Knicks Meet Spurs in 2026 NBA Finals: 1999 Rematch

Sport

By lines

May 31, 2026

The 2026 NBA Finals send the New York Knicks against the San Antonio Spurs. The matchup revives the 1999 title round, won then by the Spurs. Game 1 tips Wednesday, June 3 in San Antonio.

Two Conference MVPs Headline a 1999 Finals Rematch

The San Antonio Spurs beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-103 in Game 7. Victor Wembanyama scored 22 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. Wembanyama earned Western Conference Finals MVP honors. The win sent the Spurs to their first NBA Finals since 2014.

Victor Wembanyama dominated the series for the San Antonio Spurs. Wembanyama averaged 27.3 points and 10.9 rebounds across seven games. Wembanyama also posted 2.7 blocks and 1.4 steals per game. The Spurs reached the Finals in Wembanyama’s third NBA season.

The New York Knicks swept the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0 to win the East. The Knicks reached their first NBA Finals in 27 years. Jalen Brunson claimed Eastern Conference Finals MVP after that sweep. Brunson averaged 25.5 points and 7.8 assists against Cleveland.

Jalen Brunson shot 48.7 percent from the field across the Cavaliers series. Brunson dropped 38 points in Game 1 of that series. The New York Knicks erased a 22-point deficit in that Game 1. The Knicks enter the Finals on an 11-game winning streak.

The series pits elite rim protection against elite shot creation. Victor Wembanyama averaged 2.7 blocks per game in the conference finals. Jalen Brunson averaged 25.5 points per game in the East. New York’s offense ran through Brunson’s scoring all series.

The San Antonio Spurs leaned on Wembanyama at both ends all postseason. Wembanyama posted 2.7 blocks and 1.4 steals per game versus Oklahoma City. The New York Knicks countered with Brunson and a deep rotation. New York won Game 1 of the East finals 115-104 over Cleveland.

Both teams enter the 2026 NBA Finals after closing out their conferences. The San Antonio Spurs needed all seven games to pass the Thunder. The New York Knicks swept the Cavaliers in four games. The Knicks earned extra rest before Game 1 on June 3.

The 1999 NBA Finals also matched the Knicks and the Spurs. San Antonio won that 1999 series for its first championship. FanDuel lists the Spurs as 2026 NBA Finals favorites at -196. Home-court advantage belongs to the Spurs for Game 1.

Game 1 tips Wednesday, June 3 at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC. The San Antonio Spurs host the New York Knicks in that opener. Victor Wembanyama faces his first Finals test against the Knicks. The series decides Wembanyama’s first title shot in three seasons.