Knicks vs. Spurs live updates, how to watch NBA Finals Game 1, odds, predictions
Jon HoeflingThe New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs start the 2026 NBA Finals tonight. One team is looking for their first title this century after years of torment and disappointment, the other is a franchise fresh off a dynasty having rebuilt into potentially another.
These two franchises couldn't be more different and their paths to the Finals couldn't be more different either.
The Spurs needed to fight tooth and nail, watching their opponents get tougher and tougher as the postseason marched on. They needed five games to eliminate the Portland Trail Blazers, six for the Minnesota Timberwolves, and finally seven for the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. They have crawled through the darkest pits to emerge on the other side in position for an NBA title.
The Knicks, meanwhile, are winners of 11 consecutive playoff games, their longest such streak in franchise history. They've swept each of their last two opponents and haven't needed to play a game since May 25.
Still, despite their massive advantage in the rest department, there are many fans who believe the Spurs to be heavy favorites in this series. We'll see if Jalen Brunson and the Knicks can maintain their win streak against Victor Wembanyama and company tonight.
USA TODAY will have live coverage of Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals. Follow along for the latest news, updates and highlights:
How to watch Knicks vs. Spurs Game 1: TV, streaming
- Date: Wednesday, June 3
- Time: 8:30 p.m. ET (7:30 p.m. CT)
- Where: Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas
- TV: ABC
- Stream: Fubo, ESPN Unlimited
Ranking the 7 most impactful players for Knicks vs. Spurs NBA Finals
Scooby Axson ranked the seven players who could have the biggest impact on the best-of-7 NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs:
■ 1. Victor Wembanyama, F/C, Spurs
2026 Playoffs: 23.2 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 3.5 bpg, 2.7 apg
■ 2. Jalen Brunson, G, Knicks
2026 Playoffs: 26.9 ppg, 6.6 apg, 2.8 rpg
■ 3. Karl-Anthony Towns, F/C, Knicks
2026 Playoffs: 16.9 ppg, 10.6 apg, 5.9 rpg
■ 4. OG Anunoby, F, Knicks
2026 Playoffs: 19.7 ppg, 6.9 rpg
■ 5. Stephon Castle, G, Spurs
2026 Playoffs: 19.2 ppg, 6.7 apg, 4.9 rpg
■ 6. De’Aaron Fox, G, Spurs
2026 Playoffs: 16.4 ppg, 5.9 apg, 4 rpg
■ 7. Josh Hart, G/F, Knicks
2026 Playoffs: 11.4 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 4.6 apg
Is Mitchell Robinson playing today in Game 1 of NBA Finals?
New York Knicks backup center Mitchell Robinson, who suffered a broken right pinky finger early last week, is the lone player to appear on the injury report for both the Knicks and San Antonio Spurs.
According to multiple reports, Robinson had been planning to play through the injury and was planning on wearing a brace. The Knicks announced shortly before game time that Robinson will play tonight.
Get a sneak peek of ESPN's NBA Finals Game 1 hype video for Spurs vs. Knicks
Fans who tune in to watch the 2026 NBA Finals on ESPN might notice something a little different before tipoff.
ESPN created seven unique opening segments to precede each game of the San Antonio Spurs vs. New York Knicks series, starting with Game 1 on June 3 (you can watch that video above). The 80-second videos depict different defining moments from NBA Finals history inside the Larry O'Brien Trophy. — Danielle Lerner
The 5 matchups that will decide the 2026 NBA Finals
All eyes will be on San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama and New York's Jalen Brunson — the two best players in the Finals — but other players and strategic decisions could ultimately determine who captures the NBA title, Lorenzo Reyes writes. Here are the five matchups to watch in the best-of-7 series:
- OG Anunoby on Victor Wembanyama
- Knicks help defense against the Spurs pick-and-roll with Wembanyama as the screener
- Josh Hart spacing the floor vs. Wembanyama
- San Antonio’s effort to get Karl-Anthony Towns into foul trouble
- Stephon Castle on Jalen Brunson
What has changed since the Knicks and Spurs met in the NBA Cup Final?
'A bucket list thing': Mike Breen on calling Knicks in the NBA Finals
As Mike Breen prepares to call his 21st NBA Finals on ABC, he’s also preparing to do something he’s never done before.
Breen has been the Knicks’ play-by-play voice on MSG Networks since 1998, but this is the first time during that stretch that he’ll handle a championship series that includes the Knicks.
“It’s kind of a bucket list thing,” Breen said. “Twenty-one Finals is impossible to comprehend for me, and I always thought it’d be pretty cool to have the Knicks in one. And to see the growth of the team the last couple of years and to see what this team has done for the fan base of New York — I’ve lived in New York my whole life. It’s really energized the city like nothing I’ve ever seen, so I’m really looking forward to it.”
Breen will be on the call with analysts Richard Jefferson and Tim Legler when the Knicks end their 27-year Finals drought and tip off Game 1 against the Spurs on Wednesday, June 3. — Danielle Lerner
San Antonio Spurs' postseason history
The Spurs are one of the most storied franchises in NBA history, and were particularly dominant for a 15-yeat stretch, winning five titles between 1999 and 2014.
The team is also tied for the most consecutive postseason appearances, making the playoffs 22 consecutive years between 1998 and 2019.
New York Knicks' postseason history
The New York Knicks might have one of the biggest fanbases in basketball, but their postseason success has been lacking. Since the turn of the 21st century, the Knicks have reached the postseason on just 10 occasions, advancing past the second round three times including this year.
The Knicks have not played in an NBA Finals since 1999 and have not won a championship since 1973.
That said, the tide has turned recently. New York reached the Eastern Conference finals one year ago, and they have stormed through the NBA playoffs this year, winning 11 consecutive games.
