Can Knicks solve Victor Wembanyama puzzle in NBA Finals?

The Spurs and Knicks are about to renew a rivalry that dates back to the 1999 NBA Finals.

They also happen to be meeting again after facing each other in this season’s NBA Cup championship game. But don’t expect either side to put much stock in that December result.

“We’re the same but different team, and same with them,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said, via Ben Dickson of Newsday. “You can tell that they’ve matured as a group. You can tell we’ve matured as a group.”

Brown has a point. The Spurs team that lost the NBA Cup final barely resembles the group that eliminated the defending champion Thunder in seven games to reach the Finals.

Victor Wembanyama was still working his way back from injury at the time and played just 25 minutes in that matchup. Since then, he has emerged as arguably the league’s most dominant two-way force.

That leaves New York with a difficult challenge.

The expectation is that OG Anunoby will spend plenty of time defending Wembanyama, with Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart helping where needed. But the Spurs present matchup problems beyond their franchise star.

De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie all provide scoring, playmaking and perimeter shooting, making it difficult for the Knicks to hide weaker defenders.

Several league observers told ESPN that New York’s ability to space the floor could be one of its biggest advantages.

Karl-Anthony Towns‘ shooting range may force Wembanyama away from the basket, opening driving lanes for Jalen Brunson and the rest of the Knicks offense.

The Spurs enter the series as betting favorites, but many around the league believe the matchup is far closer than the odds suggest.

San Antonio has been the NBA’s hottest team for months. The Knicks haven’t been far behind.

That’s a big reason why this Finals matchup feels much more competitive than many expected just a few weeks ago.