The best league in the world is going to crown a king – the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, lost in the Western Conference Finals after the Spurs owned Game 7 in Oklahoma to punch their ticket to the Finals.
San Antonio overcame a 3-2 series deficit and secured back-to-back victories to advance to the title series. Before the conference finals, the Spurs defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in five games in the opening round and eliminated the Minnesota Timberwolves in six games in the Western Conference semi-finals.
The Spurs are returning to the Finals for the first time since 2014 and are looking to snap a 12-year gap without a championship. The franchise captured five titles in a 15 year-span; the first one dating back to 1999, when they outplayed the Knicks.
And while San Antonio strives to expand the championship collection, New York wants payback.
Yet the wait for the team from the Big Apple has been even more brutal. The organisation won their last championship in 1973 and are aiming to end a 53-year drought. So far, the Knicks’ toughest postseason round proved to be the first one – they needed six games to eliminate the Atlanta Hawks, then swept the Philadelphia 76ers and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
This year, the Finals present a clash between experience and rising stars. Momentum and resilience. Led by veteran guard Jalen Brunson, the Knicks want to continue riding their 11-game winning streak and keep the rhythm and poise.
The Spurs lean on superstar Victor Wembanyama and their proven ability to withstand pressure and deliver in the biggest moments.
San Antonio are the favourites and have the better odds to take home the trophy. However, the Knicks enter the series with nine days of rest, while the Spurs battled the Thunder for nearly two weeks to earn the trip to the Finals.
Flashscore's editors take a closer look at the championship matchup and share their predictions for the 2026 NBA Finals.
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Sébastien Gente: 4-2 Knicks
The Knicks have had plenty of time to prepare for this final. With 11 consecutive wins (and 12 out of 14 games in total), they will undoubtedly have the advantage of freshness.
But that’s not the only factor: this team are coming of age and has found their definitive starting five. And the least one can say is that they complement each other perfectly.
Mike Brown’s influence as a coach is clearly evident, particularly in the role of Karl-Anthony Towns, who has fully embraced his role as second-in-command. Of course, one major question remains: how to stop Wembanyama. But they managed to do just that in fine style in the NBA Cup final. A game in which Wemby was held to just 18 points.
Overall, the Knicks have a much deeper, more experienced, and well-rested squad, whereas the Spurs are coming off a gruelling battle with the Thunder, in which they took a physical beating.
So far, the Knicks’ point guard Brunson hasn’t had to push himself too hard. But he’s been the one to step up when it’s mattered most: 35 points in Game 1 against the 76ers, 38 points in Game 1 against the Cavaliers. He’s already racked up five 30-point games in these playoffs, and clearly, he’s got plenty left in the tank.
His ability to drive to the basket and attack the paint will be key: his assist average is likely to rise if he comes up against a French centre. But overall, we expect him to shine on the field and in transition in this final, and above all, we expect him to be the leader he has been so far.
There is a historic challenge ahead for him: to become the second player in history (after Nikola Jokic) to be crowned Finals MVP after being selected in the second round of the draft. And above all, to become the hero of a city that has been waiting for the Larry O’Brien Trophy for 53 years...
Finals MVP: Jalen Brunson
Tolga Akdeniz: 4-2 Spurs
The Knicks are on a heater. We have rarely ever seen a team come into the playoffs with this much momentum and confidence. It feels like everything is falling into place for them.
While an 11-game winning run is obviously impressive, a point differential of +262 during that period is the best 11-game run in NBA history - regular season or playoffs. It is astonishing what they are doing.
They also head into the NBA Finals a lot fresher than the Spurs, having had nine days off since their last game. They haven't faced anywhere near the level of challenges that San Antonio have faced.
The Spurs have had just three days off after a seven-game victory over the defending champions, the Thunder. It has been a lot more physically draining and emotionally challenging run for a young side, so that certainly benefits the Knicks.
But the Wembanyama factor is serious. He is a force of nature and a player who can win games on both ends of the floor.
So while they will be relying on the X-Factor of Wemby, they will have to find a way to stop the genius of Brunson. Stephon Castle is going to have to be that man, and after the impressive job he did on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the last round, you wouldn't bet against him making life hard for Brunson, too.
To be clear, the Knicks have every chance, and it wouldn't surprise me at all if they won this. If they continue shooting well from three and dominate the offensive glass as they did in the NBA Cup final, they can get over the line.
But I'm just not totally convinced they can sustain that momentum over a seven-game series against the toughest team they've faced in these playoffs. Coming through a pretty weak Eastern Conference may have made them look a little better than they are.
Which is why I am going with the Spurs!
Finals MVP: Victor Wembanyama
Michaela Gaislerová: 4-3 Spurs
The Knicks enter the championship series as underdogs, but I believe they will challenge the Spurs much more than most people anticipate. They are riding an 11-game winning streak and are brimming with confidence after sweeping two consecutive opponents. In addition, the nine-day layoff before the series could prove to be a significant advantage.
Against the Cavaliers, the Knicks were red-hot; they shot 38.9 % from beyond the arc, and they averaged 118.6 points per game. Right now, it feels like they have more offensive firepower than the Spurs.
New York has been playing with flow, and everything they did in the Eastern Conference Finals looked smooth, composed, and efficient. Every starter averages double figures in scoring, and the team's chemistry has been outstanding. Brunson is playing the best basketball of his career and appears ready to lead the Knicks to a championship.
However, to stand on top, New York need to win four games, and I think they will fall one short. San Antonio might be battle-scared from such a tough series against the Thunder, but the team still has one of the greatest, most exciting, electrifying players in the NBA right now – Wemby, and there truly isn’t anything he cannot do.
He can score at will, create open looks for his teammates, and dominate the paint on both ends of the floor.
During the playoffs, Brunson has averaged 10 shots in the paint per game while converting 58% of them. Maintaining that level of efficiency will be far more difficult against a Spurs team that excels at protecting the interior.
San Antonio is also capable of locking down the perimeter. Castle did a tremendous job defending SGA in the previous round, pushing the reigning MVP to his limits.
After dethroning the latest champions, the Spurs should be confident in their own craft. They might come out a bit tired, but they will reach the ultimate pinnacle in the end. They will need seven games and every ounce of effort, but the newest champion will be from Texas.
Finals MVP: Victor Wembanyama