2026 NBA Finals Game 5 Best Bets (June 13): Spurs Favored, But the Value Is on the Knicks

Well, Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals was certainly an exciting one the other night. With that improbable win, the New York Knicks can clinch the franchise’s first NBA Championship in 50+ seasons with a win over the Spurs in San Antonio. But will it happen in Game 5? Or will it be Game 6 or 7?

(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

As easy as it would be to discount the Spurs at this point, San Antonio is going to make things hard for them. They are even favored to win despite facing elimination. Chances are it’s a sign of respect for the Spurs, but I can’t help but wonder if the Knicks are a little insulted.

Anyway, let’s take a look at the odds and discuss how this game may play out.

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2026 NBA Finals: Game 5 Odds

• Spread: New York Knicks +5.5 (-112) | San Antonio Spurs -5.5 (-108)
• Moneyline: New York Knicks +160 | San Antonio Spurs -192
• Total: O/U 216.5 (-110/-110)

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

The best question regarding this game may not be how the Spurs can win or whether the Knicks will close out the series, but how San Antonio can come back from a historic, epic collapse in Game 4.

At the half, it looked like the outcome was all but decided. San Antonio had held the Knicks to just 49 points in the first half. They built a 29-point lead, made an NBA Finals-record 14 3-pointers in the first half (more than the Knicks attempted), and committed just two turnovers.

With how well they’d been playing, a win seemed inevitable. But then the second half happened. The Knicks wasted no time chipping away at the lead, getting it down to 15 heading into the final quarter.

San Antonio couldn’t get out of their own way, looking nothing like the team that had dominated the first half. In the third, they committed five turnovers and made only four shots. Yet, despite how poorly they had played, they stretched the lead back out to 20 early in the fourth.

But with an incredible performance by Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, and the rest of the Knicks, San Antonio blew that lead and lost. Talk about disheartening, right? How in the world does a team overcome such a monumental collapse in just two days? Knicks fans are hoping they don’t.

Spurs fans are hoping Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and De'Aaron Fox can pull through and make a miracle happen.

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My 2026 NBA Finals Game 5 Predictions:

San Antonio has been here before, facing elimination in the playoffs, especially in the NBA Finals. Over the years, they’ve survived elimination 37% of the time, winning in 20 games while losing in 34. In the NBA Finals, history has been a little kinder (1-1). But if they are going to face elimination, their best shot is at home, where they are 15-12 in such games.

As easy as it would be to ride with the Knicks at this point, we have to keep two things in mind: (1) San Antonio is not getting blown out. They have been competitive in every game and led for longer than the Knicks (significantly in some games) in every game but one.

The Knicks just happened to hold the lead when it mattered most, at the end, more often than not. But why did that happen? Because (2) the Knicks made one or two plays when they mattered most to steal Games 2 and 4. Despite all of the mistakes they’ve been making, the Spurs could be ahead had just a few plays gone a different way.

Spread Prediction: Back the New York Knicks

Of course, at the same time, the Knicks deserve all the credit in the world for not laying down when defeat looked inevitable. San Antonio didn’t just make mistakes; the Knicks capitalized on them.

What’s my point?

I do not believe we are going to see the Spurs give up. We’ll get a solid performance out of them in Game 5 in front of their hometown fans. However, the Knicks are not going to back down. They’ll do anything and everything in their power to close this series out. It is going to be another close, hard-fought game that could come down to whoever makes the clutch play in the closing moments of the game.

• My Pick: New York Knicks +5.5 (-112, DraftKings)

That's why I have to take the Knicks and the points. I’m hoping the series continues with another game and would love to see it go to 7. San Antonio can make it happen, but the Knicks are playing too well for the Spurs to win big. If the Knicks do not win this one outright, they will not lose by more than five points.

My Alternate NBA Finals Game 5 Picks:

• New York Knicks ML (+160, DraftKings)

This market may have the most value I’ve ever seen. With how well the Knicks have played and how many mistakes the Spurs keep making, I expected New York to be favored in this game. But since they aren’t—take advantage of the moment.

Now, I expect the Spurs to come out guns blazing in this one. They'll do everything possible to win and extend the series. I can see them pulling it off and sending the series back to Madison Square Garden (where the Knicks will undoubtedly be favored). But given how both teams have been playing, I can just as easily see New York closing out this series.

• NBA Finals MVP, OG Anunoby (+210, DraftKings)

This wager is not specific to the game, of course. But if the Knicks close this series out with a win in this game, Anunoby will be critical to making that happen. His defensive play will be crucial, but what I think will turn voters to him and away from Jalen Brunson will be a hot night from 3-point range like he had in Game 4 (7-9).

Opponents made 36% of their 3-point attempts against the Spurs in San Antonio (18th in the league). So, if Anunoby heats up, has another big night, and the Knicks win, he’ll deserve Finals MVP honors.