It’s that time again—the NBA Finals are here. For the first time in 27 years, the New York Knicks have reached basketball’s biggest stage and will face the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs. Both teams have taken very different paths to get here, but each has built a roster capable of winning a championship. Let’s break down each team’s season, playoff journey, key players, and my prediction for who will take home the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

New York Knicks – The Knicks have been waiting for this moment for 27 years and they plan to win. Last year, the Knicks made it to the Conference finals to lose in 6 games to the Pacers. Nonetheless, the Knicks came back for redemption this season with one of their BEST seasons in decades, completing their regular season with a record of 53-29. Just this season alone, the team averaged for about 116 points per game which is 10th out of 32 in the NBA. Against the Knicks, teams put up an average of about 110 points per game which is about 5th in the NBA. The team cruised through the Eastern Conferences and played strongly all season to finish 3rd. Going into their 2026 season, Mike Brown was hired to be the team’s head coach, and there was a noticeable difference since. Since his hiring, the team has been able to do a better job with maximizing their roster and reworking their offense to create them into a NBA Finals level team. The team has finally come together and has clicked like never before. Some of the players on this impressive rout include Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, and Karl Anthony Towns. Brunson, arguably the most talked about player on the team, has been both a defensive and offensive superstar for the entire season. As the team’s point guard, he controls the offense and sets the tone every night. He’s known for his toughness, basketball IQ, and ability to score in big moments. Brunson had about 26 points per game during the regular season averaging about 6.8 assists per game. OG Anunoby, aka The Defensive Stopper, is currently one of the best perimeter defenders in basketball and consistently held this title all season long. He allowed the Knicks to shut down elite scorers and gave the team a defensive identity. He has an average of about 2 steals per game. Karl- Anthony Towns is an offensive machine. Most centers can’t guard him. He can score inside, shoot three-pointers, and create offense for teammates, which helps to provide elite rebounding. He has an average of about 12 rebounds per game.

Knicks Playoffs – The Knicks have been arguably one of the most dominant teams throughout the NBA playoffs. In round one, the Knicks faced the Atlanta Hawks who at first pushed them, but the Knicks took control and won the series 4 to 2. For the Eastern Semifinals versus the 76ers, the Knicks swept them in four games. The Knicks had one of the most elite defenses and hottest offenses in the league during this series. They clinched the game with a 144 to 114 blowout game. Finally for the Eastern Conference Finals versus the Cavaliers, the Knicks swept another series. Going in, the Cavaliers were expected to give New York its toughest challenge yet, and sweeping this team emphasized the team’s grit. One of the defining moments was in the first game when the Knicks came back from a 22 point deficit in the 4th quarter, setting the tone for the rest of the series. The Knicks have won 11 straight playoff games and 11 of their 10 playoff wins have been by double digits. Overall, the Knicks had a very dominant playoff run up to this point and hope to continue it going into the finals.

San Antonio Spurs– The Spurs went from a young rebuilding team to a championship contender almost overnight. Led by Victor Wembanyama, they finished near the top of the Western Conference and developed into one of the league’s best defensive teams. The Spurs had a very dominant season, finishing 34 and 48 last year, where this year they finished 62 and 20. The team finished second in the Western Conference behind Oklahoma who won the championship last year. It will be the team’s first NBA Finals since 2014. Just like the Knicks, the Spurs also had a new coach going into this season. Legendary coach Gregg Popovich stepped away from coaching, and first-year head coach Mitch Johnson took over. Rather than rebuilding, the Spurs accelerated their rise into a championship contender. Into the season, the hopes for this team were high, but not this high, exceeding all expectations given. The team began their season 5 and 0, the best start in their team history, and fans knew that this season would be like no other for the Spurs. They averaged about 120 points per game throughout the season, ranking 3rd in the NBA. Their opponents scored an average of about 112 points per game which was 8th. Just like the Knicks, the team has an insane bench which brings the talent wherever they go. Victor Wembanyama is the play of ultimate versatility: he averages 23 points per game, 11 rebounds per game, and finally at least 4 blocks per game. He was named Western Conference Finals MVP unanimously. Stephon Castle may be the most underrated player on the Spurs. After winning “Rookie of the Year” the previous season, he took another leap in 2025–26, AND he’s only 21 years old so the Spurs will have him for a while. Castle averaged roughly 16 points and over 7 assists per game, leading the Spurs in assists during the regular season and becoming one of the team’s best perimeter defenders. De’Aaron Fox brought speed, transition scoring, play-making, leadership, and playoff experience to this young team. Not to mention, his chemistry with Victor Wembanyama became one of the NBA’s most dangerous pick-and-roll combinations. The Spurs went 43–11 in games where they both play together.

Spurs Playoff Run – Unlike the Knicks, the Spurs were tested in their playoff run. In the first round, the Spurs played the Portland Trail Blazers, and the Spurs would win four out of five games to move on to the semi-finals. The Spurs made NBA history by coming back from a 14 point halftime deficit in game 4, winning by 21 points. For the second round of playoffs (the Western Semi-Finals) the Spurs faced the Minnesota Timberwolves and defeated a mature team to show the talent of their young team. Finally, the team had to face the Oklahoma City Thunder which were the previous NBA champions for the 2025 season. It was a full series playing seven games which they won. The Oklahoma City Thunder was the number one seed and many expected the Spurs to lose. The team’s playoff record is 12-4.

Predictions – For my overall predictions of how I think the finals will go, I believe that the Knicks will beat the Spurs in 7 games. The Knicks have been cruising through the playoffs, and I believe this streak will continue going into the playoffs. Although the Spurs had a better regular season, I believe that the Knicks will take it in the end. Can the Knicks slow down Wembanyama? Guess we’ll have to wait and see. Just remember to take these predictions with a grain of salt. This article is was written before the NBA Finals conclude, so we will know soon enough.