2026 NBA Finals schedule
All time Eastern; *-if necessary
- Game 1: Wednesday, June 3, at San Antonio | 8:30 p.m. | ABC
- Game 2: Friday, June 5, at San Antonio | 8:30 p.m. | ABC
- Game 3: Monday, June 8, at New York | 8:30 p.m. | ABC
- Game 4: Wednesday, June 10, at New York | 8:30 p.m. | ABC
- *Game 5: Saturday, June 13, at San Antonio | 8:30 p.m. | ABC
- *Game 6: Tuesday, June 16, at New York | 8:30 p.m. | ABC
- *Game 7: Friday, June 19, at San Antonio | 8:30 p.m. | ABC
Spurs vs. Knicks during 2025-26 season
The Spurs and Knicks split their regular season series 1-1 this year. The Spurs won the first game between the two clubs, a 134-132 squeaker on Dec. 31, 2025, at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. However, when the Knicks hosted on March 1 at Madison Square Garden, New York rolled past San Antonio, defeating the Spurs 114-89.
2026 NBA Finals predictions
The USA TODAY staff are split down the middle on who wins the 2026 NBA championship. Four experts believe the New York Knicks will win the series, and four take the San Antonio Spurs. And not a single expert believes the series will last fewer than six games.
- Scooby Axson: Spurs in 6
- Mark Giannotto: Knicks in 6
- Jon Hoefling: Spurs in 7
- Bryan Kalbrosky:Knicks in 6
- Lorenzo Reyes: Knicks in 7
- Marcus Smith: Knicks in 7
- Andres Soto: Spurs in 6
- James H. Williams: Spurs in 6
How did the Spurs reach the NBA Finals?
The Spurs entered the postseason as the Western Conference's No. 2 seed, owning a 62-20 record. San Antonio faced the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round, the Minnesota Timberwolves in the conference semifinals and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference finals.
First round vs. Portland
- Game 1: Spurs 111, Trail Blazers 98
- Game 2: Trail Blazers 106, Spurs 103
- Game 3: Spurs 120, Trail Blazers 108
- Game 4: Spurs 114, Trail Blazers 93
- Game 5: Spurs 114, Trail Blazers 95
Conference semifinals vs. Minnesota
- Game 1: Timberwolves 104, Spurs 102
- Game 2: Spurs 133, Timberwolves 95
- Game 3: Spurs 115, Timberwolves 108
- Game 4: Timberwolves 114, Spurs 109
- Game 5: Spurs 126, Timberwolves 97
- Game 6: Spurs 139, Timberwolves 109
Western Conference finals vs. Oklahoma City
- Game 1: Spurs 122, Thunder 115 (2OT)
- Game 2: Thunder 122, Spurs 113
- Game 3: Thunder 123, Spurs 108
- Game 4: Spurs 103, Thunder 82
- Game 5: Thunder 127, Spurs 114
- Game 6: Spurs 118, Thunder 91
- Game 7: Spurs 111, Thunder 103
How did the Knicks reach the NBA Finals?
The New York Knicks entered the postseason as the Eastern Conference's No. 3 seed with a 53-29 record. Although the team dropped two of its first three games to the Atlanta Hawks in the first round, the Knicks found their groove soon after. Since then, the team has yet to lose, winning 11 straight postseason games, the longest postseason win streak in franchise history.
First round vs. Atlanta
- Game 1: Knicks 113, Hawks 102
- Game 2: Hawks 107, Knicks 106
- Game 3: Hawks 109, Knicks 108
- Game 4: Knicks 114, Hawks 98
- Game 5: Knicks 126, Hawks 97
- Game 6: Knicks 140, Hawks 89
Conference semifinals vs. Philadelphia
- Game 1: Knicks 137, 76ers 98
- Game 2: Knicks 108, 76ers 102
- Game 3: Knicks 108, 76ers 94
- Game 4: Knicks 144, 76ers 114
Eastern Conference finals vs. Cleveland
- Game 1: Knicks 115, Cavaliers 104 (OT)
- Game 2: Knicks 109, Cavaliers 93
- Game 3: Knicks 121, Cavaliers 108
- Game 4: Knicks 130, Cavaliers 93
How to stream Game 1 of the NBA Finals
Streaming options are limited for Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals, but interested fans can watch the New York Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs on Fubo or with an ESPN Unlimited subscription.
What TV channel is Game 1 of the NBA Finals on?
ABC is broadcasting the 2026 NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs, including Game 1 Wednesday, June 3 at 8:30 p.m. The network will also air a pre-game show at 8 p.m. ET.
What time does NBA Finals Game 1 start?
The San Antonio Spurs host the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals at 8:30 p.m. ET (7:30 p.m. local) at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.
Knicks vs. Spurs Game 1 predictions
When polling the USA TODAY staff, experts we are split on Game 1, with some believing the Knicks would win their 12th straight while others believe the Spurs are bound to stop the streak immediately.
- Scooby Axson: Spurs 120, Knicks 109
- Mark Giannotto: Knicks 115, Spurs 111
- Jon Hoefling: Spurs 114, Knicks 98
- Bryan Kalbrosky: Knicks 112, Spurs 108
- Lorenzo Reyes: Knicks 116, Spurs 109
- Marcus Smith: Spurs 111, Knicks 107
- Andres Soto: Knicks win Game 1
Knicks vs. Spurs odds, lines
*All odds provided via BetMGM
Game 1
- Spread: Spurs (-4.5)
- Moneyline: Spurs (-190); Knicks (+155)
- Over/Under: 218.5
Full NBA Finals
The Spurs are currently favored to win the 2026 NBA Finals. Per BetMGM, San Antonio has -210 odds to hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy, while the Knicks own +170 odds.
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