NBA Finals Game 1 Picks for Knicks vs. Spurs: Jalen Brunson, Wemby, & More

After a clean sweep in the East, the New York Knicks, led by PG Jalen Brunson,have been patiently waiting for the winner of an all-time Western Conference Finals.

Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs answered the call with a seven-game win vs. the Thunder, setting us up for Knicks vs. Spurs in Game 1 of the NBA Finals in San Antonio.

This is the Knicks' first NBA Finals appearance since 1999, and the Spurs return for the first time since their 2014 title over the Miami Heat.

Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals is set for Wednesday, June 4, at 8:30 p.m. EST.

Below, we’ll break down the top NBA Finals Game 1 picks and stats for players on PrizePicks for this battle between the Knicks and Spurs.

Make your NBA Finals Game 1 picks for Knicks vs. Spurs on PrizePicks now

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NBA Finals Game 1 Picks for Knicks vs. Spurs for PrizePicks Tonight

Here are some PrizePicks picks for Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs, including projections for points, rebounds, assists, and 3-pointers made.

Today’s top NBA Finals picks include Jalen Brunson, Victor Wembanyama, and Karl-Anthony Towns.

Knicks PG Jalen Brunson vs. Spurs: 0.5 Points (Max Discount)

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That means if Brunson scores one point, he'll instantly hit the More on this projection, and you'll need just one more pick to cash in tonight! The more picks you add, the more you can win.

Pair Brunson with at least one player on the Spurs — or any other pick on the board — to submit your Lineup!

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Knicks PG Jalen Brunson vs. Spurs: 35.5 PRA

• Brunson’s 29.8% usage rate is the seventh-highest among all players in the NBA postseason to log at least 20 minutes per game. This is despite 11 double-digit wins in the Knicks’ 14 contests.
• The Spurs’ defense has been positionally average against guards, allowing the 9th-most rebounds (42.4) and the 11th-most assists (22.8) per game in the postseason.
• Brunson has averaged 26.9 points, 6.6 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game during the playoffs despite playing 1.7 fewer minutes per game than he did in last year’s postseason

Add Jalen Brunson to your PrizePicks Lineup now.

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Spurs C Victor Wembanyama vs. Knicks: 4.5 Blocks + Steals

• The Knicks’ 14.0% turnover rate is the 10th-highest in the NBA this postseason.
• With San Antonio’s quicker pace (99.0) during the playoffs, the Knicks (96.8) should see an uptick in possessions relative to recent games.
• The pace disparity was larger in the regular season between San Antonio (100.7) and New York (97.7), as well.
• Wembanyama is averaging 4.4 stocks (steals plus blocks) per game in the playoffs, despite a series against Minnesota in which he posted fewer than 3 in five of seven games.

Add Victor Wembanyama to your PrizePicks Lineup now.

Knicks C Karl-Anthony Towns vs. Spurs: 11.5 Rebounds

• Despite Wembanyama lurking, the Spurs have allowed the 6th-most rebounds per game to opposing centers in the playoffs (8.5). They were a pedestrian 18th in the regular season (14.8).
• Towns is seventh in the NBA postseason in rebounding chances per game (16.3), converting a slightly higher percentage of them to boards (64.9%) than during the regular season (62.9%).
• Mitchell Robinson’s finger injury could shift the center rotation to add minutes for Towns.

Add Karl-Anthony Towns to your PrizePicks Lineup now.

Spurs PG De’Aaron Fox vs. Knicks: 15.5 Points

• De'Aaron Fox hasn’t topped 15 points in seven straight games, which is the longest postseason stretch of his career.
• The point guard posted 15-plus points per game in 10 of his first 11 postseason contests during the playoffs prior to the start of the series with Oklahoma City.
• Fox’s 22.6% usage rate isn’t far off his regular-season rate (24.6%) — during which he averaged 18.6 PPG.

Add De’Aaron Fox to your PrizePicks Lineup now.

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Knicks F Mikal Bridges vs. Spurs: 5.5 Field Goals Made

• Bridges enters Game 1 having made at least 6 field goals in eight of his last nine games, but it’s also come via lethal 62.9% shooting from the floor
• The Villanova alum’s 16.4% usage rate in the postseason is down from the regular season, where he averaged 17.4%.
• Bridges’ primary defender will likely be Julian Champagnie, who has a quality 101.8 defensive rating in the playoffs.

Add Mikal Bridges to your PrizePicks Lineup now.

Spurs G Stephon Castle vs. Knicks: 4.5 Free-Throw Attempts

• In the postseason, the Knicks lead the NBA in free-throw attempts allowed to guards per game (18.2).
• Castle has been attacking the basket, attempting 65.0% of his shots from inside the arc in his last seven games. Poor 3-point shooting in this stretch (23.6%) might explain that.
• Karl-Anthony Towns has picked up at least three fouls in nine straight games, providing a point of attack in the paint.

Add Stephon Castle to your PrizePicks Lineup now.

Knicks F Josh Hart vs. Spurs: 24.5 Points, Rebounds, and Assists

• If the pace is up as the numbers imply, an uptick in possessions could be helpful for Hart, who is top five on the Knicks in both rebounds (0.13) and assists (0.07) per possession.
• Hart has shot just 44.4% from the field and 30.3% from three in the playoffs.
• Those numbers were 50.8% and 41.3%, respectively, in the regular season.
• The Spurs just surrendered 20.3 points, 3.5 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per 36 minutes to Alex Caruso, a similar 6’5” wing who contributes in several categories.

Add Josh Hart to your PrizePicks Lineup now.

Spurs F Julian Champagnie vs. Knicks: 2 3-Pointers Made

• Champagnie’s usage rate this postseason (13.1%) is easily the worst among Spurs who average at least 20 minutes per game.
• Despite a Game 7 outburst, Champagnie’s 6-for-10 effort from 3-point range on Saturday was preceded by a 12-for-45 stretch (26.7%) in six prior games.
• The Knicks have allowed the fifth-most 3-point attempts per game to forwards (17.3), but they might have been desperate looks to close the gap, per a woeful 31.4% make rate on them.

Add Julian Champagnie to your PrizePicks Lineup now.

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Make NBA Finals Game 1 Picks on PrizePicks

The Spurs will look to defend home court from a Knicks team that has won 10 games in a row on their way to the Finals. Who will take NBA Finals Game 1 in what figures to be an epic postseason clash? Which players will show out?

Don’t wait until tip-off at 8 p.m. ET — make your Knicks vs. Spurs picks on PrizePicks, a preferred DFS partner of the NBA, right now and earn real money if you’re right.

Pick players, predict More or Less on their stats, and cash in if you’re right. With Team Picks, you can make predictions on game winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 35 states.

Stay locked in on Playbook for daily NBA Finals predictions, picks, and news every day all the way through the 2026 NBA Finals.