The San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks will tip off the 2026 NBA Finals on June 3 at 8:30 p.m. as both franchises begin their quest for the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
For West Virginia fans across the country, they also have something to root for, as former Mountaineer guard Miles McBride aims to play a pivotal role in the Knicks push to their first NBA Finals win since 1973. He is just the sixth WVU alumnus to reach the NBA Finals, and the first since Jevon Carter in 2021 with the Phoenix Suns. Read more: Miles McBride and the Knicks chase NBA title.
As for the Western Conference representatives, the Spurs, led by reigning 2026 Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama, are seeking their first championship since 2014.
History is meant to be repeated
History has a way of repeating itself, and this year’s NBA Finals matchup is proof. 27 years after the Spurs and Knicks met in the 1999 NBA Finals, the two franchises will once again battle for the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
The Spurs came out on top in a decisive 4-1 series win with future hall-of-famer Tim Duncan winning Finals MVP. Oddly enough, the similarities between that year’s playoff run and this year’s are eerily similar for the Spurs and their star players.
Duncan was 22 years old when he led San Antonio to a championship, the same age Wembanyama is currently. Both players also earned First Team All-Defensive honors while averaging more than 20 points per game in the regular season.
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As for the playoff runs, both years the Spurs began with beating the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round and the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round. And both were led by their young franchise players.
The 1999’s championship started the Spurs first dynasty with Duncan at the helm. Nearly three decades later, Wembanyama has a chance to put the current Spurs on a similar path if he can deliver a championship this season.
Duncan laid the foundation with a win over the Knicks. Now, Wembanyama has a chance to repeat that same path on Wednesday in front of the San Antonio crowd at Frost Bank Center.
WVU connection
As for the WVU connection in this series, McBride has developed into a consistent contributor for the Knicks. In his fifth NBA season, the former Mountaineer posted career highs in both points per game and minutes per game during the 2025-26 regular season.
During the playoffs this season, McBride has scored in all but three games. That includes a 25-point performance in Game 4 against the 76ers.
Related: Miles McBride becomes sixth Mountaineer to reach NBA Finals
The Spurs will have to allocate a lot of their resources toward stopping Brunson on the offensive end. He’s one of the league’s best scoring guards and has been especially strong in this year’s playoffs.
That should allow McBride to have plenty of opportunities to score in big moments. Look for him to hit some crucial threes as he has made at least one in every game he has scored this postseason.
Background on both teams
After finishing the regular season second in the Eastern Conference, the Knicks opened the playoffs with a 4-2 series win over the Atlanta Hawks. After dropping games two and three, the Knicks went on to win the next three games in a row to advance.
New York continued its dominance in both the conference semifinals and the conference finals by not losing a single game. Following their two-game skid against the Hawks, the Knicks rattled off 11 wins in a row en route to the finals.
Led by Jalen Brunson, who was named to the 2026 All-NBA Second Team, the Knicks have dominated offensively. During their 11-game unbeaten stretch, New York eclipsed the 120-point mark six times.
Without a doubt, the Knicks come into the finals as the hotter team. Unlike their opponent, they got to enjoy multiple days of rest while the Spurs clawed back against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals.
The Spurs fell down three games to two against the Thunder, but managed to win back-to-back games to knock off last year’s champion. Wembanyama capped off a strong series performance with a team-high 22 points in Game 7.
Before that, San Antonio easily handled the Trail Blazers in the first round. Following that, they took down the Timberwolves in six games.
With Wembanyama at the forefront, the Spurs have become one of the league’s elite defensive teams. They will present the toughest defensive challenge the Knicks have faced during this postseason run. Time will tell if the Knicks, with McBride in the rotation, can stop them.
Tune in/tie-in
Make sure to stay up to date with McBride throughout the NBA Finals on wvsportsnation.com. You can also download the WV Sports Nation app before WVU Baseball hosts the NCAA Super Regionals against Cal Poly starting on June 5.
