NBA Finals: Prediction, schedule and everything to know about Knicks vs. Spurs

The NBA Finals are finally here. After eight months of basketball, the season comes down to two teams — the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs.

Game 1 tips off Wednesday night in San Antonio, with the Spurs looking to capture another championship and the Knicks chasing their first title since 1973.

For New York, it’s a return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. For San Antonio, it’s another chapter in one of the league’s most successful modern franchises.

Here’s everything you need to know before the series begins.

Series Schedule

• Game 1: June 3 at San Antonio
• Game 2: June 5 at San Antonio
• Game 3: June 8 at New York
• Game 4: June 10 at New York
• Game 5: June 13 at San Antonio (if necessary)
• Game 6: June 16 at New York (if necessary)
• Game 7: June 19 at San Antonio (if necessary)

Why Spurs Are Here

The Spurs have accelerated their rebuild faster than almost anyone expected.

Victor Wembanyama has developed into the NBA’s most dominant two-way player and helped lead San Antonio through a difficult Western Conference playoff bracket. The Spurs knocked off the defending champion Thunder in seven games and enter the Finals as betting favorites.

Wembanyama gets most of the attention, but San Antonio’s supporting cast has been equally important. De’Aaron Fox provides veteran leadership, while young standouts Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper have played beyond their years throughout the postseason.

Why Knicks Are Here

Quite simply, nobody has been hotter.

After facing adversity early in the playoffs, New York ripped through the Eastern Conference, winning 11 straight postseason games and sweeping both Philadelphia and Cleveland.

Jalen Brunson remains the engine of the offense, while Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart have given coach Mike Brown one of the league’s most balanced starting lineups.

Biggest Matchup

Everything starts with Wembanyama.

The Knicks have plenty of offensive weapons, but solving San Antonio’s defensive anchor may determine the outcome of the series. Brunson’s ability to create offense and Towns’ ability to stretch the floor could be critical in forcing the Spurs out of their preferred defensive coverages.

Prediction

The Knicks have been the NBA’s hottest team for more than a month. The Spurs have the best player in the series.

That’s usually a pretty good formula in June.

San Antonio enters as the favorite, but if New York can continue controlling the glass and limiting turnovers, this series has all the ingredients of a long, highly competitive Finals.

Either way, one of the NBA’s longest championship droughts or one of its brightest young dynasties will define the end of the 2025-26 season.

We’re going to go with the Spurs in seven.