Basketball Intelligence For 6/2/26

I preface this pick with an acknowledgement: The Knicks can win this series. If they stay red hot from 3, if they dominate the offensive glass (as they did in the NBA Cup game), and if their wings OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges can put up big numbers, they can win. The Knicks match up as well as anyone with Wemby and the best way to attack the Knicks is not the Spurs preferred style of play.

I’m just don’t believe New York can keep that going at a high enough level to win four of seven — I think the soft East has led to a perception that is not in line with reality. In the end, talent wins out in the NBA and I think the Spurs are more talented and more versatile team (especially with De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper looking healthy again the last two games against the Thunder). This team is different — better, more confident, and now battle tested — than the one the Knicks beat during the season. New York will win a couple but not enough, and the Spurs take the series.

Spurs in 6 (Nick Agar-Johnson, No Ceilings)

I think that the Knicks can win one or two games with undeniable scoring with how they’ve been playing recently (and I’ll go with two games to be safe, given the lack of playoff experience prior to this year for the frontline guys for San Antonio), but the Spurs just have too many pieces around Wembanyama for the Knicks to be able to handle—especially defensively.

Spurs in 7 (Mike Shearer, Basketball Poetry)

The Knicks can absolutely win this if they continue to never miss shots (good strategy!), but picking against Victor Wembanyama at this point would feel like contrarianism for contrarianism’s sake.

Spurs in 6 ( Scott Agness, Fieldhouse Files)

I thought they were one year away, but they’ve dethroned the previous champion and have the talent, youth, and poise for the biggest stage yet.

Spurs in 6 ( Bob Bellotti, Basketball Points)

Spurs stop NYK at the rim and from distance.

Spurs in 6 ( Jacob Sutton, JSutt Hoops)

It comes down to this in my mind: The Spurs have multiple ways to force Brunson to play at 70% capacity. The Knicks have little to no ways to force Wembanyama to do the same.

Knicks in 7 (Jake Carapella, The Shooters Bounce)

Although the Spurs are led by one of the league's elite and are confident and fear no one, New York has experienced perimeter defense (bigger than OKC) that can bother San Antonio's young guards, and an aggressive Karl-Anthony Towns can get Victor Wembanyama in foul trouble.

Knicks in 6 (Will Eudy,The Eudy Report)

San Antonio has defied every expectation to get here as one of the youngest Finals teams ever, but experience and New York’s switchable defenders will ultimately win out in the end.

Knicks in 6 (Jonathan Macri, Knicks Film School)

OG Anunoby is the best possible Wemby stopper in the league, New York's defense is playing on a string, and the 5-out look with KAT is the wild card Mike Brown can pull when he needs to juice the offense.

Spurs in 6 (Eamon Cassels, Fansided)

While the Knicks have an elite offense, generating offense against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs' stifling perimeter defense will prove to be too difficult.

Spurs in 6 ( Philip Rossman-Reich, World R Squared)

The Knicks will put up a bigger fight than people think and the Spurs must adjust to their shooting, but this is Victor Wembanyama's world. Be afraid.

Knicks in 6 (Tyler Metcalf, No Ceilings)

They have the experience, physicality, and versatility that can both deal with that of the Spurs and also dictate the style/tempo of play.

Spurs in 7 (Stephen Gillaspie, No Ceilings)

Spurs have health on their side, as well as the best player in these playoffs—not to mention that they have a slew of players who can pressure the ball out of Brunson’s hands as they did with SGA

NOTE: BI suffered a tech meltdown yesterday and lost a few submissions. Anyone who submitted for this section whose submission is missing: please re-submit & we will run it tomorrow.