How to watch Knicks vs. Spurs in Game 1 of NBA Finals for free

It’s game time.

The NBA Finals kick off tonight, with the New York Knicks facing off against the San Antonio Spurs. And given it’s the Big Apple team’s first time making it to the finals since 1999, New Yorkers are (in some cases quite literally) painting the town blue and orange.

What: New York Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs, Game 1
When: June 3, 2026, at 8:30 p.m. ET
Where: Frost Bank Center (San Antonio, Texas)
Channel: ABC
Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)

While the Knicks emerged victorious over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals on May 25, the Spurs’ full seven-game series against defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder just ended on May 30.

With anticipation building, read on for everything you need to know to stream the first finals game in the knick of time.

The NBA Finals kick off on June 3, 2026, at 8:30 p.m. ET, with the first New York Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs game.

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to catch all the action.

DIRECTV is our top pick for watching the NBA live for free — its five-day free trial includes ABC (plus every other channel you’ll need for the rest of the highly anticipated finals). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $44.99/month and get access to over 90 live channels.

Another option? Sling’s TV Orange Pass. Starting at $4.99, you can sign up for 1-day, 3-day, or 7-day passes to access all Sling TV Orange has to offer, including ESPN and ABC. (There’s also a monthly option, if you want to ensure you’ll be able to watch the rest of the postseason games seamlessly.)

Basketball player in white and orange jersey shoots over opponent in black jersey. — The Knicks last played on May 25, while the Spurs won the Western Conference on May 30.

The Knicks vs. Spurs playoff schedule is as follows:

Game 1: Wednesday, June 3, 2026 at 8:30 p.m. ET (in San Antonio)
Game 2: Friday, June 5, 2026 at 8:30 p.m. ET (in San Antonio)
Game 3: Monday, June 8, 2026 at 8:30 p.m. ET (in New York City)
Game 4: Wednesday, June 10, 2026 at 8:30 p.m. ET (in New York City)
Game 5 (if necessary): Saturday, June 13, 2026 at 8:30 p.m. ET (in San Antonio)
Game 6 (if necessary): Tuesday, June 16, 2026 at 8:30 p.m. ET (in New York City)
Game 7 (if necessary): Friday, June 19, 2026 at 8:30 p.m. ET (in San Antonio)