The 2026 NBA Finals are set, and history is already guaranteed. Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs will meet Jalen Brunson’s New York Knicks starting Wednesday, June 3, at 8:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. PT) on ABC. Whichever club prevails will become the league’s eighth straight unique champion, the longest such streak since the NBA’s inception.
How the matchup took shape
• Western Conference: San Antonio eliminated the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, completing an unexpected run by the postseason’s youngest roster.
• Eastern Conference: New York powered through the bracket, returning the franchise to the Finals for the first time since 1999—when the Knicks also faced the Spurs.
The league’s run of parity
Beginning in 2019, eight different franchises have—or will have—claimed the Larry O’Brien Trophy:
2019 – Toronto Raptors
2020 – Los Angeles Lakers
2021 – Milwaukee Bucks
2022 – Golden State Warriors
2023 – Denver Nuggets
2024 – Boston Celtics
2025 – Oklahoma City Thunder
2026 – Spurs or Knicks (to be decided)
Only the 2026 Thunder returned to a conference final the season after winning, underscoring the league’s recent competitive balance.
Series highlights
• Wembanyama, widely regarded as one of the game’s most singular talents, leads a Spurs team that entered the postseason as its youngest contender.
• Brunson anchors a Knicks squad seeking the organization’s first championship since 1973.
• The meeting is also a rematch of this season’s NBA Cup championship game.
Looking ahead
The best-of-seven series opens at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio before shifting to Madison Square Garden. Each contest will air on ABC.
Source: Lakers Nation
