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The New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs play Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals tonight at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
New York enters on an 11-game winning streak after sweeping both the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers. Mike Brown’s squad has been resting since finishing the Eastern Conference Finals on May 25.
Despite their rest advantage, public opinion shifted after Victor Wembanyama's impressive performance in the West. Three-time NBA champion Danny Green had initially predicted the Knicks would win the series in six games.
He re-evaluated that choice after Wembanyama and the Spurs beat the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in a physical seven-game series. Green, who helped the Spurs reach back-to-back NBA Finals in 2013 and 2014, pumped the brakes publicly after that.
"I know before the series I predicted Knicks in six, but I'm going to say yellow light," Green said on ESPN's SportsCenter. "This Spurs team has grown. They look a lot more mature. Wemby has arrived. They look ready."
Danny Green is putting the brakes on his Knicks in 6 prediction
He gave a YELLOW LIGHT to New York winning it all because "this Spurs team has grown, they look a lot more mature. Wemby has arrived, they look ready." pic.twitter.com/7oJJWRqU6b
He kept his original forecast of Knicks in six. But his "yellow light" remak signaled some real doubts. And there is a serious reason behind this concern.
Stephon Castle, 21, averaged 19.2 points, 6.7 assists and 4/9 rebouns over 18 playoff games while drawing primary defensive assignments on both Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Wemby, 22, won the Western Conference Finals MVP award unanimously. Over the seven games against Oklahoma City, he averaged 27.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.4 steals, and 2.7 blocks.
He began the series with 41 points and 24 rebounds in a double-overtime Game 1 win and finished it with 22 points and seven rebounds in Game 7.
This isn't a one-man show anymore. Green knows it. The rest of the league is starting to catch up soon when the series kicks off.
More NBA News:
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- Victor Wembanyama at center of chaos as one professional wrestler fires back over MVP disrespect claim
- Victor Wembanyama receives bold Knicks reality check from this NBA legend and it’s interesting
- The surprising reason one Knicks star finds it ‘cool’ if Victor Wembanyama guards him
- Why NBA's choice of Scott Foster and Tony Brothers for Finals is already dividing fans
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