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Jalen Brunson leads the Knicks against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs in Tuesday\u2019s NBA Cup Championship.<\/p>\n
LAS VEGAS \u2013 The journey of the Emirates NBA Cup 2025<\/a> initially twisted through 28 cities, made some turns both sharp and unexpected, had some surprises and reached some dead ends. The defending NBA champs did not survive, nor did the current Eastern Conference leader, nor the defending Cup champions.<\/p>\n It\u2019s just the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks who lived to tell, who will either add to their productive seasons with one more victory, or be left to wonder \u201cWhat if?\u201d should they stumble.<\/p>\n Oh, and there\u2019s money on the line, too, at Tuesday\u2019s championship.<\/p>\n The third installment of this early-season tournament has returned to the desert with different personalities this time. The Spurs are up-and-coming, boosted by beating the Oklahoma City Thunder, which was fortified by the return<\/a> of their alien, Victor Wembanyama. That win generated debate about top-ranked OKC gaining a rival<\/a>, although Wemby asked for patience.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not quite there yet,\u201d he said, \u201cit\u2019s not like we\u2019re the second seed right now. I don\u2019t think anybody right now can claim to have a rivalry with them in the league. They\u2019re in their own tier. But in the future if we can provide a stage this good and we reach that level, of course it would be great to have a rivalry because if you\u2019re at the top and you have a rivalry, it means you\u2019re in the best position to win titles. I\u2019m very interested by it.\u201d<\/p>\n The Knicks are a bit less awed by their presence in the Cup final. They\u2019re an anxious team sitting on the fence of being a championship contender, wondering which way a nudge from the Cup championship game will push them.<\/p>\n Unless something freakish happens and disrupts logic, this should be a suspenseful, tightly-contested and certainly heightened game, given the stakes and the strengths of each team.<\/p>\n The Knicks are an Eastern elite, burned from playoff failures of the last few years, now swollen with confidence that This Could Be The One. The Spurs are the upstarts, hoping to earn the moniker of being a contender, pushing their limits here in a season where much has gone their way.<\/p>\n Speaking of that, to clarify: Wemby answered in his first language the other day about the brand of basketball the Spurs play \u2014 \u201cpure and ethical\u201d \u2014 and some took it out of context, suspecting he was knocking the Thunder. Here is his expounded English answer:<\/p>\n \u201cIn modern basketball we see a lot of brands that don\u2019t offer much variety in the dangers they pose to the opponents. Lots of isolation ball. Sometimes kind of forced basketball. We try to propose a brand of basketball that can be described as more old school sometimes, the Spurs\u2019 way, as well. It\u2019s tactically more correct basketball.\u201d<\/p>\n So there, eloquently said.<\/p>\n Anyway, on to the factors for this Cup title game.<\/p>\n Matchups<\/p>\n There are two in particular that should command center stage and serve as big factors in the outcome:<\/p>\n Wembanyama vs. Karl-Anthony Towns. Because of the league\u2019s lack of centers who command a hefty role in scoring on their team \u2014 only a handful apply \u2014 this is a delicious competition between two who can be aggressive and at times be the first option of the Spurs and Knicks. Unlike Towns, Wemby is still growing his offensive game. He\u2019s a work in progress, a scary thought considering he dropped roughly a point a minute Saturday against the defensive-minded Thunder. Like Towns, Wemby can stretch his game and must be respected when he gets 20 feet from the rim.He\u2019s also 7-foot-5.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not going to be able to guard a guy like that 1-on-1,\u201d said Knicks coach Mike Brown, who was either being truthful or issuing a challenge to Towns, or maybe both. \u201cBecause of his size and skill-set, nine times out of 10 he\u2019s going to miss because he misses.\u201d<\/p>\n Just the same, checking Towns with a lone defender is a most risky strategy, if not an impossible one. He\u2019s at home at the 3-point stripe and has the girth to score off the dribble and into the paint.