Knicks vs Spurs Game 1 San Antonio

The 2026 NBA Finals begin Wednesday night in San Antonio, where the Spurs host the New York Knicks in Game 1 at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC. NBA.com said San Antonio has home court to open the series, and ABC7 New York said the game will also stream on the ESPN App. The matchup reunites the franchises that last met in the Finals in 1999, when the Spurs won their first title. New York is back on this stage for the first time since then, while San Antonio is in the Finals for the first time since 2014. ### Why is Game 1 in San Antonio? NBA.com said the Spurs are the home team for Game 1 because they finished with the better regular-season record. The league schedule lists Game 1 on Wednesday, June 3, and Game 2 on Friday, June 5, both in San Antonio before the series shifts to New York for Games 3 and 4. ABC7 New York said all Finals games are set for 8:30 p.m. (nba.com) ET and carried by ABC. The NBA’s official Finals page lists a potential Game 7 for Friday, June 19, back in San Antonio. ### Why are the Spurs favored if the Knicks have won 11 straight? CBS Sports reported that San Antonio entered the series as a betting favorite, citing home-court advantage and Victor Wembanyama’s role in leading the Spurs back to the Finals. (nba.com) The same report said New York arrived on an 11-game postseason winning streak after advancing through the East and having a longer layoff before the series opener. (abc7ny.com) ESPN’s panel of 13 experts leaned toward San Antonio, with 10 picking the Spurs to win the series and 10 choosing Wembanyama as Finals MVP. USA Today said its experts were divided on the Game 1 and series outlook, reflecting the split between San Antonio’s status as favorite and New York’s playoff form. (cbssports.com) ### Why are Victor Wembanyama and Karl-Anthony Towns at the center of this matchup? Victor Wembanyama is the central Spurs storyline because San Antonio’s run has been built around him on both ends of the floor. NBA.com listed him as the Spurs’ series leader entering the Finals, and Yahoo Sports said he called the Knicks a “great team” while saying the size of the Finals stage would not make a difference to him. (espn.com) Karl-Anthony Towns is a focal point for New York because his frontcourt matchup with Wembanyama shapes how the Knicks can score and defend. CBS Sports said Towns’ ability to pull Wembanyama away from the paint could be one of New York’s clearest counters, while also identifying Mitchell Robinson’s physicality as another factor if healthy. (nba.com) ### What history is hanging over this series? The Knicks are chasing their first NBA championship since 1973, according to ESPN and ABC7 New York. The Spurs are seeking a sixth title and their first since 2014, with Wembanyama trying to lead the franchise back to the top in his first Finals appearance. (cbssports.com) ABC7 New York said the last Knicks team to reach the Finals also faced San Antonio, and NBA.com has framed this year’s series as a second Spurs-Knicks chapter 27 years later. That earlier matchup began a Spurs title run; this one opens with New York trying to end a 53-year championship drought. (espn.com) ### Where can viewers follow the series from here? Game 2 is set for Friday, June 5, in San Antonio before the Finals move to New York on Monday, June 8, for Game 3, according to NBA.com. ABC7 New York said viewers can watch on ABC and use the ESPN App for streaming and audio options throughout the series. (nba.com) (abc7ny.com)