With the Knicks leading the 2026 NBA Finals 2–0 and Game 3 already decided at Madison Square Garden, the fight for Finals MVP is still unsettled. Add in Karl-Anthony Towns’ early hype, OG Anunoby’s steady offense, Jalen Brunson’s scoring run through injury, an
By the time Madison Square Garden lights up again, the 2026 NBA Finals MVP race won’t be waiting for anyone.
It’s been wide open since the opening stretch—wide open enough that New York’s first punch can still be answered, wide open enough that San Antonio doesn’t need a miracle story, just another swing at home.
The series is between the Knicks and Spurs, and it’s now three games in. New York started fast with a pair of road wins to take a 2–0 lead. Karl-Anthony Towns became an early focal point for MVP hype. with his defense on Victor Wembanyama and his role as a facilitator in the Knicks’ offense. OG Anunoby has also taken some of the Wembanyama assignment and has been New York’s most reliable offensive weapon. And then there’s Jalen Brunson—fighting through injury and very physical play from San Antonio—averaging over 27 points through the first three games. even with the kind of heavy shooting volume that comes with that kind of grind.
Game-by-game, the tension has stayed tight:
Game 1 on Wednesday, June 3 at Front Bank Center ended with Knicks 105, Spurs 95.
Game 2 on Friday, June 5 at Front Bank Center ended with Knicks 105, Spurs 104.
Game 3 on Monday, June 8 at Madison Square Garden ended with Spurs 115, Knicks 111.
The next night the series turns toward is Wednesday, June 10 at Madison Square Garden, with the result listed as TBD.
If the Spurs come back from this point and win after taking Game 3 at Madison Square Garden, it will almost certainly be on the back of Wembanyama. In that Game 3 performance, he put up 32 points with eight rebounds, six assists, and three blocks.
That stat line matters because it links the two most urgent questions fans can’t stop asking right now: who can carry San Antonio when the spotlight is brightest, and who can turn New York’s early advantage into the kind of dominance voters remember.
The schedule keeps stacking pressure. All games during the series have tipoffs listed at 8:30 p.m. ET, and ABC is set to broadcast every game of the series.
After Game 3:
Game 4 is Wednesday, June 10 at Madison Square Garden (TBD).
Game 5 is Saturday, June 13 at Front Bank Center (TBD).
Game 6, if necessary, is Tuesday, June 16 at Madison Square Garden (TBD).
Game 7, if necessary, is Friday, June 19 at Front Bank Center (TBD).
The MVP conversation is also moving on its own timeline. The Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP award—named for the groundbreaking Celtics legend in 2009—has been given to some of the greatest players in league history. Michael Jordan has six wins. Magic Johnson has three. and both Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Larry Bird have two each among the 12 multi-time winners.
The list of winners since 2000 includes all-time greats, but also some surprises and controversial selections. That’s part of why this race has the feeling of a coin flip, even with New York ahead.
After all, New York stole home court advantage from the Spurs by winning two road games to start the series. And yet, all three games have been very competitive down the stretch. The Knicks still have the edge entering Game 4—but if San Antonio wins Game 4 at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday. it would effectively take back home court and set things back to where they started. with a three-game tilt to decide the title.
There’s also a specific kind of history at stake. Teams have come back from down 2–0 to win the NBA Finals. but no team has done so after losing the first two games of a series at home. Monday night is why this young San Antonio squad feels capable of brushing aside that history and pulling it out anyway.
Who ends up lifting the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP trophy? You’ll have to wait through the next week to find out.
And if you think you already know who’s next, the real test starts now: how fast can you name every NBA Finals MVP since 2000?
2026 NBA Finals Knicks vs Spurs NBA Finals MVP Karl-Anthony Towns OG Anunoby Jalen Brunson Victor Wembanyama Bill Russell Award Madison Square Garden Front Bank Center