- ESPN analysts were asked which regular season game is an early NBA Finals matchup
- Bobby Marks believes the Suns-Knicks matchup on November 26th is a Finals preview
- The Knicks were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Semifinals by the Heat last season
Bobby Marks believes the Phoenix Suns and the New York Knicks will make it to the NBA Finals in the 2023-24 season. With the schedule for the season having been released, ESPN analysts were asked which game is an early NBA Finals matchup, and Marks chose the game between the Suns and Knicks on the 26th of November.
“Star power versus roster continuity,” Marks stated. “Yes, I have penciled in both teams as my early favorites to represent each conference in June. The styles in how the two rosters were built are totally opposite.
“The high-spending Suns went all-in with the Kevin Durant trade in February and then added Bradley Beal in June,” Marks continued. “The Knicks, on the other hand, have taken a more conservative approach, returning 13 players that lost to Miami in the second-round while adding only Donte DiVincenzo in free agency.”
While some might disagree with having the Suns as the favorite in the Western Conference, it is hardly a take that raises eyebrows. Damian Lillard said Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal are a “Monster 3” and they certainly would be capable of getting the Suns to the Finals. The Knicks, however, are very much a shocker of a pick here.
New York finished just fifth in the Eastern Conference last season with a 47-35 record. They surprised many by beating the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games in the first round but were brushed aside by the Miami Heat in six games in the Conference Semifinals.
Can The Knicks Get To The Finals?
The Knicks are certainly not the laughing stock they were for the longest time and deserve a lot of respect now. Still, you really don’t see a scenario where they actually make it to the Finals. The Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, and Miami Heat are just a level above the Knicks at this point, as they just don’t have the firepower to compete with those three teams.
Jalen Brunson, who averaged 24.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 0.9 steals in the 2022-23 season, is pretty much the only reliable scoring option they have in the playoffs. A team led by Brunson is not making the Finals, with all due respect, and the only way the Knicks can make it there would be if they can pair him with another star.
A report stated the Knicks tried to trade for Paul George, and it is clear they know they need another big name. They were unwilling to offer him an extension, though, which led to no deal taking place in the end.
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