Knicks facing Spurs in 1999 NBA Finals rematch: Here are the Game 1 details

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CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 25: The New York Knicks celebrate after winning the 2026 NBA Eastern Conference Championship during Game Four of the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals on May 25, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly a

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NEW YORK CITY - For the first time since 1999, the New York Knicks are heading back to the NBA Finals. And their opponent is exactly who it was 27 years ago: the San Antonio Spurs.

What we know:

It's also a rematch of this season's NBA Cup championship game, which the Knicks won in Las Vegas.

Game 1 of the NBA Finals series tips off Wednesday in San Antonio.

Ending a drought

The backstory:

The Knicks are trying to capture a magic this city hasn't felt since the days of Willis Reed, Walt "Clyde" Frazier, Dave DeBusschere, Bill Bradley, Earl Monroe, and Phil Jackson. It has been 53 years since the team last earned the coveted title.

Seventeen different franchises have celebrated championships since the Knicks last won it all. Meanwhile, the Spurs are looking for their sixth title.

On a run

Local perspective:

New York flipped a switch after two back-to-back one-point losses in the first round against the Atlanta Hawks.

Currently, sitting at a staggering 11-0, the Knicks are blowing out almost every opponent in their path. Star guard Jalen Brunson is keeping the squad locked in.

"When there’s negative things being said about you, it’s important to ignore them," Brunson said. "When there’s positive things about you, it’s easy to be able to read them to make you feel good. But you can’t do one and not the other. Just block it out as best you can."

The matchup

By the numbers:

Here is how the Knicks and Spurs stack up heading into Wednesday:

• Technically, the teams split their regular-season games 1-1, with both squads defending their home court. San Antonio pulled off a 134-132 comeback win on New Year's Eve behind 31 points from Wembanyama, while the Knicks blew out the Spurs 114-89 at the Garden on March 1 to snap San Antonio's 11-game winning streak.
• The Knicks beat the Spurs in the NBA Cup final, though that acts as a 83rd game and doesn't count toward regular-season records.
• Because they hold home-court advantage, the Spurs are opening as the early betting favorites. San Antonio is listed at -210, while the underdog Knicks are sitting at +170.