New York Knicks Prepare for First NBA Finals in 27 Years
The team will face the San Antonio Spurs in the title series, which is set to begin on June 4. For the Knicks, this is their first Finals appearance since 1999, when they also played against the Spurs.
The New York Knicks are gearing up for their first NBA Finals in 27 years.
Main Event
The New York Knicks have reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. In the decisive championship series, the Big Apple team will face the San Antonio Spurs. The Finals are scheduled to start on June 4, 2026 — 27 years after these same teams first met for the title.
The Knicks' path to the Finals has been impressive. In the first round of the playoffs, Mike Brown's team defeated the Atlanta Hawks in six games, losing the first two but turning the series around. In the second round, the Knicks swept the Philadelphia 76ers 4-0, showcasing overwhelming dominance — in all four games, the margin of victory was at least 14 points. In the Eastern Conference Finals, New York was relentless again, sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in four games, with the final game ending 130-93.
For the Knicks, this Finals appearance is their first in 27 years — since 1999, when New York, as the eighth seed (a unique achievement in NBA history), made it to the championship series. The Knicks lost to San Antonio in five games that year, and 27 years later, history gives them a chance for revenge.
Details and Statistics
The New York Knicks finished the 2025-26 regular season with an impressive record of 53 wins and 29 losses, securing third place in the Eastern Conference. In points per game, the Knicks ranked 10th in the league (116.5 points), but on defense, they posted the fifth-best mark in the NBA, allowing just 110.1 points per game. Their net rating was +6.5, the fifth-best in the association.
However, in the playoffs, New York has elevated its game to another level. The Knicks lead all playoff teams in points per game (119.9), assists (26.7), and field goal percentage (51.5%). But the most impressive stat is three-point shooting: 40% from beyond the arc, also the best among all playoff teams.
Jalen Brunson continues to lead the offense, averaging 26.9 points per game with a 35.2% three-point percentage. However, the key to the Knicks' success lies in their depth. Seven players on the team are shooting at least 30% from three on a minimum of 2.5 attempts per game. Landry Shamet has been phenomenal in these playoffs, hitting 60% of his threes.
Miles McBride, coming off the bench for an average of 19.1 minutes per game, also contributes significantly, shooting 42.9% from three. In the playoffs, nine Knicks players log more than 10 minutes of playing time, and each of them scores at least five points per game.
For comparison, the Spurs have eight players logging more than 10 minutes, and only seven of them score more than five points. This depth advantage could be decisive in a long series.
Context and Significance
The 2026 Finals matchup between New York and San Antonio is not just a basketball event but a historical remake. In 1999, the Spurs, under Gregg Popovich, won their first championship by defeating the Knicks in five games. Tim Duncan, then a 22-year-old sophomore, was named Finals MVP, averaging 27.4 points and 14 rebounds per game.
That Finals was also unique because the Knicks became the first team in North American professional sports to reach the championship series as an eighth seed. Patrick Ewing, Latrell Sprewell, and Allan Houston led New York past Miami, Atlanta, and Indiana but fell one step short of the title.
Now the situation is different. San Antonio returns to the Finals for the first time since 2014, when the team last lifted the trophy under Popovich. After the legendary coach retired in November 2024 due to health issues, the Spurs were taken over by 38-year-old Mitch Johnson, a former assistant. In his first full season as head coach, Johnson led the team to 62 regular-season wins, the second-best record in the league after Oklahoma City (64 wins).
During the 2025-26 regular season, the two teams met three times, with the Knicks leading the series 2-1. The first meeting, which was also the NBA Cup final, ended with a 124-113 Knicks victory. The second game went to San Antonio (134-132), and the third was again won by New York, 114-89.
What's Next / Next Game Preview
The Finals series begins on June 4, 2026. The format is best-of-seven, with home-court advantage going to San Antonio, which finished the regular season with a better record than New York. The first two games will be played in Texas, then the series moves to Madison Square Garden for three games (if necessary), with the remaining games (if needed) back in San Antonio.
A key factor will be the matchup between the league's two biggest stars. Victor Wembanyama, the 7'4" French center for the Spurs, finished the regular season with the Defensive Player of the Year award, winning it unanimously. In the playoffs, his stats are even more impressive: in 17 games, he averages 23.2 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game.
The Knicks are well aware of the threat Wembanyama poses. Miles McBride, commenting on the upcoming series, emphasized: "When Wemby is on the court, you have to be aware of him at all times. We need to figure out how to pull him out of the paint, how to make him run. It's the little things, but they matter."
On the other hand, New York has Brunson, Towns, and a deep bench capable of overcoming any defense. The regular season showed that the Knicks can score on San Antonio — 124 and 114 points in their two wins are proof.
Editorial Prediction
Bookmakers favor San Antonio. The odds for the Spurs to win the Finals are 1.45, while for New York they are 2.76. This gap is explained by both the Western Conference team's status and the presence of Wembanyama, who can single-handedly change the game on defense.
However, not all experts agree with the bookmakers. Newsweek analyst, for example, predicts a Knicks victory in six games, highlighting three key factors: New York's lethal offense (best in the playoffs in several categories), depth, and the experience of head coach Mike Brown, who previously led Cleveland to the Finals in 2007 and was part of four championship coaching staffs.
Giannis Antetokounmpo also expressed his opinion that the Knicks will win the title: "Basketball is a game of moments. And they have New York behind them. The city is just fire."
Our prediction: the series will go at least six games. If the Knicks can win at least one of the first two games in San Antonio, the psychological advantage will shift to them. The key factor will be how New York handles Wembanyama in the paint and whether they can maintain their incredible three-point percentage throughout the series. With the Knicks at 2.76 odds, it's tempting to think that the 27-year wait for Madison Square Garden fans will finally end in triumph.
— Editorial Team
