By James Edwards III, Darnell Mayberry, Mike Prada and Jared Weiss

A 15-3 run to start the fourth quarter powered the New York Knicks to a 124-113 win over the San Antonio Spurs to win the third annual NBA Cup on Tuesday night in Las Vegas.

OG Anunoby led the Knicks with 28 points, while Jalen Brunson added 25 points while earning the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award. But the game turned in that early stretch of the fourth quarter thanks to significant contributions from New York’s bench. Veteran guard Jordan Clarkson scored 15 points, second-year guard Tyler Kolek chipped in with 14 and center Mitchell Robinson dominated the glass to the tune of 10 offensive boards (and 15 overall) in just 18 minutes.

The Spurs built a lead in the third quarter behind guards De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, then got a flurry of points from superstar Victor Wembanyama, who was on a 25-minute limit in his second game back from a calf injury. But their offense bogged down in the fourth quarter, as they scored just 19 points in the frame and just six points in the final three and a half minutes.

The win marked the Knicks’ sixth straight and 10th in their past 11, though the game technically does not count toward the NBA regular-season standings. Despite that, Tuesday’s victory was a statement that the Knicks belong in the NBA championship discussion and are the most big-game tested team near the top of the Eastern Conference standings.

New York entered the NBA Cup quarterfinals just 3-6 away from Madison Square Garden. But behind Brunson and timely contributions from their bench, the Knicks turned the corner in the NBA Cup.

They secured a 16-point road win against the Toronto Raptors in the quarterfinals and rode Brunson’s season-high 40 points in the semifinals to defeat the Orlando Magic by 12 in their building. Tuesday, the Knicks assembled a gritty win by outlasting a Spurs team that defeated the previously dominant Oklahoma City Thunder in the other semifinal and controlled the finale for much of the contest.

New York closed with enough force — a dominant 35-19 fourth quarter — that now leaves no doubt the Knicks are for real.

“What fans we’ve got, love you guys.”

Mike Brown shouts out all the traveling fans who made it to Las Vegas for their Emirates NBA Cup Championship game 🏆 pic.twitter.com/YNWooWJXAD

— NBA on Prime (@NBAonPrime) December 17, 2025

Knicks’ depth delivers historic NBA Cup win

If you thought the Knicks were top-heavy, think again.

New York didn’t win the NBA Cup because Brunson was the best scorer on the planet, which he’s capable of being. The Knicks didn’t win because Karl-Anthony Towns shot the ball like we know he’s capable of. Mikal Bridges wasn’t spectacular. Josh Hart has had better games.

The Knicks won because of heroics from the bench. Tyler Kolek, a second-round draft pick last season, scored double digits off the bench. Jordan Clarkson hit huge 3 after huge 3. Mitchell Robinson dominated Victor Wembanyama on the offensive glass.

New York needed something from everyone to raise its first banner since 1973. Yes, the Knicks are going to hang a banner inside MSG, because everyone on the team agrees that when you work for something, you honor that.

The Knicks entered the conversation as a legitimate NBA title contender by beating the Spurs, the team that took down the almighty Oklahoma City Thunder for a spot in the final.

New York doesn’t need Giannis Antetokounmpo. It doesn’t need to make a big trade. It needs to see if what it has is as real as it appeared Tuesday night. — James Edwards III, Knicks beat writer

Spurs falter late as Knicks clamp down

The Spurs played well most of the night, as their three guards pushed the pressure on defense and pace on offense. This was looking like the ideal Spurs game in their newfound identity, even if Wembanyama was struggling. But when they got to crunch time, the Knicks defense tightened up, and the Spurs couldn’t create good offense.

This was a fresh look at the Spurs’ optimal closing lineup of their three point guards, Devin Vassell and the big guy, which did not look capable of creating 3s against a locked-in defense. Wembanyama did not have a path to creating good shots for himself and was out of position a lot on defense.

This was a good test for the Spurs’ contention aspirations, but they did not meet the moment. They aren’t far from being ready for high-level basketball, but they have more work to do. — Jared Weiss, Spurs beat writer