During the course of an up and down regular season, the Knicks looked like a team that may come up short again and at 2-1 down in the First Round of the NBA Playoffs, the critics were sharpening the knives.
Instead of crumbling to a very early exit, the New York Knicks rallied and they are on a Playoff heater and now return to the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years!
History has a tendency to repeat itself and so it is perhaps fitting that the New York Knicks will be facing the San Antonio Spurs, the team that beat the Knicks 4-1 in the 1999 NBA Finals.
While the Knicks have been crushing all who have stood in front of them, the San Antonio Spurs had to dig deep to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder, but it would be a poor excuse for a young team to speak about fatigue having last played on Saturday. There have been plenty of emotion put into reaching the NBA Finals, but inexperience is a bigger factor in the NBA Finals for this young core.
The NBA have to be really pleased with the Finals match up at a time when the Football World Cup is due to kick off in the United States- Victor Wembanyama is trying to become the face of the League and going up against a New York Knicks team that have given the entire City a huge energy boost should make for fascinating viewing for as long as these Finals last.
NBA Finals 2026- San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks (June 3rd-19th)
Wednesday 3rd June
New York Knicks @ San Antonio Spurs Game 1 Pick: Earlier in the season, the New York Knicks upset the San Antonio Spurs to win the NBA Cup and the two teams have fought their way through the Playoffs to set up a rematch for a much bigger prize.
Twelve years have passed since the San Antonio Spurs last won the NBA Championship, but the Draft Pick of Victor Wembanyama was seen as a pivotal moment in a new era. The Spurs have to be given credit for other choices they have made and this is a young group that could create a dynasty in the years ahead having shown what they can do when beating the defending Champions Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games in the Western Conference Finals.
That victory means the Spurs arrive at the NBA Finals with a lot of belief and it is San Antonio that will get to host the first two games of the Series.
One of the big questions for this young San Antonio team is how they will handle the pressure of playing in the NBA Finals after missing six straight Playoff seasons before this one. Some of those questions have been answered in beating the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder in the Playoffs, but the NBA Finals is considered a significantly different experience and some of the biggest names in NBA history have suffered in the first appearance on this stage.
Victor Wembanyama is the key for the Spurs and he cannot afford to struggle- big performances in the four wins secured over the Oklahoma City Thunder proved decisive and it is no surprise that the Thunder won the three games when Wemby was not at his best.
He can be a monster factor on both ends of the floor, but it is also important that the other players on the court contribute as the Spurs look to keep the New York Knicks waiting for a Championship.
Fifty-three years have passed since the New York Knicks last won the NBA Championship and twenty-seven since they last played in the NBA Finals.
Much of the intervening time has been a mess, but Leon Rose has to be given a lot of credit for the way he has constructed this roster- the signing of Jalen Brunson has proved to be a masterstroke, but deals to bring in the likes of Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges have all strengthened the roster.
Throw in Mitchell Robinson, who should be recovered from a pinky injury that had some fearing he would miss some of the NBA Finals, and the likes of Landry Shamet and Miles McBride from the bench and this New York Knicks team will feel they can match up with anyone.
It helps that they have won eleven Playoff games in a row and by huge margins as they completed back to back sweeps of the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers. That means the team have had eight days of rest, while the San Antonio Spurs have had to play three games in that time, and the New York Knicks will be looking to make that rest count.
There is no doubting that there is going to be a lot of pressure on the New York Knicks, but they will feel they match up well with the San Antonio Spurs and the three regular season games between the teams back that up. The Knicks won twice and in good fashion, while they were only narrowly beaten in San Antonio and the New York team can make the adjustments within the game to change the flow of the momentum.
The Knicks do match up well with the San Antonio Spurs, but the same will be felt by the Western Conference Champions.
New York are well rested, but you do have to wonder if that will mean another slow start- yes, they beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 in the Eastern Conference Finals, but it should not be forgotten that the Knicks were 22 Points behind in the Fourth Quarter and Cleveland blew a big opportunity.
That was after another seven games had been needed in the previous Series and this San Antonio Spurs team have had a bit more recovery time compared with Cleveland.
