Knicks head to Philly eying sweep, can they pull it off? | The Putback with Ian Begley
On The Putback with Ian Begley, SNY's NBA Insider is joined by SNY's Matt Spendley as they give their updated series predictions with the Knicks heading to Philadelphia up 2-0 in the series, but potentially down OG Anunoby for Game 3 and beyond.
Video Transcript
I need a prediction out of you, Mr. Spendley.
What do you have for this weekend, Friday, Sunday?
I, I think the Knicks have a lot of answers in this series.
That, that's how I felt.
I just think they have a lot of answers.
I thought Philly really I was very impressed by how their guys played.
I was impressed by how they shot the ball, and I thought they ran out of gas.
I think the fatigue is gonna just be too much for them to overcome.
I think game three is a massive opportunity for the Knicks to just put a stranglehold on this series and buy themselves some time with Anunoby.
Honestly, that's how I kind of view it, is if you go up three-nothing, let's say he doesn't play tomorrow night, you can kind of take a deep breath and say, "Okay, OG has some time to heal up.
We might have some potential time.
We're up three-nothing.
The series is not over."
But I view it as a massive opportunity for them to just kind of put their foot down on the series.
And Ian, we've talked about how the Knicks have been since game three in Atlanta.
They've been locked in.
They've talked about it.
Deuce has talked about it.
All of the players have talked about it post-game.
They feel locked in.
So I think that they take this opportunity, with or without Anunoby, to take control of the series.
I think they win game three to go up three-oh, and then I think Sunday they'll lose, and then I think they'll win in five.
That, that was my original prediction, and that's what I think happens.
How about you?
Yeah, I could see that.
I, I could definitely see that.
I think that, that's obviously the goal, would be to come back and with a chance to close out in five, and I think that's the way it'll go.
Anunoby, obviously we'll see.
But even testing the Knicks' depth without arguably their best player in the playoffs, I do think there's enough there.
I think that the Maxi injury, is gonna impact him, the way he talked about it after the game.
And so, yeah, I think the Knicks have a great opportunity to split at the least, and then they have an opportunity-- they'll have an opportunity to close out, game five at home, which is big.
