Youthful Spurs favored over red-hot Knicks in NBA Finals

New York Knicks return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 after sweeping the Cavaliers, setting up a championship clash with the San Antonio Spurs. Led by Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs enter with momentum following a Game 7 win over the Thunder as they host Game 1 on Wednesday.

FIELD LEVEL MEDIA / REUTERS

June 1, 2026

Youthful Spurs favored over red-hot Knicks in NBA Finals

Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs celebrates with the MVP trophy after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on May 30, 2026.

Alonzo Adams / Reuters

The 2026 NBA Finals will open with a marquee matchup between two franchises on very different recent trajectories—one riding an 11-game winning streak, the other powered by a 7-foot-4 generational talent in search of his first championship.

The New York Knicks are back on basketball’s biggest stage for the first time since 1999, when they fell to the San Antonio Spurs in five games during the opening chapter of the Gregg Popovich era. More than two decades later, New York returns with renewed expectations but faces another steep challenge in its pursuit of its first NBA title since 1973.

Led by All-Star guard Jalen Brunson, the Knicks have been one of the league’s most consistent teams this postseason. They advanced to the Finals after sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals on May 25, entering the championship round well-rested but facing a formidable opponent.

San Antonio, meanwhile, is driven by rising superstar Victor Wembanyama, who has quickly established himself as one of the most dominant forces in the league. The Spurs punched their ticket to the Finals after a hard-fought 111-103 victory over the defending champions and reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals.

The Spurs, chasing their first NBA championship in 12 years, enter the series as the favorites. Betting lines from BetMGM and DraftKings list San Antonio at -210 to -205, while New York sits at +170.

The teams split their regular-season meetings, but the Knicks claimed the most recent matchup in decisive fashion, defeating San Antonio 124-113 in the NBA Cup Final on Dec. 16—an early indication that this Finals pairing could be far more competitive than the odds suggest.

Game 1 of the NBA Finals is set for Wednesday night in San Antonio, where the Spurs will host the opening game of what could become a defining series for both franchises.

— Field Level Media / Reuters