute desperation to get a win at home and the Knicks seemingly willing to play at an out-of-control pace, Game 3 could be similarly fast-paced. Game 2 was very physical. Now the series shifts to New York, where the Knicks will play at home in front of a raucous and suddenly expectant crowd.Neither team’s lead star has had a standout game yet. Jalen Brunson and Victor Wembanyama are leading their teams in scoring, but the efficiency has not been there. Brunson has shot below 40 percent from the field in both games and was an especially off 7-for-25 from the field (28 percent) in Game 2. Wembanyama was 6-for-21 (28.6 percent) from the field in Game 1 and was better in some ways in Game 2 (29 points, nine rebounds, four blocks), but still had a crucial turnover in the last minute and missed a decent look at a game-winning jumper at the buzzer in Game 2.
