{"id":338774,"date":"2025-12-10T05:52:07","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T05:52:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/338774\/"},"modified":"2025-12-10T05:52:07","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T05:52:07","slug":"jalen-brunson-sounds-off-fans-erupt-as-knicks-reach-nba-cup-semifinals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/338774\/","title":{"rendered":"Jalen Brunson Sounds Off, Fans Erupt As Knicks Reach NBA Cup Semifinals"},"content":{"rendered":"

The New York Knicks<\/a> punched their ticket to the Emirates NBA Cup Semifinals with a 117-101 win over the Toronto Raptors<\/a>, controlling the game with efficient scoring and balanced play. New York set the tone early, matched Toronto\u2019s physicality, and pulled away behind strong performances from its core players<\/a>.<\/p>\n

JALEN BRUNSON WAS COOKIN\u2019 IN TORONTO!<\/p>\n

35 PTS
6-9 3PM
13-19 FGM<\/p>\n

The Knicks will play the Magic in the @emirates<\/a> NBA Cup Semifinals on Saturday \ud83d\udc40 pic.twitter.com\/wjmEXwzZiw<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NBA (@NBA) December 10, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Jalen Brunson<\/a> led the Knicks with 35 points, three rebounds, four assists, zero steals, and one block on 68.4 percent shooting and 66.7 percent from three. Josh Hart<\/a> added 21 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals, and zero blocks while shooting 72.7 percent from the field and 57.1 percent from deep. Karl-Anthony Towns<\/a>\u00a0delivered 14 points, 16 rebounds, one assist, one steal, and two blocks on 36.4 percent shooting and 50.0 percent from three.<\/p>\n

\u201cMan when this Knicks team is clicking they are so much fun to watch,\u201d wrote a fan on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For the Raptors<\/a>, Brandon Ingram<\/a> was the standout with 31 points, six rebounds, six assists, two steals, and zero blocks on 61.1 percent shooting and 60.0 percent from three. Jamal Shead<\/a>\u00a0followed with 18 points, three rebounds, eight assists, one steal, and zero blocks on 40.0 percent shooting and 36.4 percent from deep. Finally, Scottie Barnes<\/a>\u00a0contributed 13 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals, and zero blocks on 33.3 percent shooting and 16.7 percent from three. It was arguably his worst game of the season as the Raptors took their fourth straight loss (15-11).<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t even try to win games anymore,\u201d one Raptors fan wrote<\/a>. \u201cWe just try to not make it look bad. Raptors are falling off a cliff and it\u2019s sad to see.\u201d<\/p>\n

With the win, the Knicks advance to face the Orlando Magic in the NBA Cup Semifinals, setting up a high-stakes matchup between two rising contenders. New York enters the next round riding impressive momentum, having won eight of its last nine games with a dominant point differential that continues to grow.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an opportunity to win something,\u201d said Brunson on the NBA Cup<\/a>. \u201cI\u2019m happy with the way we played, and the way we fought. We knew their energy was gonna be different today, and we just found a way to slow them down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even amid trade talks involving Giannis Antetokounmpo<\/a>, Jalen Brunson has kept his focus on the court, where he is delivering his best season yet at 28.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.0 blocks per game on 46.1 percent shooting (35.9 percent from three).<\/p>\n

\u201cBrunson had everything on a string tonight. Elite shot-making, pace control, and those pull-ups were pure cruelty,\u201d one fan wrote<\/a>. \u201cIf he keeps this rhythm, the Magic-Knicks semifinal is going to be a show.\u201d<\/p>\n

To take the Knicks to the NBA Cup finale, he\u2019ll have to continue this pace for the rest of the week and play up to his usual standards. That shouldn\u2019t be a problem for the All-NBA guard, who has led his team to the second-best record in the East<\/a>\u00a0(17-7).<\/p>\n

With the Boston Celtics<\/a>\u00a0lurking, this was a crucial win for the Knicks that has solidified their place as Finals contenders. Tonight was a well-balanced and collaborative team effort that showcased what this group can be at its best.<\/p>\n

Still, the job is far from over. After today\u2019s win, the Knicks will have to beat the Magic and then at least one more team before they can claim victory. Of course, that\u2019s not to mention their ambitions for the real postseason, where they aim to compete for a championship.<\/p>\n

As the field narrows and the spotlight intensifies, the Knicks now find themselves with a real chance to make something meaningful out of this tournament run. They have the rhythm, the confidence, and the continuity needed at this stage, and the next challenge will reveal whether they can keep elevating when the stakes rise again.<\/p>\n