San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks (NBA): odds and bets 14.06.2026

The match is Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals. It kicks off on 14 June at 01:30 UK time. The series sees the New York Knicks leading 3-1, so the Spurs are playing at home with their backs against the wall: win or be eliminated.

It’s a game with a huge psychological burden. San Antonio are coming off a 107-106 loss in Game 4 after squandering a massive lead, whilst the Knicks arrive with the chance to clinch their first title since 1973. When it comes to betting, I’d clearly separate two things: the Spurs’ home advantage and the incredible momentum the Knicks are riding.

San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs are down but not out. The team was the better of the two in the regular season, with a 62-20 record and a tremendous 32-8 home record, a statistic that explains why the bookmakers still favour them in this match despite them trailing 1-3 in the final.

San Antonio are the favourites with a handicap of approximately -5.5 points, a sign that the Frost Bank Center factor still carries significant weight.

The series, however, is sending out a worrying signal: San Antonio has had spells of dominance, but is struggling to close out games. They lost Game 1 105-95, Game 2 105-104, won Game 3 115-111 and lost Game 4 107-106. That defeat weighs heavily because they were coming off a huge lead and ended up collapsing in the final stretch.

For me, the key lies with Victor Wembanyama. If he dominates near the basket, disrupts shots, grabs rebounds and forces New York to adjust their help defence, the Spurs have a chance. But we must also consider fatigue: in Game 4 he played a lot of minutes and looked sluggish in the closing stages, something San Antonio will need to manage better.

The Spurs’ strength is clear: standout talent, height, interior defence and home-court advantage. Their weakness is also clear: decision-making under pressure. In a do-or-die game, it’s not enough to have good runs; you have to know when to slow the pace, minimise turnovers and avoid getting drawn into an emotional battle with a Knicks side that thrives on that.

New York Knicks

The Knicks are in the best possible frame of mind. They lead 3-1, are coming off the back of an almost impossible victory and have three chances to clinch the title.

Their regular-season record was 53-29, with 22-19 away from home, but that figure matters less now than what they’ve shown in these Finals: winning the first two games in San Antonio and surviving a Game 4 that looked lost.

I really like New York’s competitive structure. Jalen Brunson is the offensive linchpin, OG Anunoby is coming off a decisive finish that turned the series around, and Karl-Anthony Towns has room for improvement after a Game 4 marred by early fouls.

What I value most about the Knicks is their ability to stay resilient. In this series, they have won tight games, weathered strong runs from San Antonio and shown greater composure in close finishes. In an NBA Final, that is just as valuable as talent.

The weak point is that, away from home, they may struggle if San Antonio imposes its size and physicality from the start. Furthermore, closing out a championship is never easy: the anxiety to win the ring can set in if the game is tight in the final quarter.

Even so, right now New York looks like the more mentally stable team.