Game 1 of the 2025-26 NBA Finals tips on Wednesday, June 3, as the San Antonio Spurs host the New York Knicks at the Frost Bank Center. This should be a fascinating series, as Jalen Brunson and the Knicks haven’t lost a game since April. However, they are running into the best player in the NBA in Victor Wembanyama, and they’re doing so with the Spurs having home-court advantage. Well, New York does have a chance to steal home-court advantage in Game 1. Will the team do it? Find out in our Knicks vs. Spurs betting preview. Also check out our VSiN NBA Finals Betting Hub for all of our NBA Finals content.

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How To Watch Knicks vs. Spurs Game 1

When: 8:30 pm ET on Wednesday, June 3

Where: Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas

Channel: ABC

Knicks vs. Spurs Game 1 Odds

Odds from DraftKings Sportsbook as of 11:30 pm ET on Tuesday, June 2

Moneyline: Spurs -185, Knicks +154

Spread: Spurs -4.5 (-110), Knicks +4.5 (-110)

Total: Over 218.5 (-110), Under 218.5 (-110)

Knicks vs. Spurs Game 1 Picks

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This Game 1 is going to be fascinating. The Knicks, who haven’t lost a game since April 23, haven’t played since May 25. They got to kick back and relax while the Spurs went to a Game 7 against the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. That rest advantage could mean something or it could mean nothing. We’ll see. I’m not personally rushing to back either side. I actually think there’s a good chance San Antonio is completely fine, as three full days of rest is plenty for a young team. If there’s any major advantage I see in the extra week, it’s that the Knicks probably spent a good chunk of time preparing for both the Thunder and the Spurs. That means New York likely had a nice head start on preparation for this series. But does that matter against a team with Mitch Johnson and Sean Sweeney? Both guys are absolutely brilliant, with Johnson nearly winning Coach of the Year and Sweeney having gotten himself the Orlando job. Also, Gregg Popovich has dished out his advice throughout the year, even though he’s now in a front office role. You’d have to imagine he weighed in after the OKC series.

I’m just not sure how things will look in Game 1. My gut tells me San Antonio storms out the gates, looking strong in the first quarter. The Spurs have been starting fast throughout these playoffs, and I think there will be a major emphasis placed on winning the first 12 minutes. From there, perhaps we’ll see the Knicks fight back. They never quit. But I don’t see San Antonio coming out flat. So, if you’re heading into the game expecting a New York win because of the time off, that’s not how I’d approach it. Also, part of me feels the last thing a red-hot Knicks team needed was eight days off. Will they come out with the same connectivity we have seen in the last 11 games?

The one thing I do feel pretty good about is the Over. I talked about this with Mitch Moss and Pauly Howard on Follow The Money on Tuesday, but I do think the Spurs are going to play extremely fast in this series. San Antonio is No. 3 in the NBA in pace since the start of the postseason, and playing fast would be a good way to make New York pay for being overzealous on the offensive glass. We all know the Knicks are going to do everything they can to crash, but the Spurs can put some trust in Wembanyama to come down with boards. Then, with their three tremendous guards, they can push the pace and play the numbers game. That can lead to transition buckets at the rim, or run-out threes.

The Knicks will also play their role in helping this thing go Over. I’m not sure how long it will take for New York to find the rhythm it had in the first three rounds, but it’d be surprising if the team doesn’t look alright offensively, at the very least. The Knicks’ offensive rating of 123.3 is the highest mark in the postseason thus far, and it would have been the highest mark in the regular season — which is impressive with how soft regular-season defense can be in the NBA. The Over is also 7-4 over the course of New York’s winning streak, with the team’s offense being a big part of that.

The Over also happens to be 10-2 in the last 12 games that San Antonio has played. So, the Spurs have been playing games that have skewed higher in scoring, and they’ve been doing that against better defensive teams than the Knicks.

I’ll also note that the Over is 5-1 in the six games New York has played with three or more days of rest under Mike Brown. The Over is also 10-5 in the 15 games San Antonio has played with totals of 210 to 219.5 under Johnson.

In addition to playing the Over in this one, I’m also taking Castle to finish with five rebounds (-130). On top of that, I’m going with Harper to have three assists (-114) — and sprinkling him to have at least four (+230).

With Castle, the guard has had at least five boards in seven of the last eight games. I don’t see him suddenly vanishing when it comes to mixing it up on the glass. If anything, with New York being an elite offensive rebounding team, everyone on San Antonio should know the importance of fighting for position and being ready to pull down some boards. Castle, one of the most competitive players in the league, won’t shy away from the dirty work. He embraces the physicality of playoff ball.

As far as the Harper assists go, he hasn’t been breezing to three or four assists in the playoffs. He does come into this game having gone Over 2.5 dimes in three straight, but he’s only averaging 2.6 assists per game in the postseason. But I think these games are going to be played at a fast pace. I also believe the Spurs are better equipped to attack Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns than any other team the Knicks have played. We should see some really productive dribble penetration from the San Antonio guards, and Harper is going to have his moments. That should mean finishing at the rim, where he has Kyrie Irving-level finishing ability. But I also expect him to make plays for others.

Bet: Over 217.5 (-113)
Bet: Castle Over 4.5 Rebounds (-130)
Bet: Harper Over 2.5 Assists (-114 – 1.5 units) & Alt Assists 4+ (+230 – 0.5 units)

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