2026 NBA Finals Predictions: NBA Experts Pick Knicks vs. Spurs Series Score

After 82 games and three NBA Playoff series each, the 2026 NBA Finals matchup is set between the New York Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs,

The Spurs last won the NBA Finals in 2014 — their fifth championship, while the Knicks have not won in the NBA Finals since 1973, and haven’t been here since 1999. Coincidentally, the Knicks fell to the Spurs in 1999, as the Spurs were emerging as a perennial contender behind All-NBA center Tim Duncan.

After grinding out a seven-game series win vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals, the San Antonio Spurs are the favorites to win the 2026 NBA Finals, now with a new All-NBA big man — Victor Wembanyama 

Even so, there are plenty of reasons to think the New York Knicks can make this series competitive — including an 11-game win streak across three series.

Below, three of our NBA experts broke down their 2026 NBA Finals predictions for the , including the exact series score. 

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NBA Finals Predictions for Knicks vs. Spurs: Team To Win, Series Score

The San Antonio Spurs are the favorite to win the 2026 NBA Finals over the New York Knicks, with a 1.49x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks.

The three most likely NBA Finals series score outcomes are Spurs to win 4-1, 4-2, and 4-3. 

Below are the full payouts for the 2026 NBA Finals on PrizePicks Team Picks, available in 35 states, including California, Texas, and Florida.

Make your 2026 NBA Finals prediction for Knicks vs. Spurs on PrizePicks

Payouts listed below indicate real-money earnings if a prediction is correct on PrizePicks; for example, a 2x on a $100 entry would pay out $200 on PrizePicks Team Picks. The lower the payout multiplier, the higher the chance of the outcome occurring, according to user picks.

2026 NBA Finals Winner Payouts

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• Spurs to win the NBA Finals: Yes 1.49x | No 2.5x
• Knicks to win the NBA Finals: Yes 2.5x | No 1.49x

2026 NBA Finals Series Score Payouts

Find NBA Finals series score picks on PrizePicks Team Picks on the app by going to NBA, then Series.

• Spurs win 4-1: Yes 4.34x | No 1.19x
• Spurs win 4-2: Yes 4.54x | No 1.17x
• Spurs win 4-3: Yes 4.54x | No 1.17x
• Knicks win 4-2: Yes 5.26x | No 1.13x
• Knicks win 4-3: Yes 6.66x | No 1.08x
• Spurs win 4-0: Yes 7.69x | No 1.06x
• Knicks win 4-1: Yes 10x | No 1.03x
• Knicks win 4-0: Yes 14.28x | No 1.02x

Predict the 2026 NBA Finals Series score on PrizePicks Team Picks

NBA Finals predictions are the opinions of writers who are not investment professionals. Picks are NOT based on PrizePicks Team Picks payout multipliers, and are NOT recommendations to trade.

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Jordan’s NBA Finals Prediction: Spurs win, 4-2

I’ll start with the positives for the Knicks: New York didn’t just stumble upon the highest average scoring margin in NBA Playoff history (+19.4 points) accidentally. One of the most iconic brands in sports earned every bit of this success.

Swapping from head coach Tom Thibodeau to Mike Brown turned out to be the right move, as it raised the floor of the team while maintaining a sky-high ceiling led by PG Jalen Brunson.

New York also has switchable defenders like SG Josh Hart and forwards Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby, which could give the Spurs’ ascending wings plenty of issues. Some matchups are there for a legitimately competitive series.

A lot of this comes down to the defensive end and how each club can stop the other’s top player. That’s where the bad news for New York starts. 

Big man Karl-Anthony Towns is being hidden on that end, and he could be in big trouble on the possessions he guards all-world C Victor Wembanyama. 

Anunoby’s 7-foot-2 wingspan is nice, as is his strength, but Wemby posted 28.4 points per 75 against Thunder C Isaiah Hartenstein, whom everyone applauded for at least trying to slow him down. The only answer for the Alien is for him to stop himself. 

Additionally, San Antonio just held back-to-back MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to an ugly 40.9% shooting from the field and 28.6% from deep. Jalen Brunson isn’t quite as crafty of a scorer, and he’s significantly smaller than SGA.

There’s something electric about this Knicks squad, but there’s something special about the Spurs. 

Give me another San Antonio ring with Gregg Popovich watching from a distance. 

Read more predictions by Jordan Foote

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Riley’s NBA Finals Prediction: Spurs win, 4-1

The Knicks’ offense has enjoyed incredible efficiency in their march to the NBA Finals. According to NBA Advanced Stats, New York leads the postseason with a 123.3 offensive rating, a 51.5% field goal percentage, and a 59.2% effective field goal percentage.

However, the Knicks have yet to see a defense remotely close to the Spurs during the playoffs. 

The Thunder were also enjoying elite efficiency before the Western Conference Finals, shooting 51.0% from the field and 38.4% on 3-pointers in their first eight playoff games. San Antonio held Oklahoma City to just 42.6% shooting and 34.4% on triples over seven matchups.

I’m not sure how New York defends Spurs C Victor Wembanyama, who averaged 27.3 points per game (PPG) while going nearly 50/40/90 with a 48.1% field goal percentage, a 40.0% mark from downtown, and 89.5% from the free-throw line in the WCF. 

Plus, Wemby boasts an absurd 99.2 defensive rating during the postseason.

Knicks G Jalen Brunson has continued his playoff dominance with 26.9 PPG and a 48.6% field goal percentage. However, Wembanyama should be the best player on the floor in the NBA Finals. 

According to PrizePicks Team Picks, Wemby has the lowest payout (1.51x) to win the NBA Finals MVP. The Extraterrestrial could make his case as the world’s best in the upcoming NBA Finals against the Knicks.

Read more predictions by Riley Thomas

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David’s NBA Finals Prediction: Spurs win, 4-2

What we have seen from the Knicks over the last 11 games has been historic on many levels. We could go through all the historical notes or sum it up this way: They clinched their three series by 51, 30, and 37-point differentials, and star Jalen Brunson didn’t have to play a single minute of the fourth quarter in any of those clinching games. 

However, that also brings me to the biggest concern heading into this series. Those teams the Knicks beat weren’t any good, to be frank. 

I’m not taking anything away from the dominance. After all, they are only the third team in NBA history to win six straight postseason games by double figures.

But the Hawks were a mid-tier East team, the 76ers were broken and flawed, and the Cavaliers needed seven games to make it out of both their previous series and gave up after choking away Game 1 of the ECF.

The Spurs? It’s a major step up in competition. As good as the Spurs offense looked in scoring 115.3 points per game behind Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and others, the defense is what won them the Western Conference title. 

They held the Thunder below their season and playoff averages in points, offensive rating, FG% and 3P%.. The 82 and 91 points performances of Games 4 and 6 were among the worst of the season for the Thunder. 

The Knicks offense has been great, no doubt. Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Mikal Bridges have been nothing short of awesome. But going up against Wemby and the Spurs will look a lot different than what the East gave New York. 

Read more predictions by David Bearman

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Make 2026 NBA Finals Predictions on PrizePicks

In the 2026 NBA Finals, the Spurs will look to begin a new dynasty with Wembanyama after dominating the 2000s. Meanwhile, the Knicks are looking to bring a Larry O’Brien Trophy to their starved fan base for the first time since 1973.

Don’t wait until Game 1 begins — make your Spurs vs. Knicks NBA Finals prediction on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right.

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