It’s time to party like it’s 1999.
In a rematch from their tilt from 27 years ago, the 2026 NBA Finals features the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks.
Game 1 of the best-of-seven series is June 3.
It’s the Knicks’ first trip back to the NBA Finals since that matchup with the Spurs prior to the turn of the millennium, while it’s the Spurs’ first time playing on basketball’s biggest stage since 2014 when they won their fifth championship.
The Spurs have taken a huge leap this season going from the lottery last year to a 62-win regular season to a dominant playoff run that saw them knock out the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Young phenom Victor Wembanyama is the cornerstone for the Spurs and at just 22 years old is just getting started. The Spurs are the favorites over the Knicks.
The Knicks are set to resume their historic run in the playoffs after their second nine-day break during the postseason following a second consecutive playoff sweep.
New York brings an 11-game winning streak into the Finals with its last loss coming on April 23 early in their first round series. With a top-ranked offense and defense, the Knicks have an astounding +271 point differential through 14 playoff games, the highest point differential for any team heading into the Finals.
Here’s what to know about the NBA Finals, including start time for Game 1, where to watch, a full schedule, odds and more:
What time is NBA Finals Game 1? NBA Finals tipoff Game 1
Game 1 of the NBA Finals tips off at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 3.
Where can I watch the NBA Finals 2026
The 2026 NBA Finals air on ABC and stream on Fubo, which offers a free trial.
Stream the NBA Finals on Fubo
Where is Game 1 of the NBA Finals?
Frost Bank Center, home of the San Antonio Spurs, is hosting Games 1 and 2 of the NBA Finals.
And Game 1 will be filled with the Spurs’ fiesta colors.
Madison Square Garden in New York City will be the host site for Games 3 and 4. If necessary, the series will be back in San Antonio for Game 5, in New York City for Game 6 and finally in San Antonio for a winner-take-all Game 7.
When is the NBA Finals 2026? NBA Finals schedule
Here’s the full NBA Finals schedule. All games tip off at 7:30 p.m. and air on ABC.
NBA Finals odds Game 1: Who’s favored in Knicks vs Spurs NBA Finals?
Odds courtesy of BetMGM
NBA Finals championship odds
The Spurs enter the NBA Finals as the betting favorites after beginning the year at +6600. No team since at least 1985 have won the championship with that big of preseason odds. The Knicks were +900 in the preseason.
Here are the updated NBA title odds:
Odds courtesy of BetMGM
Who’s playing in the NBA Finals?
The San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks are playing in the NBA Finals.
The Spurs were the second seed in the Western Conference after posting a 62-20 record during the regular season and beat the Portland Trailblazers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder in the playoffs.
It was the team’s first appearance in the playoffs in seven years as they rebuilt their roster over the last several years with high draft picks like No. 11 overall Devin Vassell in 2020, No. 1 Victor Wembanyama in 2023, No. 4 overall pick Stephon Castle in 2024 and No. 2 overall Dylan Harper in 2025 and a mix of veteran acquisitions that fit perfectly like De’Aaron Fox and Harrison Barnes. Mitch Johnson, whose dad, John, was a Milwaukee basketball legend, is in his second season as the Spurs head coach.
The Knicks were the third seed in the Eastern Conference after posting a 53-29 record during the regular season and beat the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs.
This was the Knicks’ fifth playoff appearance in the last six years and they finally broke through to the NBA Finals. The Knicks are led by guard Jalen Brunson, whom they acquired via free agency four years ago. He has gone on to become a three-time All-Star and All-NBA player. Around him are two of his former college teammates at Villanova in versatile wings Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges, plus former No. 1 overall pick Karl Anthony Towns, acquired in a massive trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves two summers ago.
After losing in the Eastern Conference finals last season, head coach Tom Thibodeau was fired to make way for Mike Brown.
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When was the last time the Knicks were in the Finals?
The Knicks were last in the NBA Finals in 1999. They made it all the way to the NBA Finals as a No. 8 seed. The Knicks had a stunning upset over the Miami Heat in the first round, becoming just the second eighth seed to beat a No. 1 at the time. New York then swept the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference semifinals before dispatching the Indiana Pacers in six games to become the first No. 8 seed to ever make it to the NBA Finals.
But future Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing missed the entire NBA Finals after sustaining a torn Achilles in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Pacers. Ewing was the team’s leading scorer during the regular season at 17.3 points per game.
Starters on that NBA Finals team included Allan Houston, Milwaukee native Latrell Sprewell, Larry Johnson, Marcus Camby and Charlie Ward. Key bench players were Chris Childs, Kurt Thomas and Chris Dudley.
Jeff Van Gundy was the team’s head coach.
When was the last time the Spurs were in the Finals?
It’s been a while as well for the Spurs since their last appearance in the NBA Finals but not as long as the Knicks.
Since the 1999 appearance against the Knicks, the Spurs have played in five more NBA Finals with their most recent coming in 2014.
During the Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker era the Spurs won four championships. Their only NBA Finals loss came in came in 2013 against the Miami Heat. But in a rematch the following year, the Spurs beat LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the Heat, 4-1, to win the franchise’s fifth NBA championship.
How many games are in the NBA Finals?
The NBA Finals are a best-of-seven format like all the other playoff series. That means the first team to win four games wins the series and the championship.
The latest the NBA Finals can go is Game 7 on June 19.
Victor Wembanyama stats
In his first NBA playoffs of his young career, Victor Wembanyama has been sensational.
The 22-year-old former No. 1 overall pick, who is still just in his third season overall, has been playing like the best player in the NBA and has delivered some incredible statistical performances. His 41-point, 24-rebound masterpiece in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals showed no moment was too big and then he was magnificent when his team needed him most in Games 6 and 7 wins over the Thunder. Besides his offensive wizardly, he’s showing why he was the NBA’s defensive player of the year posting 60 blocks in the playoffs, more than the entire Knicks team has in the postseason.
Here are his stats for the 2026 NBA playoffs:
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: NBA Finals TV schedule, where to watch Knicks vs Spurs tonight, time
Reporting by Christopher Kuhagen, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Christopher Kuhagen, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
