After more than half a century, the Knicks can finally call themselves champions after winning the NBA Cup in Las Vegas on Tuesday night. Sure, it is not the Larry O’Brien trophy (just yet), but Madison Square Garden can make room for the NBA Cup banner.
The Knicks defeated the Spurs 124-113 in the final to cement their place in the league’s annals, and they earned their latest achievement the hard way, as they had to mount a rally late in the third period to seize the advantage for good.
Before last night’s final, the Knicks took the top spot in East Group C before eliminating the Raptors and Magic in the knockouts. Meanwhile, the Spurs reached this far by taking the top berth in West Group C before dispatching the Lakers and Thunder in the previous rounds.
In case you missed it, here are some of the key takeaways, courtesy of SBOTOP.
Brunson named tournament MVP
One of the biggest takeaways from yesterday’s NBA Cup final is that Jalen Brunson is built for the big moments. The two-time NBA All-Star deservedly won tournament MVP (over LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo) for leading the Knicks to their first Cup triumph.
Against the Spurs, Brunson notched 25 points, four rebounds, and eight assists on 11-for-27 shooting from the field. He also logged the most minutes in this match at 41 minutes, a testament to his endurance and moxie, especially since he was tasked with fending off the Spurs’ three-headed monster of Stephon Castle, De’Aaron Fox, and Dylan Harper. More than his individual production, Brunson had a team-high +15 in plus-minus.
During the previous knockout rounds in the Cup, Brunson dropped 35 points against the Raptors and 40 points against the Magic. Overall, Brunson never scored below 25 points and shot an ultra-efficient 46-per cent on three-pointers.
Brunson didn’t have to do it alone against San Antonio, as OG Anunoby led New York in scoring with 28 points to go along with nine rebounds, three assists, and five three-pointers on 10-for-17 shooting from the field. Karl-Anthony Towns played through a calf knock and produced 16 points, 11 rebounds, and two steals on 6-for-12 shooting. Fellow starters Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges added 11 points apiece.
Unsung heroes take over late for the Knicks
The Knicks won’t win the Cup without the help of their second unit. And last night, it was the trio of Mitchell Robinson, Tyler Kolek, and Jordan Clarkson who provided the much-needed boost.
Robinson provided quality minutes off the bench by producing four points, 15 rebounds, two assists, and two blocks in 18 minutes. Clarkson had 15 points, including back-to-back three-pointers early in the final period to give New York the lead for good. Kolek added 14 points, five rebounds, and five assists. More importantly, he became a reliable secondary ball-handler behind Jalen Brunson.
It was only fitting that Brunson hugged Robinson, Clarkson, and Kolek right after the final buzzer, and the former made sure to give them their flowers. Given that the winning team of the Cup receives $500,000 per person, those reserves had more financial incentive than the higher-paid starters.
Making the final – let alone winning the Cup – typically bodes well for the teams who have made it this far. The previous four finalists – Lakers, Pacers, Thunder, and Bucks – also made the postseason. The Pacers made the Eastern Conference Finals in 2024 (and reached the finals last season), and the Thunder won the Larry O’Brien trophy last term.
Back to the drawing board for the Spurs
The Spurs weren’t supposed to make it this far, but they did after defying the NBA 2025 odds in the previous round, handing the Thunder their second loss of the campaign during the semi-finals. They eventually ran out of gas against the Knicks, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying.
Dylan Harper and Victor Wembanyama came off the bench and led the team in scoring with 21 and 18 points. De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Luke Kornet, Devin Vassell, and Harrison Barnes chipped in 16, 15, 14, 12, and 11 points, and had their fair share of NBA 2025 highlights.
Before the game, it was revealed that Wembanyama learned of his grandmother’s passing, so he was emotional during the press conference. Still, the 21-year-old Frenchman should be commended for doing everything in his power to try to lead San Antonio to a trophy.
The Spurs will view their Las Vegas experience as a foundation to build for later, especially as they’re vying for their first playoff appearance since 2019.
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