Being at home in Game 1 is also a big advantage and this is a NBA Finals featuring two teams who will want to spot up shooters at the three point arc- if the Knicks are a little more rusty than rested, the San Antonio Spurs may take advantage and Game 1s of recent NBA Finals have been dominated by the home team.
Hosts who have also been asked to lay at least 4.5 points in NBA Finals have also been on a very strong run and the feeling is that the rhythm of the San Antonio Spurs may see them get into the lead and manage that much better than Cleveland did against the New York Knicks.
Friday 5th June
New York Knicks @ San Antonio Spurs Game 2 Pick: In the middle of the Third Quarter, it felt like the New York Knicks were struggling to find the right rhythm to get back into Game 1 of the NBA Finals and the long Playoff run of wins looked to be coming to an end.
However, this has proven to be a team that has forgotten how to lose and the Knicks continue to come up with big plays in the Fourth Quarter, much as they have all season.
Captain Clutch, Jalen Brunson, made the big plays late in the Fourth Quarter that ultimately helped the New York Knicks overcome a big deficit and take the 1-0 lead in the Series, but they will be expecting a big effort from the San Antonio Spurs in Game 2. All season the Spurs have bounced back when losing and this is a young core that have listened to the adjustments that have been made in the Playoff run so there will remain a confidence and a belief that they can turn things back around.
Mitch Johnson has done a fine job as Head Coach, but he will have had to listen to some criticism for the way he oversaw the Fourth Quarter- Dylan Harper was not given the minutes that his first half performance deserved and the likes of De'Aaron Fox really did not reach the level that you would expect of someone of his quality.
Even Victor Wembanyama was critical of his own effort in Game 1, but this is a player who has recovered and come out and made a statement after a poor showing and everyone associated with the Knicks will expect that on Friday night.
There was much to like about the way the Knicks kept battling, but New York will also believe there is much more to come from themselves- Brunson was immense late in the Fourth Quarter yet again, but overall he will believe he needs to be more efficient and everyone will be hoping that the early knee and ankle injuries suffered by the best player on the team are not going to become a problem.
Both teams struggled from the three point range, but having that Game 1 under the belt and limited rest between the first two games of the NBA Finals should mean shooters are in better rhythm. Open looks were not knocked down, but the Spurs and Knicks will continue trying to get to open shooters and expect themselves to be better.
Defensive adjustments may be made by the San Antonio Spurs to make Wembanyama more effective after allowing the New York Knicks to get into the paint with real success in Game 1. The Spurs will also look for a more efficient game from Wemby who was 6-21 in Game 1 and San Antonio are still in a position where hosts have tended to play well, as the Oklahoma City Thunder did in Game 2 after dropping the opener of the NBA Finals twelve months ago.
It is a League where narrow margins make up the bigger picture and the San Antonio Spurs struggled to make the shots presented to them- they will want to create more turnovers than they did in the second half of Game 1, while the Head Coach will likely shift up the Defensive schemes and turn to the hot hands a little quicker than he did in the opener.
Losing is a blow for the Spurs, but they are still capable of earning a split of the first two games, but this New York Knicks team is playing with momentum and a confidence that will be difficult to shake.
The expectation is that the Spurs will make the adjustments to bounce back and the three point shooters are likely to be better with the looks they get in Game 2 having missed some good chances in Game 1. All season San Antonio have done that and the outright winner continues to dominate in the NBA Playoffs in 2026 at a record rate.
Being wrong would not be difficult to accept as a fan, but the feeling is that everything will be tied up when these teams meet in a NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden for the first time since 1999 on Monday.
Monday 8th June
San Antonio Spurs @ New York Knicks Game 3 Pick: For just the third time in the history of the NBA Finals, a road team has won the opening two games and the previous two times it happened, those teams went on to win the NBA Championship.
As you can imagine, excitement has soared through the roof in New York City after the home town Knicks returned with a 2-0 lead from the business trip to Texas.
Fifty-three years since winning the NBA Championship for the last time, the New York Knicks return home with a big lead and with two games to be played at Madison Square Garden. Even a split would be seen as a positive in the Series setting, but the Knicks have won thirteen Playoff games in a row and they do not want to lose any momentum.
