Knicks vs Spurs First Basket Prediction & Best Bets for 2026 NBA Finals Game 2
Game 1 of the NBA Finals saw a huge comeback by the New York Knicks, who overturned a 14-point deficit in the 2nd half to take a 1-0 lead against the San Antonio Spurs. Pressure is now on the young Spurs to respond when they host Game 2 on Friday at 8:30 PM ET on ABC. Ahead of Game 2, I've prepared an NBA First Basket best bet and am ready to analyze the play for you now. Also be sure to check out our expert's Knicks vs Spurs prediction for Game 2 of the 2026 NBA Finals, along with all our NBA picks throughout the series.
Knicks vs Spurs first basket best bet: Victor Wembanyama (+280)
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing.
Having lost the series opener has put a massive dent in the title hopes of the Spurs faithful, and it would be a disaster if they went down 2-0 on Friday. I’m looking directly at Victor Wembanyama to prevent that from happening, as coming out of the gate with a sense of urgency would do wonders for the confidence of his Spurs teammates.
In order for him to get his team going, he first needs to win the opening tip, which has happened about 78% of the time this year. Wemby did not have the best of games in the opener, going just 6-for-21 from the field while New York threw multiple defenders at him – Karl-Anthony Towns being the primary assignment. As the series progresses, Wembanyama should be able to make the necessary adjustments in order to cope with all the coverages coming his way.
The Frenchman has the highest percentage of first shots out of all players on both teams (27.8%). He has actually cashed on this bet already once against the Knicks this season, when the Spurs won the first meeting 134-132 at home on New Year's Eve. In fact, Wemby has made the team’s first basket in 40% of games to this point. It’s hard to imagine him having back-to-back poor performances on the big stage; let’s hope he comes out with a fresh perspective for Game 2 and sets the tone early with a dominant presence down low.
Don't miss our expert's Knicks vs Spurs parlay picks for tonight's HUGE Game 2 at +405 odds
