While celebrations for the NBA Cup title remain on the throats of basketball purists, the Knicks need to dust off their trophy box and find space for new hardware.
The Knicks were crowned league season tournament champions Tuesday night, outlasting the Spurs, 124-113, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
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By winning the final, the Knicks players won a cash prize of $530,933 each. Fans can also count on a banner being raised to the rafters at Madison Square Garden – head coach Mike Brown I said it before the match.
Here are the points to remember…
— The competitive incentive was evident from the jump, as both teams played at a fast pace and produced points during a tightly contested first quarter. After making three of the game’s first four baskets, the Knicks allowed the Spurs to score nine unanswered points, and the heat check also happened without a superstar. Victor Wembanyama –– he came off the bench midway through the first period, under minutes restriction. But the Knicks regrouped with the help of OG Anunobywho added 10 points from two made three. After one, the Spurs led by two, 30-28.
— There was no change of pace in the second quarter. The Spurs kept their foot on the gas, extending their lead to seven at the halfway point by forcing turnovers and spreading the field in transition. They also saw De’Aaron Fox And Stephon Castle working as catalysts, contributing 15 combined assists. But the Knicks stayed within striking distance, cutting their deficit to one with 2:28 left in the half and knotting the score at 59-59 in the final minute. As Spurs entered the break with two leads, Anunoby flexed his muscles by adding 10 more points (20 total).
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— It only took two minutes of action in the third quarter to notice a change in energy. The Spurs came back from the locker room with tenacity, orchestrating a quick 9-2 run that forced the Knicks to call a timeout. By the halfway point, the Knicks’ deficit was reaching double digits, and to add injury to insult, Cities of Karl-Anthony injured his left leg after driving to the hoop on a contested layup. While the Knicks star was being treated on the bench, Wembanyama took advantage of his limited time with the rock to finish the quarter with 13 points (16 total). Still, the Knicks kept things close, ending the quarter 8-2 with a 94-89 deficit.
— The fourth quarter opened with a complete reversal of roles. Behind a pair of threes Jordan Clarkson Coming off the bench, the Knicks caught fire with eight unanswered points in 93 seconds, which extended their run to 16-2, put them ahead by three and forced the Spurs to use a timeout. After the break, the Knicks increased their lead to 104-97 on a three from Anunoby and a pair of jumpers from Jalen Brunsonwho has so far delivered a relatively calm total of 23 points. With 4:49 remaining, Towns returned to everyone’s surprise after spending more than 10 minutes on the bench. The broadcast team reported moments earlier that Towns had aggravated a lingering calf issue.
— Josh Hart gave the Knicks their largest lead of the night with 2:58 to play, draining a three with a notable limp from the left wing to make the score 115-107. Then, after a three from Harper cut the Spurs’ deficit to five, Anunoby took charge again with a corner three that widened the lead to eight. This shift in momentum put the Spurs in a hole in the final minutes that they simply couldn’t climb out of, and when the final buzzer sounded, the Knicks were crowned winners of the third NBA Cup.
— From start to finish, the pace was intense. The two teams made 204 shots combined, and the Knicks made only one more (15) than the Spurs (14). The difference showed on the boards, as the Knicks outscored the Spurs, 59-42, and scored 12 more points in the paint. The Knicks’ leader on the glass was Mitchell Robinsonwho accumulated 15 boards in 18 minutes. Towns ended up playing 30 minutes, adding 16 points. The start of the fourth quarter gave the Knicks a boost – they outscored the Spurs, 35-19, over the 12-minute stretch.
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Game MVP: OG Anunoby
Anunoby found a rhythm early and never let go. He finished with a game-high 28 points on 10-of-17 shooting with eight rebounds and three assists. However, it was Brunson who took home NBA Cup MVP honors — he scored 25 on 11-of-27 shooting with eight assists and four rebounds.
Highlights
To be continued
The Knicks (18-7) will resume the regular season Thursday night, with a road matchup against the Indiana Pacers (7 p.m.).
