Get ready to party like its 1999! The 2026 NBA Finals are a rematch from 1999 with the New York Knicks taking on the San Antonio Spurs. Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, June 3 from Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. The Spurs enter this title series after taking out the defending champions Oklahoma City Thunder in seven grueling games, while the Knicks have had some time off after sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. New York has won 11 games in a row since going down 2-1 to the Atlanta Hawks in the first round.
San Antonio has a clean injury report, though De'Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper did battle through some injuries in these playoffs. Mitchell Robinson is dealing with a finger injury but the Knicks big man in considered questionable and is reportedly expected to take the floor in Game 1.
We've scanned the SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every NBA game 10,000 times, for the best bets in Knicks vs. Spurs Game 1. The model enters the 2026 NBA Finals on a sizzling 26-10 roll (72%) on top-rated NBA spread picks this season. Anyone following its NBA betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
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Knicks vs. Spurs NBA Finals Game 1 best bets
- Knicks +4.5
- Under 218.5
- Josh Hart Over 7.5 rebounds
- Stephon Castle Over 16.5 points
Knicks +4.5
New York's point differential over its 11-game winning streak was the best such margin in NBA history over any 11-game span, regular season or playoffs. That alone gives me confidence in backing the Knicks, even in what should be an electric atmosphere in San Antonio. The Spurs have waited for this moment for over a decade, and they have taken Game 1 in two of the previous three series in the playoffs. The SportsLine model sees the Knicks covering the spread in 52% of simulations.
Under 218.5
These teams played three times during the regular season if you include the NBA Cup final, which the Knicks won 124-113. Two of the three meetings went well Over this number but these are the NBA Finals and both squads have been on point defensively. San Antonio ranks second in defensive rating in the playoffs, while New York is first. The Under hits in 51.8% of SportsLine simulations.
Josh Hart Over 7.5 rebounds
It's going to take a lot to keep Victor Wembanyama in check on the boards, but Hart has shown he can corral rebounds with the best of them. The guard has logged eight or more rebounds in nine of the team's 14 playoff games, and had two games with seven rebounds. The SportsLine props model has him at 7.8 rebounds on Wednesday night, and I'd expect him to be active in crashing the glass.
Stephon Castle Over 16.5 points
The SportsLine props model has Castle at 19.0 points in Game 1. He's logged 17 points in all three Game 1s so far in these playoffs, and he's going to be tasked with hitting open shots as the Knicks focus on containing Wembanyama and Fox. Castle has been shooting a passable 36.3% from deep in the postseason and if he can avoid turnovers, he should stay on the floor long enough to get past this prop line on Wednesday.
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