ESPN’s Bobby Marks is going in a bold direction with his predictions for the 2024 NBA Finals.
The Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns are among the premier favorites to win it all. The next tier of contenders includes the Philadelphia 76ers, Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks.
ESPN experts participated in a roundtable where they answered a variety of questions. Each expert was asked “Which regular-season game is an early NBA Finals matchup?”, and that’s where Marks shared his intriguing prediction:
“Phoenix at New York (Nov. 26). Star power versus roster continuity. Yes, I have penciled in both teams as my early favorites to represent each conference in June. The styles in how the two rosters were built are totally opposite. The high-spending Suns went all-in with the Kevin Durant trade in February and then added Bradley Beal in June. The Knicks, on the other hand, have taken a more conservative approach, returning 13 players that lost to Miami in the second-round while adding only Donte DiVincenzo in free agency.”
Marks’ prediction of Phoenix winning the West isn’t the least bit surprising. This is a team that added All-Star guard Bradley Beal in a trade with the Washington Wizards, not to mention they’ll have a full season of Kevin Durant working alongside Devin Booker.
But Marks picking the Knicks to win the East is a bold and fascinating prediction. They finished as the No. 5 seed in the East last year and upset the Cleveland Cavaliers in round one before bowing out to the Heat in the conference semis.
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New York last made the NBA Finals in 1999, losing to the future dynastic San Antonio Spurs’ club in five games. The club last won the NBA Championship 50 years ago in 1973, where the club outlasted the Los Angeles Lakers in five games.
