NBA and NHL Finals Preview - Best Case Scenario for NBA, Intriguing Stanley Cup Match-Up

The Stanley Cup and NBA Finals are nearly upon us -- with the Cup kicking off on Tuesday 6/2, and the Finals getting underway Wednesday 6/3. These two professional sports leagues' seasons align from beginning to end -- giving us a week+ of Championship Series Games every night. While the fan bases don't align as well as the season's do -- this is one of the best weeks in the sports' schedule for those that follow both.

It's safe to say I'm a fair weather fan when it comes to the NHL -- only truly locking in when the Blues are in contention. But this year, I've found myself more interested in the Stanley Cup Playoffs due to the teams that have battled their way here -- The Hurricanes, the closest team to me in South Carolina, who have a big fanbase in my city -- and The Golden Knights, a team that fired their head coach mid-season, and have been red-hot ever since.

Part of my interest in the Hockey playoffs has also been due to declining interest in the NBA as a whole this season. Basketball will always be my favorite sport -- but I've found it more difficult to sink my teeth into the NBA regular season. That being said, the Playoffs have been pretty great in my opinion, but your mileage may vary. I think for the sake of the league and for the sake of viewership, the NBA fell into a best-case scenario with the two teams squaring off in the Finals -- The Knicks and The Spurs.

NBA Finals

The Knicks and The Spurs have had VERY different paths to clinch a spot in the Finals -- but give us the most interesting potential match-up for a Finals Series. From a watchability standpoint, these have been arguably the two most fun teams in the league to watch over the last several weeks. The Knicks have been dominant mowing down their competition in the East -- winners of 11 straight games, sweeping the Cavs AND the 76ers, and battling back through a tester 1st round series with Atlanta.

The Spurs are as battled-tested as anyone -- a 6-game series with Minnesota, followed by a BATTLE with the 1-seed Thunder that saw them win game 7 in OKC. Taking out the defending champs in OKC -- winning game 1 and game 7, two of the best games of the playoffs to me -- is unfathomable for a team as young as them. It's pretty incredible what this team's done this season, and capping it off with a Title would make it even more impressive.

From a Historic standpoint, this match-up is tantalizing because the last time the Knicks made it to the NBA Finals -- way back in 1999 -- they faced the Spurs, and lost in just 5 games. Tim Duncan was crowned NBA Finals MVP that season -- a young, generational post player who was as scary defensively as he was offensively. This year's Spurs team is also led by a generational two-way post player in Victor Wembanyama -- who may be the single scariest player to match-up against in the NBA right now.

It's easy for me to look at the paths both teams had to reach the Finals and want to write off the Knicks. They handled a shaky Cavs team with ease, same with a pretty bad 76ers team. But it can't be under-valued just how badly they beat down both of those teams, and even how bad they beat the Hawks over the back half of that series. They have a point differential of +271 across 14 playoff games -- +262 in this 11-game winning streak. They're Beating opponents by nearly 20 points per game -- they're bludgeoning any and everyone in their path.

Jalen Brunson is cementing himself as one of the best lead guards in the sport over this playoff run -- averaging 27/6.5 in the postseason. But when they match up with San Antonio, he'll be faced with a significantly better defensive backcourt. Going from being guarded by James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, and Tyrese Maxey to trying to score on Stephon Castle is going to be a night and day difference. Castle is one of the best perimeter defenders in the league.

Speaking of intriguing match-ups, I'm fascinated to see what the Knicks are going to throw at Wemby. Karl Anthony-Towns certainly isn't known for his defensive prowess, but Mitchell Robinson is -- and his health is an X-factor in this series. But on the other end, KAT's offensive skillset poses a big problem for what San Antonio wants to do. They were sticking Wemby on Lu Dort or other wings in the OKC series so he could play tons of help -- but KAT will make you pay if you leave him on the perimeter. Does the threat of KAT pull Wemby away from the rim enough to unlock Brunson's paint-scoring? Can KAT be aggressive offensively, driving and attacking the rim to try and get Wemby in foul trouble? Or does he shy away like we just saw from Chet Holmgren?

And we know what these wings on New York can do defensively -- from OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridgers, to Josh Hart -- they have tons of athletic wings to try and make Wemby uncomfortable. I'm interested to see how they're deployed -- and whether the guys like Steph Castle, Devin Vassell, and Julian Champagnie can capitalize on open looks.

