Knicks Stealing Game 1 Hurts the Spurs More Than Most Realize

The potential effects of the Knicks' Game 1 win are huge for the Finals. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The way Wednesday night started, it didn't look like the Knicks would begin the NBA Finals with a win, but they persevered through their rust (and challenges from the refs) to emerge victorious. Now, New York owns a 1-0 lead in the series.

While there's a long way to go between that and the four wins required to capture the title, it gives this team a head start toward that goal. It also creates a nightmare scenario for the Spurs as they move forward.

Ripple effects of Knicks' Game 1 win are massive for New York and San Antonio

Considering the Spurs entered this series worse off than the Knicks, a Game 1 win would've bought them a little bit of breathing room. After all, they're fresh off an absolutely draining Western Conference finals that saw them even go down 3-2 to the reigning champs before ultimately prevailing in the seventh game.

Yet now, as a result of this loss, San Antonio is right back in do-or-die mode. Game 2 suddenly becomes a "must-win" because going back to New York down 0-2 will open the door for a very short series. That's a tricky spot for a young team to be in, especially since they just went through major trials and tribulations last round.

While they rose to the occasion against the Thunder, more added pressure in such a short time could cause them to break. This group has already gone through a playoff gauntlet to this point, with Game 1 being their 19th overall of this postseason.

That grind catches up to guys, whether mentally or physically. The fact that they have to work through that while also giving away a contest they were in control of will weigh on their minds and fully test their leadership.

Not only does this defeat put a drained Spurs team on their heels, but it also eliminates the home-court advantage they had over the Knicks. That was a huge edge considering San Antonio would have elimination opportunities in Game 5 or Game 7 if the stars aligned. It was also a clear chance to build some momentum for this series with their home crowd behind them.

Instead, the Spurs started off on the worst foot possible by suffering a morally deflating loss in front of their fans off the bat. And now they have to worry about which games could have elimination on the line with New York in control.

"There's no fans in the world like New York Knicks fans."@KendrickPerkins, @adaniels33, @Jumpshot8 & @TermineRadio react to Knicks chants taking over the Frost Bank Center ahead of Game 1 of the #NBAFinals.

Hear Game 1 on NBA Radio right now https://t.co/IW0WU5yeqt pic.twitter.com/seopErz6VV

— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) June 4, 2026

That aspect is particularly notable for Game 6. If the Spurs won each of their home games (1, 2, 5) in the Finals before that contest, this would then be the Knicks simply trying to stave off elimination down 3-2 at home. However, New York has now set up the alluring possibility of "Knicks in six" with this early win and being able to close things out at the Garden in Game 6.

That scenario comes into play should the Knicks win just two of the next four games. Say they lose Game 2 in San Antonio and then win both at home, they'd head into Game 5 on the road with an elimination opportunity. If the Spurs delay their exit, their reward would be heading to the World's Most Famous Arena in Game 6 and trying to win under the brightest of lights with a raucous crowd that smells blood with New York up 3-2 in that timeline.

Though San Antonio has shown serious fight these playoffs, it's easy to see this youthful core crumbling under the pressure of a Game 6 on the road, and their postseason lives at stake. The fact that the Knicks thrive with the MSG crowd behind them makes the concept of this series needing a Game 6 even more promising for New York's title chances, assuming the team gets two more wins to set it up.

Considering how this loss deals a huge blow to the Spurs' morale, forces them to go into survival mode so soon again, and creates the possibility of the Knicks winning the title at home in Game 6, the effects of Game 1 are going to be felt the rest of this series.