Now comes the hardest part.

After overwhelming the Eastern Conference with their versatility and Jalen Brunson’s big-game brilliance, the Knicks face an NBA Finals opponent on another level in terms of athleticism and depth.

The Spurs are way better than the Hawks, Sixers and Cavaliers. It’s not close. Victor Wembanyama is much different and certainly harder to counter than Donovan Mitchell or Joel Embiid. Again, not close.

For the Knicks to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy, they’ll require smart schemes, commitment to those schemes and elite execution.