Watch the NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs starting Wednesday on ABC 7
NEW YORK (WABC) -- The last time the New York Knicks made the NBA Finals, the San Antonio Spurs were the opponent and just happened to have a generational big-man talent who was heading to the title round for the first time.
Déjà vu. Back then for the Spurs, it was Tim Duncan. This time for the Spurs, it's Victor Wembanyama. Here they go again - San Antonio vs. New York is the matchup for the 2026 NBA Finals, a Spurs team looking to return to basketball's mountaintop for the sixth time and a Knicks team looking for its first championship in 53 years.
The Knicks stormed through the Eastern Conference, winning 11 consecutive games by an average of 23.8 points to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.
The Spurs ended the Oklahoma City Thunder's hopes of becoming the first team since the Kevin Durant-led Golden State Warriors of 2017 and 2018 to win back-to-back titles.
Channel 7 is also your home for the NBA Finals.
On Wednesday, ahead of Game 1, we'll have the Countdown to Tip-off at 7:30 p.m. That's followed by NBA Tip-off at 8:00 p.m., and then Game 1 starts at 8:30 p.m.
Plus, Ryan Field, Sam Ryan, and Anthony Johnson will all be on the road in San Antonio. You can watch their reports on Eyewitness News.
For Knicks fans in New York City and around our area, a chance to see their team in the NBA Finals is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
It is no doubt going to be electric for Game 3 at the Garden -- but there are evidently some fans who can't wait until then.
Some fans made the trip to San Antonio to catch Game 1 and caught up with Anthony Johnson:
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York City Economic Development Corporation President & CEO Jeanny Pak announced that the New York Knicks' 2026 postseason run has generated an estimated $202 million in economic activity from home games played so far.
As the Knicks return to the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years, the postseason has the potential to generate a total of $465 million in economic activity if all possible home games are played.
"New Yorkers have been waiting 27 years for this moment," said Mayor Mamdani. "I've watched this team from the nosebleeds, from my couch with my family and alongside neighbors across this city. Millions of New Yorkers have done the same from living rooms, restaurants, barbershops and street corners in every borough. When the Knicks win, New York comes alive. And as these numbers make clear, that energy supports small businesses, workers and neighborhoods that make New York what it is. Go Knicks."
Watch parties will be held Wednesday night both inside and outside Madison Square Garden and at SummerStage, an outdoor venue in Central Park.
$10 tickets for the indoor watch party went on sale on the official Madison Square Garden website at 11 a.m. Tuesday and sold out in a matter of minutes. The watch party tickets then started appearing on the secondary market.
They were sold by exact seat and section like a typical Knicks game, though traditional courtside seating is not set up at the Garden for watch parties. Proceeds are going to the Garden of Dreams Foundation.
In addition to the indoor watch party, fans can also attend a free watch party outside MSG at Plaza33.
Game 1 is set to start at 8:30 p.m., and doors at the Garden open at 7:30 p.m.
The Knicks also are hosting a free outdoor watch party at SummerStage. Fans must fill out a registration form to attend, and the event was quickly listed "at capacity" with guests "welcomed at a first come, first served basis and walk-ins are welcomed."
The NYPD stopped issuing permits for watch parties outside the Garden during the Eastern Conference Finals because of unruly fan behavior.
Hours before Game 1 of the NBA Finals, fans across the five boroughs were scrambling to secure last-minute tickets, stock up on team merchandise, and find a place to watch what many hope will be the start of a championship run.
The excitement comes with a hefty price tag.
A quick look at ticket sites showed seats for Game 1 in San Antonio starting around $700. For Games 3 and 4 at Madison Square Garden, however, prices have skyrocketed into the thousands. Some tickets were listed between $3,000 and $5,000, while premium seats topped $50,000.
Across the city, signs of Knicks pride are impossible to miss. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has transformed several subway station entrances with orange-and-blue railings. The agency even replaced traditional globe lights with basketball-themed designs as part of the city's celebration.
Fans also rushed to grab spots at official watch parties.
Tickets for a watch party inside Madison Square Garden sold out within minutes after becoming available. Some fans said the online waiting queues had more than 100,000 people.
Tickets were also available for a free watch party in Central Park, but those are now sold out.
After a decades-long drought, the Knicks are seeking redemption. Their last NBA Finals appearance came in 1999, when they lost to the San Antonio Spurs in five games.
Fans across the city are gearing up for the series, grabbing last-minute hats and jerseys as they get ready to cheer on the team.
Game 1 tips off on ABC 7 at 8:30 p.m. Thursday.
Earlier this week, Mayor Mamdani was joined by a group of preschoolers at City Hall, where he signed an executive order pushing bedtime later so New Yorkers of all ages could stay up and watch the game.
