Knicks lift NBA Cup with dominant fourth quarter to beat Spurs 124-113

The New York Knicks finally did it. More than five decades after their last piece of silverware, they lifted the NBA Cup, defeating the San Antonio Spurs 124-113 in a high-energy final that carried history, redemption, and plenty of emotion. It was the same franchise that denied them a title in 1999, and this time, the outcome flipped.

Rafters, lookout. Another banner is on the way. (Later edit: no, it is not)

OG Anunoby led the charge with 28 points, Jalen Brunson added 25, and Karl-Anthony Towns chipped in 16 points and 11 rebounds in a game filled with lead changes and clutch moments. The difference was the fourth quarter, where the Knicks completely took control, outscoring the Spurs 35-19 and sealing the trophy with authority.

Victor Wembanyama had been a problem in the third quarter, scoring 12 of his 18 points in that stretch. Over the final three minutes of the period, he strung together a pair of threes, an alley-oop, and a smooth 20-foot jumper. His second three at the 2:07 mark pushing the Spurs to an 92-81 lead, their largest of the night. But that momentum did not last.

The Knicks refused to fold. Jordan Clarkson and Tyler Kolek drilled consecutive threes to halt the surge, and Brunson’s running layup late in the quarter trimmed the deficit to five heading into the fourth. From there, the game turned one-sided.

“OG Anunoby, Tyler Kolek, Jordan Clarkson, Mitchell Robinson, they played their ass off tonight. Without them, we don’t win this s**t.”

– Jalen Brunson

The final quarter was domination. Clarkson and Anunoby stayed hot from deep, combining for four threes. Mitchell Robinson owned the paint, grabbing eight rebounds in the fourth quarter alone, six of them on the offensive end, repeatedly giving the Knicks extra possessions when it mattered most. Brunson and Kolek shared point guard duties seamlessly, keeping the pace steady and the Spurs off balance. Wembanyama was held to 0-4 from the field in the fourth and scored only a couple of points at the free throw line.

Clarkson finished with 15 points, while Kolek delivered his best performance as a Knick with 14 points, five assists, and five rebounds. Robinson closed the night with 15 boards, including 10 on the offensive glass, and two blocks that underscored his impact. Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges added 11 points apiece, rounding out a complete team effort.

San Antonio was led by Dylan Harper with 21 points off the bench. Wembanyama finished with 18, also off the bench, while De’Aaron Fox contributed 16. It was not enough to withstand the Knicks’ depth and late-game execution.

Beyond the trophy, there was plenty to celebrate financially. The NBA Cup comes with a significant prize pool, and for younger players on minimum contracts, the reward is massive. Each Knicks player is set to take home $530,933, roughly half a year’s salary for some. Clarkson, playing on a veteran minimum deal, effectively has his rent covered for the foreseeable future.

There was also symmetry in how both teams arrived. Each advanced out of the group stage as the third seed, each entered the final with an identical 18-7 record, and curiously, the Cup final will not count toward the regular season standings. Both teams will resume from exactly where they left off.

But history will remember this night differently. The Knicks have a trophy again. Fifty-plus years later, the wait is over.