The New York Knicks have been sitting at home waiting to see who they face in the 2026 NBA Finals. On Saturday night, we got our answer. The San Antonio Spurs prevailed in a dramatic Game 7 in Oklahoma City, dethroning the defending champion Thunder. It sets us up for an electrifying Finals matchup between two talented cores trying to capture their first championships.

Let’s look at the opening odds for the series on the DraftKings Sportsbook:

Let’s dig into how both teams got here, what to expect from this series, and who will take home the Larry O’Brien trophy.

New York Knicks

At one point in the first round, things looked shaky for the New York Knicks. CJ McCollum’s heroics stole home court advantage from the Knickerbockers, then put them down 2-1 in the series. It had many fans and pundits questioning if they were in serious trouble.

Then the Knicks buckled down.

Since Game 3 against the Hawks, the Knicks have ripped off 11 straight wins, one of the longest winning streaks in postseason history. They are posting an offensive rating north of 120 during that stretch, and everyone is humming. Jalen Brunson is a killer down the stretch of every game. OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges are hitting every shot they can while playing stellar defense. Josh Hart is showing all-time grit on the glass. And Karl-Anthony Towns, much maligned in his career for toughness and a lack of winning, has arguably been the MVP of the first Knicks team to make the Finals in almost 30 years.

Now they face the toughest defense they’ve seen all postseason long. And it starts with the shots at the rim. 38.5% of New York’s shot attempts in these playoffs have come at the rim, the highest among all playoff teams. They’re also converting 68% of their looks in the restricted area. Victor Wembanyama snuffs out shots at the rim with a menacing glance. Can the Knicks adjust to find better looks elsewhere? Or will they get creative enough to pull Wemby away from the rim? Having one of the best floor-spacing centers of all time sure helps.

Mitchell Robinson’s status also looms large. He broke his pinky after their Eastern Conference Finals sweep over the Cleveland Cavaliers. One of the best rebounding weapons in basketball, Robinson’s physicality will play well against Wemby. But if he’s less than 100%, that is a tough beat for New York.

San Antonio Spurs

What these Spurs have done in the playoffs is nothing short of historic. After picking in the top four of the draft for three straight years, San Antonio turned it around to win 62 games, a 28-win increase over the previous season. They made short work of the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round, and got a bit of a test against a veteran Minnesota Timberwolves team. Then the matchup of all matchups was set up: the Spurs faced the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. Arguably, the two best players and teams in basketball went head-to-head. And the series sure delivered.

It’s no easy thing to knock off the defending champs, especially on the road in Game 7. Sure, San Antonio got some help on the injury report with Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell missing time, but you can only beat who is in front of you. The youngest team in the postseason, with almost no playoff experience amongst their rotation players, went into Oklahoma City on Saturday night and beat the best team in basketball. That’s an achievement they will hold onto no matter how these Finals go.

It all starts with Wemby. His job is to stop the Knicks from beating the Spurs in the paint and winning the battle against Karl-Anthony Towns. That’s no easy feat; KAT has been the best pick-and-roll big-man defender in the playoffs, allowing just 0.8 points per possession. The floor spacing will be key, as his three-point jumper was awfully inconsistent against the Thunder.

San Antonio also has to take care of the ball. Their head-scratching turnovers threatened to derail them against the Thunder on many occasions, and the Knicks have produced the second-most points per transition possession off steals. Stephon Castle has often been confused about what his teammates look like, and Wemby is no stranger to a bad turnover. Much rests on the shoulders of De’Aaron Fox, who has always taken good care of the ball, to bring a steadying hand to this young group.

Well, now we know both teams a bit better. It’s time to get into a prediction and a pick for the series.

Knicks vs. Spurs Prediction, Pick

The Spurs are big favorites for a reason. They’re healthy, hungry, and just pulled off a monumental upset. But once again they will be facing a team with much more playoff experience that will not be afraid of the moment.

My gut tells me this series is heading to seven games. The Spurs will ultimately come out victorious, but not until the Knicks have pushed things to their absolute limit. We are due for a classic NBA Finals.

Best Bet: San Antonio 4-3 Series Correct Score (+320)