NBA Finals 2026: New York Knicks vs San Antonio Spurs dates, schedule, UK start time and key info

The 2026 NBA Finals are upon us, and here's all you need to know as the San Antonio Spurs face the New York Knicks in a seven-game series to be crowned kings of basketball.

What's at stake?

The Spurs and Knicks meet in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999, when San Antonio claimed their first-ever title with a 4-1 series victory.

That triumph sparked a golden era, leading to five championships in total and culminating in their last Finals appearance and victory in 2014.

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The Knicks, meanwhile, haven't reached the Finals since that 1999 defeat and are once again tasked with ending a title drought that ranks among the longest for the NBA's marquee franchises.

Not since 1973 have the Knicks lifted basketball's biggest prize - and this current generation now carries the weight of ending a 53-year drought.

Whether it's a long-awaited third NBA title for the Knicks or a sixth for the Spurs, there will be a different champion for an eighth successive season.

How did we get here?

The Spurs and Knicks split their regular-season meetings, each winning on home court.

The Knicks beat the Atlanta Hawks in the first round before sweeping the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers to book their place in the Finals, arriving on an 11-game winning streak.

San Antonio overcame the Portland Trail Blazers and Minnesota Timberwolves before dramatically dethroning defending champions the Oklahoma City Thunder in a Game 7 thriller.

Wemby's coronation?

Three years on from being the No.1 pick in the NBA Draft, will the 2026 Finals prove the crowning moment for generational talent Victor Wembanyama?

The 22-year-old has spearheaded the Spurs' run in his first play-off campaign, earning Western Conference Finals MVP honours for his performances.

Wembanyama is already regarded as one of the best players in the league, but victory over the Knicks would cement his status - and potentially lay the foundations for a second Spurs dynasty.

History beckons for Brunson

Jalen Brunson has been the driving force behind the Knicks' run to the 2026 NBA Finals.

The 29-year-old guard has elevated his game in the postseason, delivering in clutch moments as New York surged through the Eastern Conference.

Brunson's emergence as one of the league's premier playmakers has underlined his ability to lead an offense with championship-winning credentials.

With the burden of a 53-year title drought on his shoulders, Brunson now stands on the brink of cementing his legacy as a Knicks great.

2026 NBA Finals schedule

All dates and times UK and Ireland

Game 1
June 4 - Knicks @ Spurs - 1.30am

Game 2
June 6 - Knicks @ Spurs - 1.30am

Game 3
June 9 - Spurs @ Knicks - 1.30am

Game 4
June 11 - Spurs @ Knicks - 1.30am

Game 5
June 14 - Knicks @ Spurs - 1.30am

Game 6
June 17 - Spurs @ Knicks - 1.30am

Game 7
June 20 - Knicks @ Spurs - 1.30am

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