Experience at key times in the Fourth Quarter have been key in both opening wins and it is certainly the inexperience of the San Antonio Spurs that has proved to be costly.
They had chances to win both opening games, but the Spurs have made critical, fatal mistakes at the worst times and Victor Wembanyama will have been hearing all about his over the last couple of days.
With the game tied, Wembanyama picked up the Defensive Rebound and the Spurs in a position to get the final shot of the game- the entire NBA world would have gasped when he inexplicably decided to throw the ball forward to Stephon Castle, who had already turned his head to get up the court and move into a position to open up the Offensive plays for the last shot of the game.
Victor Wembanya's turnover proved to be decisive with Jalen Brunson picking up the ball, earning the foul and sinking one of two Free Throws to help the New York Knicks into the lead. Even then, Wemby had a chance to win the game for the Spurs, but missed a decent look at the basket and San Antonio travel looking to at least earn one more shot at home.
Game 3 is huge for the Spurs- no NBA team has won a Playoff Series from 0-3 behind, but the young team will have to find a way to dig in and cool what is going to be a raucous Madison Square Garden crowd.
It is a big ask as they look to make adjustments, but the Spurs will still believe they have played well enough to have found a way to win both games.
The New York Knicks will be confident as long as they are within striking range in the Fourth Quarter, but this is going to be a potentially pressurised environment with the team able to reach out and touch the trophy. They have shown so much character and conviction in the play throughout this post-season run and the Knicks continue to defy the odds, but they are favourites in Game 3 and that is going to bring a different kind of pressure on the team.
Jalen Brunson has found some big buckets late, but the Knicks still need more from him, while the way they have played on the Defensive side of the court continues to impress.
The Knicks are capable, but so are the Spurs and the best way to approach Game 3 is backing the under to hit for a third time in the 2026 Finals.
In recent seasons, the under has been the big winner in NBA Finals games and both the Knicks and Spurs have shown they can be very effective on that side of the court, which has made life tougher for the shooters as they continue to fight through contested lanes.
There have been stretches of misses throughout the first two games of the NBA Finals and that may be the best approach to take to Game 3 as the Series shifts to the East Coast.
Wednesday 10th June
San Antonio Spurs @ New York Knicks Game 4 Pick: The energy around New York City had been electric after winning both games on the road in the NBA Finals, but that perhaps contributed to a few nerves for the home town Knicks early in Game 3.
Ir was the first NBA Finals game played at Madison Square Garden in twenty-seven years and that meant a huge increase in ticket prices- some have suggested that the raw fans being priced out contributed to a less than raucous atmosphere inside The Garden and allowed the San Antonio Spurs to settle in during this business trip as they look to drag themselves back into the Series.
Even then, it was another close, competitive game and that has to be the expectation around Game 4, which feels hugely pivotal.
If the Knicks win, a 3-1 lead looks like one that will lead to the end of the fifty-three year wait to win the NBA Championship.
However, a Spurs win not only levels up the NBA Finals, but it likely sees the oddsmakers shift back into making San Antonio favourite.
One day of rest between Game 3 and Game 4 does make things challenging, especially for the San Antonio Spurs who asked the key contributors to do some heavy lifting on Monday to ensure they were not being asked to become the first team in NBA history to win a best of seven Series from 3-0 behind. That does mean fatigue is a potential issue against a New York Knicks team who have a bit more depth that Head Coach Mike Brown feels he can rely upon to make important contributions.
The energy will be a little more nervy around the New York Knicks after seeing the thirteen game Playoff winning run ended and it is important to make a more decisive start.
Mike Brown has also been highly critical of the officiating in the last couple of games and that is something that could be on the mind of those taking charge in Game 4. There was a huge disparity in Free Throws attempted and the Knicks will look to attack what may be a young, slightly fatigued team that put so much into Monday night.
Game 3 comfortably moved past the total. but the Fourth Quarter only featured 43 points combined as tiredness of both physical and mental nature perhaps began to take its toll.
