The NBA Finals are finally here, and if you know me, you know this matchup has me feeling a little conflicted—in a good way.

For most of my life, I've been a die-hard Knicks fan. I came to the United States in 1986, and that's when I really fell in love with basketball. Back then, being a Knicks fan was both exciting and frustrating. We had Patrick Ewing, John Starks, Charles Oakley, Anthony Mason, and a cast of tough, gritty players who made New York basketball special. The problem was that there always seemed to be a better team standing in the way. Michael Jordan and the Bulls. The Pacers. The Rockets. The Spurs. The list goes on. Year after year we'd get close, but never quite get there.

That's why seeing the Knicks back in the NBA Finals after all these years feels pretty special.

But here's where things get interesting.

Long before I became a Knicks fan, I became a Rutgers fan. I graduated from Rutgers University and have followed Rutgers athletics for years, especially football and basketball. For a long time, being a Rutgers basketball fan required a lot of patience. Then things started to change. Ron Harper Jr. helped put Rutgers basketball on the map, the program started attracting top talent, and suddenly Rutgers basketball became nationally relevant.

Then came his younger brother Dylan Harper.

What a player.

Last season, Dylan was everything Rutgers fans hoped he would be. He electrified the RAC (that's the Rutgers Basketball stadium), carried the team on his shoulders, and quickly became one of the best players in college basketball. It was obvious he wasn't going to stay long. Sure enough, he entered the NBA Draft and was selected with the second overall pick by the San Antonio Spurs.

From that moment on, I had a soft spot for San Antonio. It probably doesn't hurt that San Antonio also happens to be my favorite saint.

So now here I am. My beloved Knicks are in the Finals, one of my favorite Rutgers players is wearing a Spurs uniform, and somehow they're playing each other for an NBA championship.

Talk about a first-world sports problem.

The good news is that no matter who wins, I'll be happy. Well... mostly.

Let's be honest. I'm rooting for the Knicks. I've waited way too long for this moment. But if Dylan Harper helps bring another championship to San Antonio, I'll be smiling too.

Over the next couple of weeks, you'll probably find me at watch parties in New York City or hosting friends and family at my house to watch the games. There will be plenty of cheering, plenty of debating questionable referee calls, and probably at least one person confidently predicting the outcome right before being completely wrong.

And yes, there will be plenty of Pnuff Crunch around. Not because I'm trying to sell anybody anything. It's just what I happen to enjoy and keep in my house, specially when watching TV.

After all, if we're going to sit around for three hours watching basketball, I figure we might as well snack on something that won't leave us feeling like we need a nap by halftime—or regretting our decisions the next morning after crushing an entire bowl of greasy chips. As a food scientist, I've always believed you shouldn't have to choose between enjoying your food and feeling good afterward.

The way I see it, the Finals only come around once a year. Good basketball, good friends, good food, and for Knicks fans, hopefully a championship parade.

Enjoy the series.

— Dr. Juan, Founder of Pnuff, Knicks ultra Fan