Knicks vs. Spurs NBA Finals Game 1: Betting Analysis, Picks, & Odds

The New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs meet in one of the more unlikely NBA Finals in recent memory. But now, someone’s got to win it. The team that wins Game 1 has gone on to win the NBA Finals 69.6 percent of the time.

That makes Wednesday night’s Game 1 matchup in San Antonio at the Frost Bank Center pretty darn important. In 13 series during this postseason, the home team has won Game 1 10 times. And while that might seem like a positive trend for San Antonio, they were one of the three home teams to lose a Game 1 during these playoffs.

It’s the best of the West against the beasts of the east. The Alien against the Brunson Burner. The enormous French Goliath against the diminutive American David. Who will start the series off with a bang? Read on for our NBA Finals Game 1 analysis, predictions, and betting odds from the top Canadian betting apps!

NBA Finals Game 1: New York Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs - Game Picks & Betting Odds - June 3

All odds provided by Betway.

Series Schedule:

• Game 1 - NYK @ SAS, June 3, 8:30PM
  
• Game 2 - NYK @ SAS, June 5, 8:30PM
  
• Game 3 - SAS @ NYK, June 8, 8:30PM
  
• Game 4 - SAS @ NYK, June 10, 8:30PM
  
• Game 5 - NYK @ SAS, June 13, 8:30PM
  
• Game 6 - SAS @ NYK, June 16, 8:30PM
  
• Game 7 - NYK @ SAS, June 19, 8:30PM

Knicks vs. Spurs Game 1 - Point Spread/Moneyline Prediction

As most NBA Finals usually are, whether people like to admit it or not, this one’s going to be decided by the superstars. One really big one, and one that many thought was too small. But Jalen Brunson doesn’t play small. In fact, he has outscored 7’5” Victor Wembanyama in the paint during this postseason (11.6 to 11.2).

However, Brunson wasn’t doing that against Wembanyama. This time he will have to. Or he will have to try at least. Wemby’s go-go-gadget arms are going to make it tough for Brunson to get his feet in the paint where he wants them. That won’t stop the King of New York from getting his numbers, but it will hurt his efficiency.

Meanwhile, the Knicks have two seven-footers they can throw at Wemby themselves. But the Thunder did too, and that didn’t really work out for them in the end. This spread is too large for us to take San Antonio, so we’re going to buy up a few points and take the Knicks to keep this one close. They’ve only lost two games in these playoffs, each by a point, and those both happened nearly six weeks ago.

Best Bet: New York Knicks Alternative +7.5 Point Spread (-175)

Knicks vs. Spurs Game 1 - Player Prop Best Bets

As we said above, the Spurs are going to make it tough on Brunson when he ducks inside. But that won’t stop him from doing it. Brunson has proven time and time again that he is a big game player. And this is the mother of all big games. We’d be shocked if he took under 20 shots.

Brunson has also gotten the burner going early in nearly every series he’s been in with the Knicks. Dating back three postseasons to 2024, he has scored 29+ in seven straight Game 1s. That includes games of 43, 34, 43 again, 35, and 38 in that OT thriller last round against Cleveland. 25 points should be a piece of cake.

But he won’t do it himself. One of his swingman sidekicks (or both) is going to pitch in. We like Mikal Bridges to hit 15+ points at -120 odds. He has hit this mark in eight of his last nine games, averaging 18.7 points on 63 percent shooting from the field, and we like his matchup against the Spurs wings.

OG Anunoby has also been consistent, hitting the 15-point benchmark in nine of his 12 playoff games this year, though his odds are a bit pricier at -165.

Best Bets

• Jalen Brunson to Score 25+ Points (-130)
  
• Mikal Bridges to Score 15+ Points (-120)