Knicks vs. Spurs Game 1 Prediction, Odds, Props: NY Storms into NBA Finals
The NBA Finals tip off in the Lone Star State with the San Antonio Spurs hosting the New York Knicks, winners of 11 straight games.
For Game 1, Caesars Sportsbook lists the Spurs as 4.5-point favorites, with the total set at 218.5 points.
Savvy bettors can check out our Knicks vs. Spurs Game 1 prediction, betting odds analysis, and player prop picks to get insight into the series opener.
Knicks vs. Spurs Game 1 odds
| Point Spread | Total (Over/Under) | Moneyline |
| Knicks +4.5 (-110) | Over 218.5 points (-110) | Knicks (+155) |
| Spurs -4.5 (-110) | Under 218.5 points (-110) | Spurs (-185) |
Road to the finals
The Knicks have won 11 straight games, sweeping their last two series en route to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999. New York lost that series in five games ... against the Spurs.
Meanwhile, Victor Wembanyama led San Antonio past the defending champion Thunder in seven games in the Western Conference finals. It's the Spurs' sixth trip to the finals during this millennium.
Knicks vs. Spurs Game 1 betting analysis: NY has a tall task facing Wemby
Victor Wembanyama was very solid in the last round, and the Knicks have a tall task guarding the 7-foot-4 star. OG Anunoby and the Knicks' two 7-footers, Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson, will be tasked with that. Robinson has a finger injury, and while he intends to play, he will be a game-time decision.
In the last series, Wemby averaged 31 points per game in the four wins and 22.3 in the three losses.
Knicks were just 1 of 2
The Knicks were just one of two teams to beat the Spurs twice in the regular season. New York lost a close one on the road, crushed them at home, and beat them in the finals of the NBA Cup.
Offense vs. defense
The Knicks have been scoring in a big way during their win streak. However, led by Wemby protecting the rim, the Spurs rank third in defensive efficiency. New York's playoff opponents, the Hawks, Cavaliers, and 76ers, ranked 10th, 15th, and 17th, respectively.
Castle has another tough matchup
Stephon Castle (19.2 ppg) is the second leading scorer for the Spurs in the playoffs, and while his offense will be needed, his defense may be more important. In the last series, he was great on D, guarding MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and will be the primary defender on Knicks’ star Jalen Brunson, who is averaging 26.9 ppg in the playoffs.
San Antonio's backcourt is facing a bigger beast
The solid Spurs backcourt with Castle, Dylan Harper, De'Aaron Fox, and Devin Vassell got it done in the last series, taking advantage of the smaller Oklahoma City backcourt. However, in this series, we will face a bigger backcourt. OK, Brunson is 6-foot-2, but Josh Hart and Mikel Bridges are 6-foot-5 and 6-foot-6, respectively.
The Knicks and the glass
New York loves to crash the offensive glass and ranks first in the playoffs with 29 points from putbacks per 100 missed shots.
Robinson is averaging only 14 minutes with 2.5 offensive boards per game this postseason. He did, however, have 10 in the NBA Cup Final victory over the Spurs.
PlayersBest prediction: Knicks +4.5
The Knicks match up well with the Spurs and beat them twice in three regular-season games. They will not come out flat as they did in the opening game of the last round, which they still won and covered the spread.
New York will give the Spurs a fight, and in what I see as a close game, the Knicks will, at least, cover the spread.
Knicks vs. Spurs player prop picks
Here are some Game 1 player prop bets we like at DraftKings Sportsbook:
- Julian Champagnie 11+ points (-101) – Champagnie is averaging 11.3 ppg in the playoffs and has scored at least 20 points in two of the last three games.
- Landry Shamet 2+ 3-pointers (+102) – Shamet has four 3-pointers in each of the last two games.