The last thing I'm most excited to see in this series is something that is much less notable -- but the bench guards. Dylan Harper has been one of my favorite players to watch during this year's postseason -- a rookie who was highly drafted, and is proving his worth in big games. But for the Knicks, they have a very different bench guard who's lighting it up -- Landry Shamet. A veteran who is catching fire as of late -- he shot 11-12 from deep in the 4-game sweep of the Cavs.

I originally thought the winner of the West was going to have an easy series win over whoever came out of the East -- but with the Knicks looking so dominant, AND being so well-rested, I think this will be an excellent series. My prediction: Spurs in 7, Wemby Finals MVP.

NHL Finals

Let me preface by saying while I enjoy watching hockey, I am far from an expert. I know very little about the ins and outs, the style of play of these teams, even the players themselves -- so I'm really going off vibes for this preview, but will try to back it up with some stats.

That being said, I think we're in for an exciting Stanley Cup Final. Two 1-seeds from their respective conferences, one team that's been dominant from start to finish (Hurricanes), and one team that is hitting their stride at the right time (Golden Knights).

To me, this matchup has 2019 Stanley Cup Finals vibes -- maybe not specifically in how the teams play, but how they enter the series. The 2019 Blues started the year cold, fired their head coach, then caught fire as the season came to a close -- riding that momentum and elite goaltending from Jordan Binnington to a Cup Final. Vegas fits that mold, having fired their coach midseason, peaking toward the end of the regular season, and looking scary all postseason long (12-4 record in playoffs).

The Blues faced a Boston Bruins team in the 2019 Finals that many believed were the strongest team in the NHL. They looked better as the playoffs wore on -- sweeping the Canes in the Conference Finals, before eventually falling to the Blues in 7. This year's Canes remind me of that Bruins team -- Big, defensive-minded, will bully you and muck the game up to play at their own pace. Both teams led by elite goaltenders -- Tukka Rask was great for the 19' Bruins, but Frederik Andersen of the Canes has been the best backstop in the sport: 12-1 record allowing just 1.41 GAA and boasting a 93+% save pct.

I think the consensus on the Hurricanes with most people that I talk to about hockey is that they're a bit boring -- and anyone that watched their series with Montreal would probably agree. They're just a team that controls the puck so well -- and they always win the shots battle. Against Montreal in the Conference Finals -- they outshot them 167 to 88 in the 5-game series. That included a 44-18 strangulation in Game 4. If you don't score early against Carolina -- they're nearly impossible to beat.

The biggest strength for Vegas -- which was on full display against the high-flying offense of the Avalanche -- is how their defense is so good at limiting high-percentage scoring opportunities. They don't outshoot opponents like Carolina does -- in fact, on average, they get outshot by nearly 3 shots a game. But they keep the opponent from getting quality shots on the net -- forcing the puck to the outside and protecting the slot. There's a stat (I learned about today) called Projected Goal Rate (PGR) Against -- which Vegas has the lowest in the league at under 5% -- meaning they're elite at preventing high-danger opportunities.

It also must be mentioned that Mitch Marner of the Golden Knights is having one of the best postseason runs in recent memory. He leads the NHL in points this postseason with 21, showcasing an elite ability to distribute the puck and set up teammates, as well as scoring multiple clutch goals.

Which has kind of been the defining trait of this Golden Knights team -- how clutch they've been (another reason I see the 2019 Blues in them). This team has SIX comeback wins this postseason -- that is ridiculous. And when they get out in front late -- they're unbeatable, with a perfect 8-0 record when leading after the 2nd period.

But unfortunately for Vegas -- Carolina has been just as clutch on their postseason run. They've had 5 games go to Overtime in the playoffs this year -- and they're a perfect 5-0. This is a team that is historically great in controlling the puck, winning the possession battle, and limiting opponent shots. So by the time an Overtime period rolls around -- they've worn their opponent out. And even when opponents can break through for scoring chances -- Andersen is stopping every shot.

So what's gonna give? In a battle of clutch teams -- who's going to win out? I'm very excited to see if the defensive-minded play-styles of both teams leads to some barnburners -- and hopefully some Overtime Thrillers. I'm not only rooting for the Hurricanes -- but I'm predicting they keep this historic run rolling: Canes in 6.

Who do you think will win the Stanley Cup Finals? Or the NBA Finals? Comment your picks on my Instagram Post -- Series winner, and how many Games -- and leave a like. Whoever's closest will get a shoutout on the page!