The New York Knicks are four victories away from winning their first National Basketball Association world championship since 1973.
The Knicks embarked on a tremendous 11-game winning streak to win the Eastern Conference championship. Included in the winning streak included back-to-back four-game sweeps of the Philadelphia 76ers and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Knicks last played for a NBA title in 1999 when they lost to the San Antonio Spurs.
The two biggest stars on the team are guard Jalen Brunson and center Karl Anthony-Towns, but two players from the state of Missouri have also been very instrumental in the Knicks’ success in the playoffs.
Starting forward OG Anunoby and reserve guard Landry Shamet have been playing tremendous basketball. Anunoby is a 6’8″ forward , who attended Jefferson City High while Shamet is a guard who played at Park Hill High in the Kansas City area.
Anunoby has been one of the team’s most consistent players throughout the season. During the playoffs, he is averaging 19.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.6 steals while shooting 57 percent from the field and 48 percent from 3-point range.
Shamet really came on strong during the conference finals against Cleveland with some terrific 3-point shooting. He is shooting a blazing 60 percent from 3-point range during the playoffs. In the final two victories against the Cavaliers, he hit nine of his 10 3-point attempts. He scored 14 points and made four of five from 3-point range in Game 3. In the series-clinching Game 4, he scored 16 points and made all four of his 3-point attempts.
The Knicks now await the winner of the Western Conference finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs. The Thunder lead the best of seven series 3-2 with a chance to close out the series out in Game 6 tonight in San Antonio.
The NBA Finals will begin on Wednesday, June 3 in either Oklahoma City or San Antonio.