NBA Daily Digest: Spurs Take Game 1, Knicks' Win Streak Ends at 11

The NBA Finals opened at San Antonio's Frost Bank Center last night, and the Spurs made their statement in Game 1 — ending the New York Knicks' historic 11-game playoff win streak and taking a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 is Friday in San Antonio.

The San Antonio Spurs beat the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals on Wednesday night, June 3, ending New York's remarkable 11-game postseason winning streak. 1

Victor Wembanyama, 22, delivered in his NBA Finals debut, as he has throughout this postseason run. The 7-foot-4 center was the catalyst for San Antonio's victory at the Frost Bank Center, fulfilling the prophecy he made on the night of the 2023 Draft Lottery when he told reporters: "I'm trying to win a ring ASAP so… be ready." 2

Mitchell Robinson (C, Knicks) did play, as confirmed before tip-off by ESPN's Shams Charania. 3 Robinson had surgery on a fractured fifth metacarpal in his right hand following the Eastern Conference Finals, and his return to the floor for Game 1 was considered a major development for New York's frontcourt against Wembanyama.

The loss is New York's first in the 2026 playoffs. Going in, the Knicks had won 11 straight — sweeping both the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers en route to the Finals — and carried a +262 point differential over that stretch, the largest in any 11-game span in NBA history, regular season or playoffs. 1

The series is a rematch of the 1999 NBA Finals, when San Antonio beat New York in five games. 4 The Spurs came in as the top seed in the West (62-20) and clear series favorites, while the Knicks (53-29) were widely viewed as the emotionally driven underdog carrying 27 years of Finals drought on their shoulders.

Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson compared Jalen Brunson's offensive game to the SGA he just defended against: "They exhaust every possession in terms of looking for advantages and taking opportunities of undisciplined defense. They are as advanced as anybody in the league in terms of manipulating, dictating and taking up angles." 1 It was Stephon Castle who got the primary defensive assignment on Brunson, having just spent seven games holding the forearms of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the WCF.

The rebounding battle will be one to track all series. The Spurs were the NBA's top defensive rebounding team in the regular season, yet the Knicks dominated them on the glass in both regular-season wins — fueled by Mitchell Robinson's offensive rebounding and Karl-Anthony Towns's ability to punish smaller defensive matchups from the perimeter. 5

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Trump at Game 3. President Donald Trump plans to attend Game 3 at Madison Square Garden on Monday, June 8, per four league sources speaking to The Athletic. Trump, a native New Yorker, was previously invited by Knicks governor James Dolan. The last sitting president to attend an NBA game was Barack Obama in 2015. 6

Terry Rozier salary ruling. Rozier will forfeit most of his $26.6 million salary for the 2025-26 season after an arbitrator ruled he violated his NBA contract through his alleged role in a sports gambling scheme during his time with the Charlotte Hornets. Rozier has pleaded not guilty. His attorneys are asking the court to modify his release conditions so he can pursue future NBA employment. 7

Giannis trade picture. With the Finals underway, executives around the league continue to position for the summer's biggest potential trade. The Miami Heat remain the leading suitor for Giannis Antetokounmpo, per multiple reports — their package of Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, multiple first-rounders, and pick swaps is believed to still be on the table. The Warriors are no longer considered realistic players, and one executive told the Miami Herald the Knicks are not expected to pursue Giannis after their Finals appearance. A deal is not expected until closer to the draft. 8

LeBron to the Warriors? Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer reports the Lakers have high hopes for the summer without LeBron James, and that James's path forward is a sign-and-trade to Golden State, where he would pair with Stephen Curry on a two-year deal at the non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($30.8M over two years). Nothing has been finalized and James is still a Laker under his current deal. 9