The New York Knicks are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 — and they’ll face the same opponent this year, too.
A direct rematch of the 1999 NBA Finals between the Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs begins tonight, June 3. As you may recall, these two teams faced off just six months ago in the 2025 NBA Cup championship game, which the Knicks won, 124-113.
The Spurs enter the series as the oddsmakers’ favorite largely due to the sheer defensive gravity of Victor Wembanyama, who completely altered the Western Conference Finals by playing heavy minutes, raining threes and anchoring a dominant net rating when on the floor.
Led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, the Knicks can’t be counted out easily. They rely heavily on outside shooting and floor spacing rather than just driving relentlessly into the paint where Wemby dominates.
NBA Finals 2026: what to know
- What: New York Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs, Game 1
- When: June 3, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Where: Frost Bank Center (San Antonio, Texas)
- Channel: ABC
- Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)
The series will continue on Friday night for Game 2.
Knicks vs. Spurs start time:
Game 1 of the NBA Finals is scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m. ET tonight, June 3.
NBA Finals Game 1 streaming: How to watch Knicks vs. Spurs for free
If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the game for free.
DIRECTV is our top pick for watching basketball live for free — its five-day free trial includes ABC, where every game of the NBA Finals will air. When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $44.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.
Sling TV is another affordable way to watch TV live and stream NBA games; its Select plan includes ABC and starts at $19.99/month.
NBA Finals schedule 2026
All games will air on ABC at 8:30 p.m. ET.
- Game 1: Wednesday, June 3
- Game 2: Friday, June 5
- Game 3: Monday, June 8
- Game 4: Wednesday, June 10
- Game 5: Saturday, June 13*
- Game 6: Tuesday, June 16*
- Game 7: Friday, June 19*
* if necessary
Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
