It’s not precisely what long-suffering New York Knicks had been ready for, however it’s a begin. The Knicks received the NBA Cup, a midseason championship, within the match’s third yr, after defeating the San Antonio Spurs at T-Mobile Arena.
According to ESPN, the New York staff rallied from behind within the fourth quarter to beat the Spurs 124-113 and win the Emirates NBA Cup Championship. The Knicks haven’t received an NBA Championship since 1973, however this soothes the soul slightly because the title hopes for the present season look nice, particularly after narrowly missing the NBA Finals in 2025.
The MVP was the staff’s chief, Jalen Brunson, who scored 25 factors, with OG Anunoby main all scorers with 28. But even the gamers, albeit completely happy for the victory, know there may be nonetheless a lot to do.
“This is nice and we’re going to get pleasure from this,” Brunson mentioned. “But as soon as we go away tomorrow, we’re shifting on.”
The excellent news for the New York franchise is that because the midseason match started three years in the past, each staff that has performed within the finals has made the playoffs that season (the Los Angeles Lakers, the Indiana Pacers, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Oklahoma City Thunder). Last season’s Cup champions, the Thunder, went on to win the 2025 NBA Finals.
“This is a single-elimination match once you get to a sure level, so each sport counts,” New York coach Mike Brown mentioned. “There was stress on each sport in case you anticipate to be who you suppose you might be. When you’re capable of have success, it breeds confidence in all people within the group.”
Not solely do the winners have bragging rights, however their pockets are leveled up with the successful purse. Everyone with a typical contract was rewarded with an additional $318,560 for successful, bringing the overall to $530,933 for reaching the ultimate.
As nice because the victory is for the franchise, they’ve acknowledged that though they did obtain a banner for the sector, they’ll not be raising it, at the very least not but. But there shall be a celebration for the followers at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 19.
The Knicks are 18-7, presently atop the Atlantic Division, and No. 2 within the Eastern Conference behind the Detroit Pistons, who’re 21-5.
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