San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks
The Spurs and Knicks will face off again for the biggest prize this season, this time in the NBA Finals, starting on Wednesday night at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. This is the series where either Victor Wembanyama or Jalen Brunson, among others, will get to hoist their maiden Larry O’Brien trophy.
The Spurs faced an arduous journey to reach this far. The Mitch Johnson-coached squad opened their playoff campaign needing 11 games to eliminate the Blazers and Timberwolves in the opening two rounds. After that, it took them seven games to dethrone the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals.
In stark contrast, life has been much easier for the Knicks. After facing a 2-1 scare against the Hawks in the first round, the Mike Brown-led team has gone undefeated in 11 straight games, sweeping the Sixers and Cavaliers in the next two rounds.
Today, SBOTOP previews Game 1 of the Finals.
Talking Points
Wembanyama’s height is might for the Spurs
One of the biggest questions heading into this series is who the Knicks will send to guard Victor Wembanyama, as the Frenchman has been amazing for the Spurs this postseason. Wembanyama has played 17 games in the playoffs, averaging 23.2 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 3.5 blocks on 51.0-per cent shooting from the field and 37.0-per cent shooting from three-point range in 32.5 minutes per contest.
Wembanyama has had his share of ups and downs during this run. He suffered a concussion in the first round against the Blazers and was ejected in Game 4 against the Timberwolves for his vicious elbow on Naz Reid. These adversities prepared him for the war against the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals.
The 22-year-old center took it to the defending champions in the WCF, dominating his matchup with long-time rival Chet Holmgren. In Game 7, he posted 22 points and seven rebounds on 7-for-15 shooting from the field in 42 minutes, while Holmgren only had four points and four rebounds.
In the Finals, Wembanyama will have to deal with Karl-Anthony Towns, Mitchell Robinson, and Josh Hart (to a certain extent). These three Knicks players will offer different looks to Wembanyama on both ends of the floor, making this an interesting watch.
Knicks’ offence is humming along
The Knicks are enjoying an 11-game winning streak, as their offence has kicked into full gear since going down 2-1 against the Hawks in the first round. Since then, New York have never scored below 108 points, including scoring at least 130 points in four games.
Jalen Brunson is expected to continue to lead the Knicks’ attack. This postseason, the three-time All-Star averages 26.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 6.6 assists on 48.6-per cent shooting from the field, and he has a strong supporting cast behind him in the form of Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart. New York will also enter the Finals with fresher legs than San Antonio after having more than a week of rest.
History
The Spurs and Knicks will meet in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. At the time, the Spurs, led by the star duo of Tim Duncan and David Robinson, beat the Patrick Ewing-less Knicks in five games to win their first championship in franchise history.
Since then, the Spurs have won four more Larry O’Brien trophies, with their last in 2014, while the Knicks are still searching for their first championship since 1973, with Willis Reed and Walt Frazier as their main men.
These two teams met in the NBA Cup final last December, where New York won 124-113, ending their 52-year trophy drought. Jalen Brunson was named tournament MVP after scoring 25 points, four rebounds, and eight assists on 11-for-27 shooting from the field in 41 minutes.
Following the Thunder’s WCF exit, there will be a new champion for the eighth consecutive year.
What are the odds?
The NBA 2026 odds have the Spurs successfully defending their homecourt in Game 1 on Wednesday evening. San Antonio have the 1.52 edge in the Money Line, but New York aren’t far behind at 2.56 to win. In the Asian Handicap market, the Spurs’ highest potential winning margin is at 5.50 at 2.11, which means that a blowout is highly unlikely.
While there will be numerous NBA 2026 highlights, it’s important to note that playoff games tend to be lower-scoring, especially as the series goes to the distance. In Game 1, you could go for Under 217.50 at 2.04, Under 218.00 at 1.98, Under 218.50 at 1.91, and Under 219.00 at 1.86.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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