<\/p>\n But here\u2019s a twist \u2014 Towns\u2019 defense has been superb lately. And Wemby might be the best defensive player in the league. That\u2019s why this matchup is intriguing, because it won\u2019t be confined to one end of the floor.<\/p>\n Brunson vs. the Spurs guards. Brunson is an aggressive and relentless player with the ball. He\u2019s always looking for the angles, always trying to make contact with the defender, always trying to gain leverage any way possible and rarely suffers from a lack of confidence when he misses shots. That\u2019s why he\u2019s averaging 28.8 points, once again establishing himself in a small elite class of NBA scorers (seventh currently) and why he will likely be a handful no matter whom the Spurs toss his way.Good news for the Spurs \u2014 they have options. De\u2019Aaron Fox is quicker than Brunson and can score. Stephon Castle has been the most impactful Spur throughout the NBA Cup games. And Dylan Harper is so poised and mature for a rookie.<\/p>\n Yes, they must deal with Brunson, but the Knicks also must deal with them.<\/p>\n What\u2019s at stake for the Spurs<\/p>\n This is a stepping stone opportunity for a team that appears to be ahead of schedule in its development and blueprint. Remember, the Spurs were 34-48 last season, obviously missed the playoffs, and yes, much had to do with Wemby missing a chunk of it following a deep vein thrombosis.<\/p>\n Still, there\u2019s an accelerated flavor with these youthful Spurs, who announced their arrival in an emphatic way on opening night, when they backhanded the Dallas Mavericks, and have surged since \u2014 even without Wemby, out three weeks with a calf strain.<\/p>\n Aside from veteran Harrison Barnes, a champion with the Warriors, the vast majority of players in the rotation have never won anything in the NBA. OK, sure, Fox lit the beam a few times in Sacramento. Otherwise, meh.<\/p>\n So a victory Tuesday reaffirms that San Antonio is on the move and will command a measure of respect in the West. A loss doesn\u2019t cause much concern in the big picture. The Spurs are sort of happy to get this far, yet realize they belong as well.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know that this is a process,\u201d Fox said, \u201ca long process. We\u2019re continuing to get better. Some would say we\u2019re a little bit ahead of schedule, but I think we\u2019re right where we need to be.\u201d<\/p>\n What\u2019s at stake for the Knicks<\/p>\n They\u2019re playing for a championship. That alone is newsworthy in a Big City that celebrates first round playoff wins by dancing in the Manhattan streets. And considering the Knicks haven\u2019t won an NBA championship since 1973, well, the NBA Cup would sound nice enough. They may even hang a banner in the Garden.<\/p>\n \u201cWe feel like we deserve to be here,\u201d said Brown. \u201cWe want to take advantage of being here by going out and trying to get this win.\u201d<\/p>\n As for the meaning of a Cup title for their psyche, it do a measure of wonder for a team with big aspirations and a new head coach. And also for a team that feels the East is up for grabs. The Knicks are right in the mix and can use a Cup title as a receipt. Obviously, the Knicks want to sip champagne in June. A win Tuesday can go a little ways into help making that somewhat realistic. It gives the Knicks a bit more cred, a seat at the debate.<\/p>\n The Knicks win if \u2026<\/p>\n New York musters up the defense, which the Knicks are fully qualified and capable of doing; the Knicks are allowing the third-fewest points per game. OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges are athletic wings who can get physical if necessary (especially OG) and guard the perimeter. That\u2019s why it\u2019s hard to trick the Knicks into mismatches.<\/p>\n Towns has been solid, too, especially on the glass. If the defense can force turnovers and contain the quickness of the Spurs\u2019 guards, especially Fox, this could fall New York\u2019s way in a hurry.<\/p>\n The Spurs win if \u2026<\/p>\n Wemby makes the most of his limited playing time. The Spurs realize there\u2019s something at stake in this game, but at the same time, Wemby will play for just the second time since the calf strain. The minutes restriction will be in effect. They\u2019re not taking any chances, nor should they.<\/p>\n Or, maybe they won\u2019t need to push him, if his teammates respond the way they did through much of his absence.<\/p>\n Shaun Powell has covered the NBA since 1985. You can email him\u00a0here<\/a>, find\u00a0his archive here\u00a0<\/a>and\u00a0follow him on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n