2026 NBA Finals Preview

Image – Draft Kings

Spurs, Knicks meet in 1999 NBA Finals Rematch

Image – NorthJersey.com

The western conference champion San Antonio Spurs (62-20) and the eastern conference champion New York Knicks (53-29) will square off in the 2026 NBA Finals at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, home of the Spurs, and Madison Square Garden in New York City, home of the Knicks.

Game 1 between the Spurs and the Knicks will tip-off on Wednesday, June 3, at 7:30 p.m. CT on ABC with Mike Breen (play-by-play), Tim Legler (analyst), Richard Jefferson (analyst) and Lisa Salters (sideline reporter) on the call for the entire best of seven series.

Games 1 and 2 will be played at the Frost Bank Center while games 3 and 4 will be played at Madison Square Garden. If necessary, games 5 and 7 will be played in San Antonio and game six will be played in New York City.

*If necessary

2026 NBA Finals Schedule
Wednesday, June 3
Game 1 – New York Knicks at San Antonio Spurs – 7:30 p.m. – ABC

Friday, June 5
Game 2 – New York Knicks at San Antonio Spurs – 7:30 p.m. – ABC

Monday, June 8
Game 3 – San Antonio Spurs at New York Knicks – 7:30 p.m. – ABC

Wednesday, June `10
Game 4 – San Antonio Spurs at New York Knicks – 7:30 p.m. – ABC

Saturday, June 13
Game 5* – New York Knicks at San Antonio Spurs – 7:30 p.m. – ABC

Tuesday, June 16
Game 6* – San Antonio Spurs at New York Knicks – 7:30 p.m. – ABC

Friday, June 19
Game 7* – New York Knicks at San Antonio Spurs – 7:30 p.m. – ABC

The Spurs and Knicks will battle in the 2026 NBA Finals over the next couple of weeks.

Spurs eliminate reigning champion Thunder in 7 games in WCF

Image – The Baltimore Sun

The San Antonio Spurs have advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014, when they dispatched the Miami Heat in five games.

After legendary head coach Gregg Popovich stepped down following the 2024-2025 season, the Spurs hired Mitch Johnson to replace him.

With 7’4 Victor Wembanyama and talented guards De’Aaron Fix, Stephon Castle, and a group of tremendous role players, Johnson led the Spurs to a 62-20 regular season record. In the opening round of the playoffs, they took down the Portland Trail Blazers in five games before eliminating the Minnesota Timberwolves in six games in the conference semifinals.

In a back and forth Western Conference Finals series, San Antonio defeated the reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games. Wembanyama averaged 27.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.7 blocks in 37.7 minutes on his way to earning the Magic Johnson Trophy, the Western Conference Final’s MVP award.

In game 7 against the Thunder, seven Spurs scored in double figures including all five starters. Wembanyama (22 points and 7 rebounds), Fox (15 points and 5 assists) did what they are supposed to do but guards Stephon Castle (16 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists), Devin Vassell (11 points) and wing Julian Champagnie (20 points and 6 rebounds) powered San Antonio over Oklahoma City.

Dylan Harper (12 points), forward Keldon Johnson (11 points) and center Luke Kornet, who made an incredible block late in the game 7, were huge off the bench for the Spurs.

The Spurs’ series-deciding game seven victory over the Thunder was their first victory on the road in the series. Now, San Antonio prepares for the Finals against a New York Knicks team that no one should look past.

Knicks sweep Cavaliers, advance to first Finals since 1999

Image – Yahoo Sports

After making a miraculous comeback in game 1 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the New York Knicks dominated the Eastern Conference Finals. In the playoffs’ opening round, the Knicks defeated the Atlanta Hawks in six games in seven games before sweeping the Philadelphia 76ers and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

It is the Knicks’ first NBA Finals appearance since 1999, when they faced the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs won that series in five games. Coach Mike Brown’s team will want to avenge that loss over the next couple of weeks.

Like Mitch Johnson, Brown is in his first year as head coach with his team. Brown has had the benefit of having one of the NBA’s top guards, Jalen Brunson. The Larry Bird Trophy winner as the Eastern Conference Finals MVP averaged 25.5 points, 7.8 assists, and 3.3 rebounds a game as the Knicks dominated the Cavaliers.

Wing OG Anunoby has scored 19.7 points and assisted on over six made baskets per game during the postseason while center Karl-Anthony Towns’ has averaged a double-double with almost 17 points and over 10 rebounds per contest in the playoffs. Towns’ also dishes out over five assists per game and is a tremendous defender, with over one steal and block per game.

Brunson’s backcourt mates and former Villanova teammates Mikal Bridges (14.6 points) and Josh Hart (11.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 7.6 assists) are key cogs as the Knicks look to win an NBA Championship since 1973.

The Knicks will attempt to take full advantage of their first Finals appearance since 1973.

How the series will be won
There are two matchups that will determine this series. Who will be able to stop Victor Wembanyama on the Knicks and who will be able to stop Jalen Brunson on the Spurs?

Karl-Anthony Towns has had such a great postseason but Wembanyama is a different animal. He is capable of scoring from anywhere on the court offensively, Towns and Mitchell Robinson will have to step their defense up to another level to stop Wembanyama from getting whatever he wants on the offensive size.

Despite his small stature, Brunson has proven he is the Knicks’ leader, especially as the team’s top scorer. Mitch Johnson can send a number of guys at Brunson on defense, including guards Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, Devin Vassell, and potentially wing Julian Champagnie.

After that, role players will be instrumental in this series as they have been all postseason. The Knicks’ Landry Shamet and the Spurs’ Dylan Harper and Luke Kornet could all be determining factors in who ends up winning the championship.

The Knicks will edge the Spurs in what should be a competitive seven game series. While San Antonio played a seven game series against Oklahoma City in the Western Conference Finals, New York swept Cleveland and are better rested.

Carter’s Pick: New York Knicks in 7 games

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