The New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs are set to open the 2026 NBA Finals on Thursday (PHT), with both teams arriving at the championship round through vastly different paths but sharing the same goal of ending lengthy waits for NBA glory.
For New York, the Finals represent the culmination of a dominant postseason run. The Knicks have not lost since falling behind 2-1 against the Atlanta Hawks in the opening round and enter the series riding an 11-game winning streak.
Their reward is a return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999—the same year they last faced the Spurs. New York is also seeking its first NBA championship since 1973, ending a 53-year title drought.
The Spurs, meanwhile, arrive with unfinished business. San Antonio will look to avenge its 124-113 defeat to New York in the NBA Cup championship game last December, although the two teams split their regular-season meetings with each winning on its home floor.
Knicks veteran Josh Hart said the team’s approach has remained consistent despite the stakes.
“The attention to detail and approach is really the same because I think we truly believe we’ve been building championship habits since October,” Hart said.
While New York enjoyed extra rest after cruising through the Eastern Conference Finals, San Antonio had to survive one final battle before reaching the championship round.
The Spurs needed seven games to eliminate defending champion Oklahoma City in the Western Conference Finals, capped by a 111-103 victory in the winner-take-all Game 7. The emotional series tested one of the league’s youngest teams and further highlighted the emergence of Victor Wembanyama as one of the NBA’s premier stars.
“It was a feel-good win for us. It’s hard to flush that out of the back of your mind,” Spurs guard Stephon Castle said.
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48 HOURS OUT FROM GAME 1
Brunson and the Knicks. Wemby and the Spurs. The biggest stage in basketball.
New York: returns to NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 and seeks their first championship in 53 years
San Antonio: returns to NBA Finals for the first time… pic.twitter.com/GVjxL2voJl
— NBA (@NBA) June 2, 2026
“We understand we can’t get complacent or satisfied with that. We still have a job. Come game time, we’ll be ready.”
The Knicks enter the Finals with momentum on their side after sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Jalen Brunson was unanimously named Eastern Conference Finals MVP after averaging 25.5 points and 7.8 assists per game in the series, while Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart provided the depth that has made New York one of the postseason’s most complete teams.
San Antonio’s title hopes, meanwhile, revolve around Wembanyama, whose dominant two-way play has fueled the franchise’s rapid rise back to contention. The Spurs have also received major contributions from Castle, Devin Vassell, and veteran guard De’Aaron Fox, giving the team a balanced attack capable of matching New York’s depth.
With one franchise chasing its first championship in more than five decades and the other seeking its first title since 2014, Game 1 promises to set the tone for what could be one of the most compelling Finals matchups in recent memory.
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