Charles Barkley’s NBA Finals prediction might surprise Spurs and Knicks fans originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks cruised through different paths to book their tickets to the 2026 NBA Finals.
San Antonio endured a gruelling postseason run, defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 4-2 before outlasting defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in a brutal seven-game Western Conference Finals thriller.
Meanwhile, the Knicks breezed through the Eastern Conference Finals, sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers to earn plenty of rest before the championship round.
Adding fuel to the fire, first-year Knicks head coach Mike Brown has a crucial insider on his roster. Forward Jeremy Sochan, who played for the Spurs earlier this season before signing with the Knicks, brings deep internal intelligence to help New York scheme against San Antonio’s primary pillar, Victor Wembanyama.
Moreover, Brown, a former assistant under Gregg Popovich who won a championship with the Spurs in 2003, holds deep organisational knowledge. He has reportedly vowed to deploy every ounce of his schematic expertise to unlock a defensive blueprint aimed at San Antonio’s newly crowned Defensive Player of the Year.
Amid the championship buildup, Hall of Famer Charles Barkley went against the grain during an appearance on ESPN Radio’s Freddie and Harry. While betting markets heavily back the Western Conference champions, Sir Charles threw down a bold prediction.
He declared that the Knicks’ sheer dominance and hard-nosed physical identity will ultimately overwhelm San Antonio over a six-game series.
“I know you guys gonna be asking me this, but I’m gonna go ahead and tell you right now,” Chuck asserted. “I got the Knicks in six… I think the Knicks have been the best team in the playoffs.”
Charles Barkley is picking the New York Knicks to win the NBA Finals in 6 games
(Via @FreddieandHD) pic.twitter.com/RW2qEJLYWf
— NBA Base (@TheNBABase) June 2, 2026
He added, “They ain’t been squeaking by nobody. They’ve been kicking — and taking names. I mean, they taking lunch money, Freddie… This has been one of the great runs in NBA history. The numbers say it… They just pounding people and everybody’s playing well.”
However, bookmakers disagree with Barkley’s take. BetMGM opened with the Spurs as -210 favorites to win the title, while the Knicks sit as +170 underdogs. Additionally, FanDuel places Victor Wembanyama as the heavy -180 favorite to win Finals MVP.
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