If you are like me, the NBA Finals may have made you think of Prince. We will be partying like it's 1999 in San Antonio as the Spurs host the Knicks for Game 1 in a rematch of the 1999 NBA Finals.
The Spurs won that series in five games for their first NBA title. Meanwhile, the Knicks will be looking for their first championship since 1973 and put an end to decades of futility for their fans.
It is also a rematch of this season's NBA Cup Finals, which the Knicks won 124-113 in Las Vegas. New York took two of the three meetings this season, but only one of them came in the calendar year.
A few players that I like to shine in Game 1 are Karl-Anthony Towns, Julian Champagnie and Dylan Harper. Continue below for my NBA same game parlay for Knicks vs. Spurs Game 1 on Wednesday, June 3.
NBA Finals Same Game Parlay for Knicks vs Spurs Game 1
The Angle: Spurs' Supporting Cast Lifts Them to Game 1 Victory
Spurs Moneyline
You may see somewhere that the Spurs are 6-0 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, though that has very little to do with tonight's game.
Since the beginning of February, the Spurs are 41-10, but suffered one of those losses to the Knicks, who ended their 11-game winning streak at the time.
The Knicks won two of three meetings this season, but the Spurs won the lone meeting in San Antonio.
Now, the Knicks are the team on an 11-game winning streak as they marched through the East on the way to the NBA Finals. However, the Spurs took a more difficult path to get here.
Most notably, they dispatched Anthony Edwards and the two-time Western Conference Finalist Timberwolves and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the defending champion Thunder in the last two rounds.
Despite their youth, the Spurs have already developed into an elite team. They were third in offensive and defensive rating in the regular season, and they are fourth in offensive rating and second in defensive rating.
In addition to being at home, their defense may lead the way tonight.
When defended by Stephon Castle in his career, Jalen Brunson has scored five points in 38 possessions while shooting 28.7% from the field and 31.5% true shooting percentage.
Castle is already an outstanding defender in his own right, but he has Wembanyama backing up when he gets beat.
If Wembanyama is able to sit in the lane, Brunson will be unable to get to some of his favorite spots on the floor.
Additionally, Wembanyama will likely be looking to put on a show in his first career NBA Finals game.
Wembanyama has averaged 28.3 points and 13.2 rebounds over his last six games against the Knicks.
He is not included in this parlay because his lines do not have much value unless he reaches those averages. However, nobody will be surprised if he carries the Spurs to victory in Game 1.
Pick: Spurs Moneyline
Julian Champagnie 2+ Three-Pointers Made
In the regular season, the Knicks ranked 13th in threes allowed per game, and they are allowing the fifth-fewest 3s per game in the playoffs.
However, they are allowing the fourth-most 3-point attempts per game in the playoffs. They were also 20th in 3-point attempts allowed in the regular season and 25th specifically to power forwards.
That is where Julian Champagnie has seen most of his minutes of late.
Without Champagnie's performance in the Western Conference Finals, the Spurs may not be playing tonight.
In Game 7, he scored 20 points and knocked down six 3-pointers. He made two 3s in five of the seven games and knocked down three triples in three of them.
Mike Brown likely has not forgotten that Champagnie made 11 3s against the Knicks earlier this season. However, he is likely not a guy who will be heavily game-planned for, given the other weapons the Spurs have.
That should give him the opportunity for open looks either in transition or in the flow of the offense in the halfcourt.
Champagnie has attempted 7.7 3s per game over his last 10 games. If he gets up eight attempts tonight, I'd expect him to hit two or more.
Pick: Julian Champagnie 2+ Three Pointers Made
Dylan Harper Over 6.5 Rebounds & Assists
Dylan Harper is an interesting story in this series, given his East Coast ties.
Born and raised in New Jersey, Harper played at Rutgers for his lone year of college before the Spurs made him the No. 2 overall pick last June.
Now, he will be taking on the Knicks in the Finals to conclude his rookie year.
While I look forward to seeing his role expand over the next few seasons, Harper has already been plenty effective as a rookie.
He averaged 11.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game in the regular season, and he has upped two of those categories in the playoffs, averaging 13.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.
Both in the regular season and playoffs, Harper has averaged over seven rebounds and assists combined per game.
He has cleared this line in 11 of 18 playoff games, including eight of his last 10 games, while averaging 9 RA per game. He also cleared this line in two of three meetings against the Knicks this season.
Harper is playing 25 minutes per game in the playoffs while averaging 5.9 potential assists and 9.1 rebound chances.
With 15 combined chances again, he should clear this line once again.
Pick: Dylan Harper Over 6.5 Rebounds + Assists
The Contrarian SGP: Spurs Bets + KAT Three-Pointers
Karl Anthony-Towns 2+ Three-Pointers Made
To attack the Spurs' defense with Victor Wembanyama on the floor, you ideally want a big man who can space the floor and pull him away from the basket.
The Spurs may counter by making Josh Hart Wembanyama's defensive assignment, so he can sag off him and still protect the rim.
However, that would also give Karl-Anthony Towns a more favorable matchup against a Spurs defender that he can either shoot over or post up.
Towns has knocked down at least one 3-pointer in 12 of 14 playoff games, including two in three of his last five games.
He is shooting 49% from deep on 3.2 attempts per game. He has also made two 3s in five of his last eight games against the Spurs, four of which Wembanyama played in.
The catch is here that Towns can be prone to silly fouls at both ends of the floor. He has committed four fouls in 10 of 14 playoff games, and that is why I prefer his threes to his points or rebounds, which may take the whole game to cash.
Instead, we just need two shots, which could come in the first quarter.
Additionally, Towns may have added motivation beyond playing in the NBA Finals. He proclaimed himself as the "best shooting big man of all-time," but Wembanyama will be a challenger for that crown moving forward.
However, Towns gets four to seven games to prove he still is the better shooter, starting tonight in Game 1.
Pick: Karl-Anthony Towns 2+ Three Pointers Made
Same Game Parlay Building Blocks (+675)
- Spurs Moneyline
- Julian Champagnie 2+ Three-Pointers Made
- Dylan Harper Over 6.5 Rebounds & Assists
- Karl-Anthony Towns 2+ Three-Pointers Made
Compounding Angle (+3300)
- Spurs Moneyline
- Julian Champagnie 3+ Three-Pointers Made
- Dylan Harper 8+ Rebounds & Assists
- Karl-Anthony Towns 3+ Three-Pointers Made
