The NBA Finals are finally here. The New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs tip off a best-of-seven series that, for Knicks fans, carries 53 years of weight.
New York fought through the Eastern Conference, winning 11 straight games to get to this stage. But Game 1 brought a couple of headaches before the ball even went up.
The Knicks won the season series against San Antonio 2-1, including the Emirates NBA Cup Final, so there is mutual familiarity between these two teams.
That said, playing in San Antonio in the Finals is a completely different animal, and a veteran reporter confirmed what most people already suspected about the atmosphere.
Least Knicks-Friendly Crowd of the Postseason
GettyKnicks Dealt Early Setback as Finals Clash With Spurs Gets Underway
NBA insider James L. Edwards III noted on X ahead of tipoff, “As expected, definitely the least Knicks-friendly crowd of their postseason run.”
All postseason, Knicks fans traveled in huge numbers, practically turning opposing arenas into a second Madison Square Garden. That road advantage is gone now, and the Spurs’ crowd knows it.
The Spurs went 6-3 at home during the 2026 playoffs with a fanbase that has been waiting a long time to cheer for something like this again. New York has fed off crowd energy all postseason. Tonight, every big Spurs run is going to feel louder than anything the Knicks have faced so far.
Mitchell Robinson’s Free Throw Form and Hand Injury
The bigger concern, though, is Mitchell Robinson. What was first reported as a finger injury turned out to be a fractured fifth metacarpal in his right hand, and Robinson had surgery before the Finals. He is available to play, but NBA reporter Stefan Bondy flagged something during warmups that will have Knicks fans nervous: “No noticeable difference in Mitch’s free throw form.”
That is a problem. Robinson shot just 40.8% from the free throw line in the regular season, and that number dropped to 30.2% in the 2026 playoffs. Opponents have already been deploying the “Hack-a-Mitch” strategy to disrupt New York’s rhythm.
Now, with a surgically repaired hand and no visible adjustment to his form, that number could get worse.
Robinson will probably have to wear a big protective brace on his right hand in order to shield it from the kind of high-impact plays that are usual in his position, like blocks and rebounds.
He is averaging 14.2 minutes per game after Karl-Anthony Towns‘ backup. Against Victor Wembanyama, each minute of trustworthy frontcourt depth is a big deal.
The Knicks have handled everything thrown at them this postseason, so neither problem is a dealbreaker. But a crowd that wants Knicks to lose and a Robinson who cannot get to the line reliably are two things San Antonio will absolutely look to exploit from the opening tip.
Knicks Get Bad News as Expected Finals Advantage Disappears Vs Spurs