There’s a strong chance Mike Breen’s popular call, “it’s bedlam at The Garden,” will be uttered at one point or another during Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
It might even happen for the tip-off.
The anticipation for the first Finals game at Madison Square Garden since 1999 is palpable, especially with the Knicks up 2-0 over the Spurs in the series.
Unlike Game 5 of the Finals nearly 27 years ago, when the Knicks were eventually eliminated, the orange and blue are not the anxious team in the matchup, though they are, in their own words, a desperate team.
So too are the thousands of fans who will be in attendance who have waited decades to see the Knicks playing in the Finals on their home court.
The Knicks enter Game 3 as 2.5-point favorites on the spread with a total sitting at 216.5 in a series that has been defined by its intense physicality.
Knicks vs. Spurs Game 3 prediction, best bets
After 13 straight wins, the Knicks are familiar with having a 2-0 lead entering Game 3, but tonight’s game presents an interesting dynamic they haven’t experienced yet in the playoffs. The Knicks had home court advantage in every series, so all of their Game 3 matchups have been on the road.
The Finals will be the first time they play Game 3 at home, and with a commanding lead in the series, they are in an interesting spot. One could view this spot as a huge pressure cooker for a New York team that is more used to being doubted than lauded with praise.
Pundits were already throwing out the possibility of a sweep ahead of Game 2, and the chorus has only grown louder as the Knicks continue to prove they are capable of winning close games and blowing teams out of the water.
I think it will have a positive effect. Every player on the Knicks seems focused on the task at hand and generally unfazed by anything outside of basketball. They quickly move on from their wins regardless of how impressive, and have lived every cliche in the book: approach every game like it’s 0-0, don’t just match the intensity, exceed it.
The key in Game 3 for both teams will be the start.
The Spurs have jumped out to early leads in both games against the Knicks, but the Knicks have been the best first-quarter team in the playoffs this year. They’ve outscored teams by 6.8 points in the opening frame and have lost the first quarter just twice in seven home games.
Betting on the NBA?
With the Garden crowd in a frenzy, I expect this Spurs team to continue to show its youth, especially now that they are trailing in the series.
I’ll back the Knicks to win the first quarter.
The Pick: Knicks first quarter moneyline (-110, FanDuel)
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Malik Smith has been immersed in the sports betting industry since 2017. He’s a data nerd with a particular focus on the NBA and combat sports. He spends his weeknights in the winter looking for edges on plus-money NBA player props.