Three Keys For the Knicks to Win the NBA Finals

Charlie Zschau Updated: Jun 10 2026 15:59

The New York Knicks are four wins away from their first NBA Championship in 53 years, but what are the keys to toppling the San Antonio Spurs?

Jalen Brunson and Knicks made light work of the Eastern Conference winning 11 straight games in the playoffs, including sweeps of the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers.

They'll matchup against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs who just dispatched the reigning champions, Oklahoma City Thunder, in seven games.

New York is cruising in the NBA Finals, but have not been nearly as battle tested as San Antonio along the way. We'll look at the keys that New York needs to unlock the Spurs and win the NBA Championship in 2026.

Josh Harts needs to knock down threes

One of the biggest keys for the Knicks in the NBA Finals will be the ability of Josh Hart to knock down outside shots. Hart is an excellent perimeter defender, and New York is going to need him in this series to help contain the explosive Spurs guards, De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper.

New York lacks in perimeter defense when Brunson is on the court, so Hart needs to stay on the floor for his ability on that end of the floor. However, the only way he can stay on the court in this series is if he knocks down his three-point shots.

Hart has shot 30.3% (20-66) from three this postseason, and that number will need to improve in the NBA Finals if the Knicks are going to have a real chance.

The Spurs will likely put Victor Wembanyama on Hart from the jump, allowing him to sag off the former college National Champion at Villanova and protect the paint at an elite level. The Spurs will likely guard Hart similar to how they guarded Alex Caruso in the Western Conference Finals. The Thunder won three games and lost in overtime during the four games that Caruso shot over 40% from three.

With Wemby backing off Hart, the Knicks will really need him to knock down some perimeter shots at a respectable clip to pull the French big further out of the paint to contest shots, opening driving lanes for Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and OG Anunoby.

If Hart is not shooting well, then the Knicks will have to rely on Landry Shamet and Miles McBride on the offensive end and sacrifice some defensive intensity on the other side of the ball.

KAT must stay out of foul trouble

Karl-Anthony Towns is an elite offensive weapon for the Knicks against anyone, but he'll have to reduce the number of fouls he picks up in order to really help his team.

KAT has had 4+ fouls in seven of New York's last eight playoff games, and Mike Brown has had to take him off the floor on multiple occasions due to getting in foul trouble early. Brown cannot afford to take KAT off the court against the Spurs, particularly with the uncertain health of Mitchell Robinson, who broke his pinky after the Eastern Conference victory over the Cavaliers.

Robinson will not be 100% in this series if he plays at all, so the Knicks need KAT's size on the floor. New York has no real depth at the big-man position beyond Towns and Robinson, and OG Anunoby or Ariel Hukporti playing the five is not a realistic option against Wembanyama and San Antonio.

The Knicks not only need KAT on the floor offensively to stretch the floor, but also need his size to help win the possession battle on the boards. KAT is a good rebounder and his ability in that area will be crucial if, again, Robinson is not fully healthy.

Jalen Brunson must be the best player in the series

Jalen Brunson has been crucial to the Knicks' success since he was signed in 2022, and has led this team back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. As beloved as Brunson already is, he still needs to put his cape on and be the hero in the NBA Finals to be cemented in Knicks history forever.

Brunson has led the Knicks in scoring this postseason, putting up 26.9 points and 6.6 assists per game so far. With Wembanyama patrolling the defensive paint for the Spurs, Brunson will need to live in the mid-range and get the offense going before the Frenchman can contest or block his shots down low.

Brunson's footwork and size make him an elite mid-range scorer, and he will need to carry the offense on his back for periods in this series to keep the Knicks within striking distance in close games. Wemby has the ability to diminish belief in opposing offenses, but if Brunson can start to cook, then the rest of the team will follow.

Brunson is the spiritual leader of this team, and his confidence is infectious. If he can be the best offensive player in the series and get his mid-range jumpers falling early, then rest of the Knicks will believe that they can all score against this elite Spurs defense.