The Spurs have one game circled on their schedule more than any other

The Spurs have an interesting slate of games to kick off next season, but their most important test before the All-Star Break comes on Christmas Day. They're set to face off against the defending champion Knicks in the first rematch of the 2026 NBA Finals.

Last summer, nobody would've guessed that a Spurs vs. Knicks rivalry would be one of the hottest in the league, but here we are. Even though their championship matchup was quick, ending in five games, you could feel the intensity from start to finish. Each game came down to the wire, decided by a few crucial fourth-quarter decisions.

There's something beautiful about this rivalry: a young up-and-coming group eager to avenge their Finals loss against a team led by seasoned playoff veterans. The Spurs have a chance to prove their offseason additions were worth it, and that opportunity is already the best early Christmas Day gift they could receive.

The Spurs can put their clutch execution to the test

The biggest difference between the two groups in that Finals series was late fourth-quarter execution. After years of playoff disappointments, the Knicks had all the experience they needed to dominate in the clutch. That's a major difference from the Spurs, whose rotation was filled with players who just had their first taste of postseason basketball.

Christmas Day should be different. San Antonio will be more seasoned with a long list of options to turn to in deciding moments. Dylan Harper, Victor Wembanyama, and Stephon Castle are set to make big offensive leaps next season, and new additions like Tobias Harris can act as reliable complementary pieces.

The Spurs' coaching staff should be even sharper with their decision-making. Mitch Johnson will be accompanied on the sideline by Hall of Famer Billy Donovan, so lineups and play-calling won't be as much of an issue as in the Finals.

Of course, this seems like a lot for just a regular-season game. But no team exposed the Spurs' clutch shortcomings quite like New York, so this Christmas Day battle is the perfect checkpoint for how far they've come in that area.

Wemby can exact his revenge against the best defense he's ever faced

I'm interested to see what the new and improved version of Victor Wembanyama looks like against a Knicks defense that slowed him down in the Finals. During that series, they did an amazing job keeping him out of the paint, forcing him to settle for jump shots.

Christmas Day will be the perfect opportunity for him to show his growth as a scorer. How well does he respond to their physicality? Will he be able to master his spots better than last season? Those questions will be answered in due time.

San Antonio can get off to a red-hot start next season, but nothing will silence critics more than them beating the Knicks. Luckily, they did the work this summer to make that happen.

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