Former NBA champion and current ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins has been singing the New York Knicks' praises for a while now. But after seeing how they beat the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, he's willing to make a wager on who comes out on top - a pretty nasty one at that.
Appearing on NBA Today, Perkins pledged that if the Spurs come back and win the NBA Finals, he would do five things: 1. Buy a meal for all of the employees at the San Antonio Zoo, 2. Buy a VIP treatment for some Spurs fans, 3. Wear a Spurs-themed chain for an entire month, 4. Eat a raw onion on NBA Today, 5. Shave his head and beard.
That sounds more like the kind of wager someone makes when they're trying to hedge their happiness as opposed to rooting against the Spurs. He clearly wants them to win and is willing to subject himself to some pretty nasty stuff if it means getting to see them come back and win the chip.
Game 2
New York stunned San Antonio as underdogs in Game 1, rallying from a 14-point second-half deficit to win 105-95. The Knicks closed the game on an 11-0 run behind a dominant fourth quarter from Jalen Brunson, who scored a game-best 30 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns added 18 points and 12 rebounds.
Victor Wembanyama finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds for San Antonio but struggled with efficiency and turnovers. He shot just 6-for-21 from the field in his NBA Finals debut.
© Geoff Burke-Imagn Images.
Game 2 is an absolute must-win for the Spurs. Teams that lose Game 1 have just a 30-percent chance of coming back to win the NBA Finals. Teams that fall into an 0-2 hole only win the championship about 15-percent of the time.
Suffice it to say, it's do or die night for the Spurs.
Perkins clearly expects them to bounce back.