That could carry over into Game 4 and backing the under is the play in what looks a very tough game from which to pick a winner.
Saturday 13th June
New York Knicks @ San Antonio Spurs Game 5 Pick: Big comebacks are a part of any sporting field, but when they happen in the Finals of any of those sports, they go down in history.
Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals will sit alongside the New England Patriots recovery from 28-3 down in the Super Bowl as the most improbable of comebacks and arguably the New York Knicks win over San Antonio Spurs surpasses anything that has come before.
Trailing by 29 points and looking lost at both ends of the court, the New York Knicks created the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history to steal Game 4 from under the noses of the San Antonio Spurs and move to one win from a first Championship since 1973.
For the second time in the NBA Finals, the San Antonio Spurs have to be wondering how they have managed to lose a game in the final seconds, although this one will feel worse than Game 2 considering the lead that had been built.
De'Aaron Fox will have to accept the criticism that has come his way- the turnovers in the Third and Fourth Quarter were pretty poor, but it is the abject decision making from a veteran to try and score a basket with the Spurs up by a point and with the shot clock off that has garnered most attention. The absolute play is to drag the ball out and get the Knicks to foul, but Fox made a ridiculously poor choice and ultimately that was a key reason the Spurs ended up falling.
However, the blame cannot be attached to one play and one player- the Spurs had a huge lead but scored just 30 points in the second half having put 76 points on the board in the first half. Poor clock management and a lack of conviction in trying to get to the rim against a team in foul trouble cannot be ignored, while Head Coach Mitch Johnson has to be questioned for the lack of Timeouts used to try and refocus the team as the lead began to dwindle.
Of course you have to credit the New York Knicks for fighting back- that makes them 5-3 in the last two post-seasons when trailing by 20 points, but like the Game 1 win in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Knicks needed help from the visiting team.
Never giving up is a real testament to the character of the players, but no one is taking anything for granted just yet and each of the four games could have easily swung the other way.
Two days of rest between games means physical fatigue is less of a concern, but you do have to wonder how much the San Antonio Spurs have left as they return home needing to win three games to win the NBA Championship. At 2-2 you would have made them favourites, but the entire situation of Game 4 means this young team are going to have grow up really quickly if they are going to force a return to New York City and Madison Square Garden.
It is really hard to factor how the Spurs are feeling, although they bounced back from blowing Game 2 in disastrous fashion to win Game 3 on the road.
You have to expect an early push from the Spurs, but the New York Knicks continue to show that they will not be cowed by a quick punch and instead will have plenty left in the tank to fight back. The Knicks did put in a huge second half effort to win Game 4 and they will also have to deal with what could be an emotional letdown and so picking a side is perhaps not as easy as it may feel.
For some the momentum is such with the Knicks that the points being given to them is very appealing, but the better approach may be going to back to the under market.
It was an incredibly fortunate winner in Game 4 considering how well the Spurs shot in the first half, but that was a level that was always going to be hard to sustain.
The expectation is that better clock management is going to be the key for both teams and that may help produce a shortened game, while the officials have been criticised for some of the fouls that have been given.
There is every chance that the NBA Finals is concluded on Saturday, but the Spurs will have something to say about that and two teams playing after the emotions of Wednesday night may not be able to combine to surpass this points total. Both have been very good Defensively and been able to slow the other down for stretches and that could be the case in Game 5 with three of the first four games in the NBA Finals all finishing below the total set.
MY PICKS: 03/06 San Antonio Spurs - 4.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)
05/06 San Antonio Spurs - 6 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)
08/06 New York Knicks-San Antonio Spurs Under 215.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)
10/06 New York Knicks-San Antonio Spurs Under 216.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)
13/06 San Antonio Spurs-New York Knicks Under 216.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)
NBA Finals: 01-3, - 2.09 Units (4 Units Staked, - 52.25% Yield)
Conference Finals: 9-2, + 6.24 Units (11 Units Staked, + 56.73% Yield)
Second Round: 5-8, - 3.45 Units (13 Units Staked, - 26.54% Yield)
First Round: 15-17, - 3.28 Units (32 Units Staked, - 10.25% Yield)
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