Party like it’s 1999, NBA plans. The New York Knicks will face the San Antonio Spurs in the 2026 NBA Finals, a rematch of the title bout 27 years ago. The Spurs, who knocked out the reigning champion Thunder on Saturday night in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, will host Game 1 on Wednesday.
The Knicks, meanwhile, swept the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals and will go nine days between games. The Knicks have won 11 straight playoff games in dominant fashion. They have not lost since Game 3 of their first-round series vs. the on April 23.
The 2026 NBA Finals is a rematch of the 1999 Finals, which San Antonio won in five games. The last NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden was Game 5 in 1999, which came on June 25. When the Knicks host Game 3 in two weeks, it will be the first Finals game at MSG in 9,845 days.
Here’s a look at the NBA Finals schedule, with a potential Game 7 on June 19.
Wednesday, June 3
Friday, June 5
Monday, June 8
Wednesday, June 10
Saturday, June 13
Tuesday, June 16
Friday, June 19
Odds as of May 30 via
The Thunder were the title favorites throughout the NBA regular season and the postseason. But OKC fell short against the Spurs, and the NBA will see a different champion for the eighth season in a row.
The Spurs enter as -196 favorites on FanDuel. The West winner always figured to be favored over whoever came out of the East, and despite the Knicks’ rest advantage, the Spurs might be the healthier team when Game 1 tips off. Knicks center Mitchell Robinson has a broken pinky finger and recently underwent surgery. He hopes to play in the Finals, but his effectiveness remains to be seen.
