An Alien Stands in the Way of Big Apple Revival

Few stories over the last several years have been bigger than the revival of the New York Knicks after decades of incompetence and largely uncompetitive basketball. One story that has overshadowed it, however, is that of French phenom Victor Wembanyama and his rapid ascent to dominance. 

On the heels of San Antonio’s impressive, ahead-of-schedule Western Conference triumph, it will enter Wednesday’s Game 1 as a -200 favourite to win the title, with New York coming back as a +165 underdog.

The relatively narrow odds and expectation of a protracted series, with seven (+190) and six (+225) games the most likely series length, are a reflection of two impressive postseason runs to this point.   

San Antonio overcame the physicality and experience of a Timberwolves team that had made back-to-back Western Conference Finals in a straightforward six games. The Spurs and Wemby then laid claim to an era expected to be owned by the Thunder, with the Defensive Player of the Year winning Western Conference Finals MVP on the back of two-way dominance. 

NBA oddsmakers expect further hardware to follow, with Wemby entering the NBA Finals as a -190 favourite to win Finals MVP. Jalen Brunson, at +210, follows him, but despite the massive gap to the third favourite (Karl-Anthony Towns at +1800), he hasn't gotten New York here alone.

The Knicks ride an 11-game win streak into Wednesday, due in part to an all-hands approach. Brunson has continued his multiple-year stretch of being a playoff riser, but he’s benefitted from Towns playing some of the best basketball of his career in a newfound facilitator role, Mikal Bridges contributing with two-way impact, and OG Anunoby maintaining his standard of hellacious defense and knockdown shooting.  

With Wembanyama making a definitive case as the best player in the world now, Brunson and the Knicks will need to continue to get contributions from their entire rotation, as they have throughout the playoffs. New York basketball has been revitalized, but to reach the mountaintop for the first time in 53 years, it needs to hold off an Alien invasion. 

Click here to see all NBA Finals odds at BET99.

Odds as of June 2, 2026.