The New York Knicks' long championship drought is over. After beating the San Antonio Spurs 124-113 on Tuesday night, they are champions in the third edition of the annual NBA Cup Tournament.
It has been a long time since New York reached the mountaintop. The franchise last won a championship in 1970 and 1973, beating the Los Angeles Lakers in both NBA Finals series.
While the NBA Cup is not the NBA Finals, it is nonetheless a remarkable achievement for the Knicks. Competing with San Antonio all night throughout the contest in Las Vegas, they used a big 35-19 outing in the fourth quarter to pull away with the win and the NBA Cup title for the first time in franchise history.
How Knicks played against Spurs in NBA Cup
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) shoots the ball over San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) in the second half during the Emirates NBA Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
It is a moment that Knicks fans will remember for a long time. Not only that, but they will also look forward to what's in store for the team for the rest of the 2025-26 NBA season.
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Beating the Spurs was big, especially as New York dealt with challenges from Victor Wembanyama, De'Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, and Stephon Castle throughout the matchup. Despite that, the Knicks persevered to earn the win and the NBA Cup this year.
Rebounding and inside scoring made the difference in this matchup. The Spurs prevailed in both categories by securing 59 rebounds and scoring 56 points inside the paint. It wasn't the same for the Spurs as they grabbed 42 rebounds and produced 44 points inside the paint.
Seven players scored in double-digits for New York in the win. OG Anunoby led the way with 28 points, nine rebounds and three assists. He shot 10-of-17 from the field, including 5-of-10 from beyond the arc, and 3-of-5 from the free-throw line. Jalen Brunson came next with 25 points and eight assists, Karl-Anthony Towns had 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Jordan Clarkson put up 15 points. Meanwhile, Tyler Kolek provided 14 points, five rebounds and five assists.
In the meantime, New York will resume regular-season play. The team boasts an 18-7 record on the season, holding the second spot in the Eastern Conference standings. They are three games above the Toronto Raptors and 3.5 games above the Boston Celtics while trailing the Detroit Pistons by 2.5 games.
The Knicks will look forward to their next matchup, being on the road. They face the Indiana Pacers on Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. ET.