The NBA Playoffs have delivered in a major way. In the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs remain locked into a competitive series to determine which team goes to the NBA Finals. Out East, the New York Knicks swept the Cleveland Cavaliers to reach the Finals for the first time since 1999.

With the NBA Finals on the horizon, there’s much debate about whether or not this year’s version will actually be competitive. Thunder-Spurs has been dubbed the “real NBA championship” by plenty of fans and media outlets – fire that’s only fueled New York’s dominant run.

The conversation has led to a market mispricing that benefits those who truly believe in the Knicks’ chances of raising their first banner since 1973. There are three big reasons why now is the time to back the Knicks to win the 2026 NBA Finals.

Knicks NBA Finals Series Prices

There are still two ways that the NBA Finals could play out. Series odds are provided by BetOnline.

Scenario 1: Knicks vs. Thunder

  • Knicks win series: +252
  • Thunder win series: -310

The Knicks are substantial +252 underdogs ahead of their potential series with the Thunder. Oklahoma City has been the title favorite since this time last year, when it won the 2025 NBA Finals. It’s not especially surprising to see Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s squad on top.

Scenario 2: Knicks vs. Spurs

  • Knicks win series: +207
  • Spurs win series: -250

Oddsmakers give the Spurs slightly less of an edge over the Knicks than the Thunder, but they’re still heavily favored at -250. Despite having one of the youngest rosters in the league, San Antonio has rolled into the Western Conference Finals behind a handful of stellar performances from Victor Wembanyama.

Reason 1: New York’s Postseason Dominance

The biggest reason to back the Knicks to win it all? Have you seen the way they’ve played lately?

Since going down 2-1 to the Atlanta Hawks in the first round, New York has gone a perfect 11-0 to close out the Hawks and sweep both the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers. It’s not like the Knicks have barely squeaked by in those games, either. Just look at the results of each contest:

  • Game 4 at Hawks: Won 114-98 (+16)
  • Game 5 vs. Hawks: Won 126-97 (+29)
  • Game 6 at Hawks: Won 140-89 (+51)
  • Game 1 vs. 76ers: Won 137-98 (+39)
  • Game 2 vs. 76ers: Won 108-102 (+6)
  • Game 3 at 76ers: Won 108-94 (+14)
  • Game 4 at 76ers: Won 144-114 (+30)
  • Game 1 vs. Cavaliers: Won 115-104 (+11)
  • Game 2 vs. Cavaliers: Won 109-93 (+16)
  • Game 3 at Cavaliers: Won 121-108 (+13)
  • Game 4 at Cavaliers: Won 130-93 (+37)

During this stretch, the Knicks have averaged 122.9 points while limiting opponents to just 99.1 per game. Most notably, three of their four most lopsided victories have come in the closeout games of each series. Winning elimination games so handily is an excellent sign that New York can handle whatever comes its way.

Let’s put things into perspective, though: Over this 11-game stretch, the Knicks’ point differential is the highest in NBA playoff history. Should they go on to win the title, New York’s run would almost certainly be considered one of the greatest of all time.

One last thing worth touching on here: The Knicks’ two losses this postseason each came by one point apiece. The Hawks won Game 2, 107-106, and Game 3, 109-108. Otherwise, New York has essentially been perfect.

Are the Thunder and Spurs a cut above anything the Knicks have seen thus far? Absolutely. But at this point, there’s little reason to doubt that New York can at least hold its own against whichever team represents the West in the NBA Finals.

Reason 2: Regular Season Matchups

The West is thought to be the superior conference, but the Knicks played relatively well in their head-to-head matchups against the Thunder and Spurs during the regular season. We’re seeing in the playoffs that regular-season matchups only matter so much, but there are still some takeaways to work with here.

vs. Thunder

  • March 4 vs. OKC: Lost 103-100
  • March 29 at OKC: Lost 111-100

New York went 0-2 against Oklahoma City this year, but both games were fairly competitive. The Thunder led for the vast majority of each contest and ultimately came out on top, but Jalen Brunson performed well, scoring 32 points in one game and dishing 15 assists in the other. Karl-Anthony Towns was also impressive in each, averaging 16 points and 17.5 rebounds.

vs. Spurs

  • Dec. 16 vs. SAS: Won 124-113 (NBA Cup Championship)
  • Dec. 31 at SAS: Lost 134-132
  • March 1 vs. SAS: Won 114-89

The Knicks went 1-1 against the Spurs during the regular season, and they also defeated them in the NBA Cup Championship, 124-113. New York has had trouble defending Wembanyama – as most teams do – but it kept San Antonio’s other stars relatively quiet in its pair of victories, which bodes well for its chances of success in a potential playoff series.

While the Knicks didn’t exactly look like world-beaters across the board in their five meetings with the Thunder and Spurs this season, they did enough to show that they can compete. New York is also playing its best basketball of the year right now, and this squad will be well-rested compared to whichever team survives the Western Conference gauntlet.

Reason 3: Value Favors the Knicks

Knowing what we know about this Knicks run, one would expect the NBA Finals series price to be fairly tight. Instead, the opposite is true. And while New York currently has shorter odds (+210) than San Antonio (+265) to win the title, it still feels like too much credit is being given to Oklahoma City (+115).

Yes, the Thunder have been terrific all year, and it took them until the Western Conference Finals to actually lose a playoff game. There’s real concern about Jalen Williams’ ability to stay healthy, though, and although Oklahoma City still stands, the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, and Spurs have all exposed genuine flaws in their system.

On the flip side, the Knicks proved capable of upending San Antonio earlier this season and may not be the worst matchup for Wembanyama’s side. The Spurs were in the midst of an 11-game winning streak when New York beat them on March 1, and San Antonio followed up the loss by winning 19 of its next 21. That makes it clear that what the Knicks did wasn’t a fluke.

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Final Thoughts

It’s not hard to understand why New York isn’t favored in either potential series. But that only makes this team more appealing to bet while the markets favor the Thunder and Spurs. The Knicks are in the midst of a historic run, and until proven otherwise, they’ve earned the right to be considered legitimate contenders to win the NBA Finals. 

*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.