Why Knicks should be praying for Spurs matchup in 2026 NBA Finals

The New York Knicks await answers in terms of who they’ll face in the 2026 NBA Finals. The Knicks have played incredibly well over the past 11 games, and maybe it doesn’t matter who they face. But the Knicks should still have a preference. And for a multitude of reasons, that preference should be the San Antonio Spurs.

Knicks success against Spurs should provide some comfort

The Knicks split their 2025-26 season series with the Spurs 1-1. However, if you include the 2025 Emirates Cup Championship game, New York won two of their three matchups with San Antonio.

Now, it’s not as if the Knicks looked utterly dominant against the Spurs. But their success can inspire hope. There is a blueprint for how to play against the Spurs. What’s more, the Knicks are playing their best basketball of this century. And that makes it even easier to look at their two wins with optimism; if New York plays as they have over their recent win streak, they will be in great shape to secure their first NBA Championship in 53 years.

Further, the Knicks haven’t beaten the other Western Conference finalist, the Oklahoma City Thunder, since November 2022.

Knicks will have to fend off Thunder, referees if Oklahoma City advances

The Thunder are scary enough without factoring in their opportunistic whistle. They are the defending champions, and they’ve won 64 or more games in consecutive seasons. But when you add in the advantage they receive from the referees, it becomes unbearable.

Interestingly, the statistics don’t support the idea that the Thunder gets more foul calls. They’ve drawn the seventh-most personal fouls per game of all playoff teams—and fewer than the Knicks or the Spurs. And they shoot the sixth-fewest free throw attempts per game of all playoff teams.

Still, it’s hard to argue with what you see. And what we’ve seen, time and again, is the Thunder receiving calls when they seemingly hunt for fouls. It’s become a national narrative, and it doesn’t seem like it’s going to stop anytime soon. And regardless of the actual number of calls that are made, there is a pretty clear edge given to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and co. when it comes to shooting fouls.

Thunder depth could present problems for Knicks

In addition to benefiting from a friendly whistle, the Thunder are also, simply put, deeper than the Spurs. In every game of the Western Conference finals so far except for Game 1, the Thunder have had one or two more players score in double figures.

Further complicating matters for the Knicks—Jalen Willians, the Thunder’s second-leading scorer in 2025-26, is dealing with a nagging hamstring injury. That could swing positively for the Knicks if his injury continues into the finals; however, if he returns, Oklahoma City becomes that much more dangerous.

Ultimately, the simple fact that New York is in the NBA Finals is epic—and worthy of celebration. However, getting to the NBA Finals is not the goal. Winning them is.

Like most conference champions, the Knicks match up better with one potential opponent than the other. In this case, the Knicks should be pulling for the Spurs. But at the end of the day, they’ll have to secure four wins against whoever wins the Western Conference Finals.

At this point in the season, New York is likely just champing at the bit to get started. They were off for an entire 9 days between the Eastern Conference Semifinals and the Conference Finals. And they will have another full week between games before Game 1 of the finals tips off. Hopefully, that additional rest has a positive impact—because the finals will be the team’s toughest test yet.

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