Patryk Stachowiak
The New York Knicks produced a dominant fourth-quarter surge to defeat the San Antonio Spurs 124-113 in Las Vegas on Tuesday night, clinching their first-ever NBA Cup title in emphatic fashion.
OG Anunoby led the way with a game-high 28 points, drilling five three-pointers as New York erased a late deficit and took full control down the stretch. NBA Cup MVP Jalen Brunson added 25 points and eight assists, continuing his impressive run as the Knicks extended their winning streak to six games and 10 victories in their last 11 outings. While the final does not count toward regular-season standings or statistics, the performance underlined New York’s growing momentum.
Karl-Anthony Towns contributed a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds despite missing over 12 minutes due to a left calf issue. Jordan Clarkson chipped in 15 points off the bench, while Mitchell Robinson dominated the glass with 15 rebounds, providing crucial second-chance opportunities.
San Antonio, meanwhile, struggled to maintain their earlier intensity. Victor Wembanyama scored 18 points in just 25 minutes off the bench in his second game back after missing 12 straight contests with a calf injury. Dylan Harper led the Spurs with 21 points, also off the bench, as San Antonio suffered an unofficial loss for just the fourth time in their last 14 games.
The decisive factor came in the fourth quarter, where the Spurs managed just five of 19 shooting from the field (26.3%) and were outscored 35-19. De’Aaron Fox recorded 16 points and nine assists, Stephon Castle posted 15 points and 12 assists, and Luke Kornet added 14 points, but the collective output fell short when it mattered most.
New York Knicks. Source: nypost.com. Edited photo
New York finished the game shooting 46.7% from the field, including 15 of 40 (37.5%) from three-point range. San Antonio connected on 41.4% of their shots overall and hit 14 of 39 (35.9%) from beyond the arc.
The Knicks wasted no time asserting themselves in the final stanza, opening with an 11-1 run to turn a five-point deficit into a 100-95 lead. Clarkson knocked down two three-pointers during the surge, while Anunoby added another from deep. Towns returned to the floor with 4:49 remaining, coinciding with Wembanyama’s re-entry, as New York maintained a narrow advantage.
Josh Hart’s three-pointer with just over two minutes left stretched the lead to eight, and after Harper briefly responded, Anunoby buried a corner triple to restore control at 1:56. Tyler Kolek sealed the outcome with four straight points, pushing the margin to 12 in the closing moments.
The first half had been tightly contested. Fox’s jumper with 7.1 seconds left sent San Antonio into the break with a 61-59 lead. Devin Vassell scored 12 first-half points for the Spurs, while Anunoby had 20 and Brunson 15 before halftime. Wembanyama then took over briefly in the third quarter, scoring 12 points as San Antonio led by as many as 11 and entered the fourth ahead 94-89.
In the end, New York’s composure, perimeter shooting, and defensive intensity proved decisive, securing a landmark NBA Cup triumph and reinforcing their credentials as one of the league’s most in-form teams heading deeper into the season.
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