The New York Knicks are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999, and they opened the series the way they have played all spring — by winning on the road. New York beat the San Antonio Spurs 105-95 in Game 1 on June 3, overcoming an early 14-point deficit behind 30 points from guard Jalen Brunson, the team’s captain and the reigning Eastern Conference finals MVP. The victory was the Knicks’ 12th straight in the playoffs.

The season that ended a 27-year wait

New York finished the 2025-26 regular season 53-29, the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference and the franchise’s highest win total since 2012-13. It was the first season under head coach Mike Brown, who was hired after the team fired Tom Thibodeau following the 2025 Eastern Conference finals loss to the Indiana Pacers. Brown was brought in to build a more balanced offense, and the result was the deepest postseason run Madison Square Garden has seen in nearly three decades.

Brunson anchored it. He averaged 26.0 points and 6.8 assists per game during the regular season, earned his third consecutive All-Star selection and made the All-NBA Second Team, before raising his level again in the playoffs. He was named MVP of the Eastern Conference finals as the Knicks closed out the series and clinched their first Finals berth since the 1999 team led by Latrell Sprewell and Allan Houston.

Game 1: a 14-point hole, then 12 in a row

The Spurs, the Western Conference champions, led by 14 early in Game 1 at the Frost Bank Center before New York clawed back. Brunson’s 30 points paced the comeback, and the Knicks pulled away late for the 105-95 win, taking a 1-0 series lead and stealing home-court advantage in the process.

The 12-game playoff win streak is among the longest in modern postseason history and underscores how dominant the Knicks have been since the second round. For a fan base that has waited since 1999 — and has not won a title since 1973 — the road victory set an aggressive tone.

A rematch with San Antonio

The matchup carries history. The last time the Knicks reached the Finals, in 1999, they lost in five games to a San Antonio team led by Tim Duncan and David Robinson. This year’s Spurs are a young, rebuilt roster that won the West, anchored by a new generation of talent that made San Antonio’s return to the Finals one of the season’s defining stories.

The series is a best-of-seven, broadcast nationally on ABC and streamed on Prime Video. As of Game 1, the Knicks held a 1-0 lead with the championship undecided — New York’s deepest playoff run in a generation still in progress.

Why it matters for the city

A Knicks Finals run reverberates well beyond the arena. Madison Square Garden, owned by MSG Entertainment, is among the most valuable venues in American sports, and a deep playoff run drives ticket prices, local television ratings and Midtown foot traffic. The team had not given the city a Finals to rally around since the Clinton administration. Whether or not New York closes out the title, the 2025-26 season already stands as the most successful Knicks campaign in 27 years.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When did the Knicks last reach the NBA Finals?
1999, when they lost to the San Antonio Spurs. The 2026 Finals are their first appearance in 27 years — and again against San Antonio.
Who is the Knicks head coach?
Mike Brown, hired after Tom Thibodeau was fired following the 2025 Eastern Conference finals loss to the Indiana Pacers. The 2025-26 season was Brown's first with New York.
What was the Knicks' regular-season record?
53-29, the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference and the franchise's highest win total since 2012-13.
Who did the Knicks beat to reach the Finals?
New York won the Eastern Conference finals and now faces the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs in the 2026 NBA Finals.