liveUpdated 2m agoFollow our live coverage of tonight's Game 1 of the NBA Finals as New York and San Antonio battle for the Larry O'Brien TrophyThe Athletic NBA TeamJune 3, 2026 at 2:35 PM EDTVictor Wembanyama celebrates advancing to the NBA Finals. Getty ImagesKnicks vs. Spurs Game 1 — LatestIn search of their first championship since 1973, the New York Knicks square off against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.The Spurs are seeking their sixth title, having won their first against the Knicks in 1999. Time: 8:30 p.m. ETWatch: ABCStream: Fubo (Stream Free Now!)Share your thoughts: live@theathletic.comBrunson sparked Knicks' run to the Finals Getty ImagesWe're running out of superlatives to describe Jalen Brunson's domination of his playoff opponents.Brunson was heroic in helping the Knicks erase a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to the Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, unstoppable in a tide-turning, 39-point performance against the Hawks in Game 5 of the first round and deadly efficient in Game 1 of the second round in dismantling the 76ers with 35 points on 66.7 percent shooting from the field.He's also been remarkably consistent. Brunson has averaged more than 25 points and six assists per game in each of the Knicks' series and was the Knicks' most efficient player in offensive rating across New York's playoff run.Brunson earned Eastern Conference finals MVP in a unanimous vote and should be the Spurs' top priority.Knicks enter Finals on 11-game winning streak Getty ImagesThe Knicks are catching fire at the perfect time.After falling behind the Hawks 2-1 in the first round of the playoffs, New York has won 11 straight games. That includes the three games to close out Atlanta and sweeps of giant-slayers Philadelphia and Cleveland to win the Eastern Conference.The wins have been convincing, too. Here's a look at the Knicks' margin of victory in their win streak:Game 4 against Hawks: won by 16Game 5 against Hawks: won by 29Game 6 against Hawks: won by 51Game 1 against 76ers: won by 39Game 2 against 76ers: won by 6Game 3 against 76ers: won by 14Game 4 against 76ers: won by 30Game 1 against Cavaliers: won by 11 in overtimeGame 2 against Cavaliers: won by 16Game 3 against Cavaliers: won by 13Game 4 against Cavaliers: won by 37Not bad for a No. 3 seed that has yet to appear in an NBA Finals this century.How the Knicks got here Getty ImagesThe New York Knicks are riding one of the most impressive runs in playoff history.If it weren’t for CJ McCollum and the Hawks winning a pair of games by a combined two points, the Knicks would be unbeaten in these NBA playoffs. After being down 2-1 to the Hawks, the Knicks rallied to win their first-round series in six games.Then, in May, the Knicks went 8-0, sweeping the Philadelphia 76ers and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Their series-clinching games were won by 30-plus points each, and their average margin of victory in these playoffs is a whopping 19.3 points per game.It’s been 27 years since the Knicks last made the Finals. This team feels different with a cohesive unit of players, eager to win an NBA championship for New York City. NBA will have new champion for eighth straight year Getty ImagesThe collapse of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference finals ensured the continuation of a fascinating trend in the NBA: the absence of back-to-back champions.The winner of this year's NBA Finals will be the eighth different champion since the Golden State Warriors won their second consecutive title in the 2017-18 season. Eight franchises have won those titles, a staggering fact for a league that has been shaped by dynasties like the Boston Celtics, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Chicago Bulls and the Warriors.The trend speaks to the NBA's parity and optimism around the league, but it also underscores the challenges of building a consistent powerhouse team in today's NBA.Series schedule Getty ImagesThe NBA Finals are upon us, and given the excitement of this series, fans may need a breather to extend this epic matchup. Here is the NBA Finals schedule (time ET):Game 1: Today (8:30 p.m.)Game 2: Friday (8:30 p.m.)Game 3: Monday (8:30 p.m.)Game 4: Wednesday (8:30 p.m.)*Game 5: June 13 (8:30 p.m.)*Game 6: June 16 (8:30 p.m.)*Game 7: June 19 (8:30 p.m.)Sure, no one wants a tardy Uber driver. Even worse is a loquacious one. East coasters are about efficiency. Get in and get out. Preferably, don't make eye contact. In fact, I have been slow to write this blog post because an Uber driver continues to distract me with questions. A conversation at this moment is the opposite of what I want. But this man, whoever he may be, is the exception. For these glorious pipes, I would be five minutes late to every dinner. The one rule in society that overrides all else is as follows: Sing like no one is listening.My only critique is that he failed to get out of the car to dance like no one was watching — even if the entire internet has now witnessed what true joy looks like.Tonight's venue: Frost Bank Center Getty ImagesThe first two games of these NBA Finals (and a potential Game 7) will take place in San Antonio. That’s because the Spurs have home-court advantage in this series thanks to their better regular-season record (62-20) than the Knicks (53-29).Frost Bank Center is the home of the Spurs. It opened in October 2002 and offers one of the most electric atmospheres in the NBA.The capacity is 19,000. Subscribe to The Athletic The AthleticOne of the busiest sports months EVER is officially underway.The Stanley Cup Final, of course, is underway with Vegas winning Game 1. Meanwhile, the MLB and WNBA seasons are ongoing, and the Women’s College World Series and college baseball postseason are in full swing.And we’re just a handful of days away from the start of the 2026 World Cup in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, the biggest sports tournament in world history.There’s only one place that will have you covered through it all, and that’s right here at The Athletic. And you’re in luck — you can subscribe, on an exclusive offer here so you never miss a moment.Join the conversation! Getty ImagesThese NBA Finals are rife with compelling storylines.Who is going to win Finals MVP? Which Knicks player will defend Victor Wembanyama? Can Jalen Brunson continue his stellar play?We’d love to hear all your thoughts, opinions and predictions ahead of what should be a fantastic series.Email us at live@theathletic.com, and we will take the most superb submissions and publish them in our live coverage.Get typing, basketball fans! Let’s see what you have to say. How to watch the NBA Finals Getty ImagesThe NBA Finals will be broadcast by ABC. Mike Breen (play-by-play), Richard Jefferson (analyst), Tim Legler (analyst) and Lisa Salters (sideline reporter) will be on the call. What time does Game 1 start? Getty ImagesGame 1 of the NBA Finals tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET., 7 p.m. local time in San Antonio.That is 5:30 p.m. PT or 1:30 a.m. in the U.K. Welcome to our live coverage! Getty ImagesGreetings, basketball fans! Welcome to The Athletic’s live coverage of tonight’s NBA Finals Game 1 between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs.This is it. The final series of this 2025-26 NBA season. What a glorious matchup we have to close out the playoffs.The New York Knicks haven’t won the NBA title since 1973. New York City is blossoming with Orange and Blue Knicks fever, supporting its basketball team.The Spurs haven‘t captured the NBA championship since 2014. A star in Victor Wembanyama is becoming a global sensation before our very eyes.It’s going to be a compelling NBA Finals, no doubt.Follow our live coverage pregame through to tip off, play-by-play commentary during the game and extensive postgame analysis. We will also have correspondents embedded with some of the Knicks fan watch parties tonight in New York City.