It’s said that everything’s bigger in Texas. The New York Knicks certainly hope revenge is included on that list.

The Knicks finally know who they’ll face in the upcoming NBA Finals after the San Antonio Spurs took a 111-103 decision from the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night’s Western Conference Finals finale.

San Antonio’s victory in the winner-take-all Game 7 thus creates a rematch of the 1999 Finals, which saw the Spurs win the first championship in franchise history by a 4-1 tally. That’s the last time the Knicks fought for the Larry O’Brien Trophy, but they’re back in the closing act after an active 11-game winning streak tore through Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Cleveland on the other side of the bracket.

There are plenty of storylines beyond the late spring sequel: the series will also be a rematch of the NBA Cup finale, which saw the Knicks earn in-season glory with a 124-113 comeback victory in Las Vegas.

With the Knicks and Spurs meeting in the Finals, the NBA will crown a new champion for the eighth consecutive season, extending a league record. The Spurs are going for their sixth Finals win and first since 2014. A win for the Spurs would also be their first without either Duncan or longtime head coach Gregg Popovich in tow. The Knicks, on the other hand, are seeking to end a 52-year drought, having gone without since 1973’s five-game victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Similar to the 1999 showdown, San Antonio also carries a touted top draft pick and a scary interior threat. Unlike the Tim Duncan/David Robinson pairing, this Spurs group carries both dangers in one man, as Victor Wembanyama will be making his Finals debut. Critics believe that the Knicks’ towering tandem of Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson (provided the latter is ready to go after reports of an injured pinky finger emerged earlier this week) may be the perfect antidote for the French phenom.

In addition to the Knicks’ Sin City triumph, the two sides split their annual interconference couple this season. Each side successfully defended its home floor: the Spurs took a 134-132 decision on New Year’s Eve while the Knicks put up a 114-89 shellacking at Madison Square Garden thanks in part to a 25-point outing from Mikal Bridges.

The Spurs and Knicks have played some thrilling classics since Wembanyama and Jalen Brunson took their respective posts as franchise faces: before the ball dropped in Times Square, for example, a 36-point outing from Staten Island native Julian Champagnie allowed the Spurs to overcome a late injury to Wembanyama.

In 2024, Bridges etch himself into Knicks Christmas lore: despite Wembanyama exploding for 42 points and 18 rebounds at MSG, 41 from Mikal Bridges allowed the Knicks to take a 117-114 holiday haunt. Nine months prior, Brunson flirted with the Knicks’ single-game scoring record with a 61-point tally but Wembanyama’s 40-tally, 20-board double-double gave San Antonio a 130-126 overtime win.

Game 1 of the series is set for Wednesday night in San Antonio. View the full schedule below …

(2) San Antonio vs. (3) KNICKS

  • Game 1 (@ San Antonio): Wednesday, June 3, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC
  • Game 2 (@ San Antonio): Friday, June 5, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC
  • Game 3 (@ New York): Monday, June 8, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC
  • Game 4 (@ New York): Wednesday, June 10, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC
  • *Game 5 (@ San Antonio): Saturday, June 13, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC
  • *Game 6 (@ New York): Tuesday, June 16, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC
  • *Game 7 (@ San Antonio): Friday, June 19, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC

(*—if necessary)