New York vs Portland Prediction: the Knicks to Take the Title

Tom Thibodeau has a chance to win rings with New York, but so far only in the Summer League. The Knicks will face Portland in the Las Vegas finals - can they win the title? 

The Knicks have only brought one player to the Summer League this year, picked in the recent draft, and Trevor Keels is still far from a top player in Las Vegas. The sophomores, especially Quentin Grimes, who is averaging 23.5 points, are making the difference. Miles McBride is also scoring a lot. Together with Grimes, he's making 9.7 assists. New York reached the finals due to a 32 points victory over Chicago, but don't forget that the team also defeated two powerful clubs - Golden State and Orlando. As a result, the Knicks won 3 of their 4 contests.

In their recent meeting with the Magic, six Knicks players scored 10+ points: McBride, Grimes, Feron Hunt, Trevor Keels, Jean Montero and Jericho Sims. New York was once again poor from beyond the arc, with DaQuan Jeffries and Quentin Grimes being the most efficient shooters.

Portland got off to a rough start in Summer League, losing their first game against Detroit with newcomer Shaedon Sharpe being injured and out for the rest of the season. However, the Blazers showed their spirit and went on to win three straight, scoring 85+ points each time. Without Sharpe, Keon Johnson became the team's leader, averaging 17.2 points per game. Portland has quite a few basketball players who got a lot of playing time in the last NBA regular season, with Trenton Watford and Brandon Williams, for example, ranking among the team's best in scoring average. There's also Luca Garza, who has proven himself well in college basketball, but he's not very noticeable on the court.

Portland defeated Houston last game, 85-77. The Blazers shot a lot from beyond the arc, but it was Keon Johnson who chipped in with 4 of 8 three-pointers. He gained 25 points. Still, Johnson and Brandon Williams made six turnovers. Greg Brown was great under the basket with three blocked shots.

Tom Thibodeau has came up with a pretty good defense, although the Knicks aren't enough. They will be more motivated in the finals, but it is important to stay focused for the entire 40 minutes. The first team should improve their shot attempts, with Quentin Grimes scoring 30+ points. Portland is experienced but even in Summer League their players don't excel on offense. Without Sharpe, the Blazers' potential is in danger, so they can't beat New York for the 2nd time.

• TelecomAsia Sport is looking for darts tipsters. Contact jobs@telecomasia.net for more information.