The NBA Cup is only three years old, but the results speak for themselves. We have never seen matches of such intensity and such level in December, when even two months of the regular season were not played. The triumph of the New York Knicks also sheds a little more light on the newly created trophy intended to encourage the return of competition. The celebration and cheers of New York players in Las Vegas, after winning the grand final against the San Antonio Spurs 124-113 with a lightning strike from the bench in the fourth quarter and the leadership of tournament MVP Jalen Brunson, showed that the tradition of the European Cup can reach the United States.
There is still a lot to do, but victories like those of New York, barren land of trophies since they raised the NBA ring in 1973, help the proposal to make its way among fans and protagonists. With 25 points and eight assists, Brunson won the all-star duel against Frenchman Victor Wembanyama. The 2.24 meter alien showed his earthier side in his second match after 12 days out due to a muscle injury. It was difficult for him to come on, starting from the bench, and make the difference. He nevertheless collected 18 points, six rebounds and two blocks at the end of the match, limited to 25 minutes of play by doctors.
“We found ourselves down 10, but we found a way to win and take the trophy. That should be our identity, seeking victory at all costs,” said Brunson, the flagship of the New York project. In the Big Apple, they will now continue their first appearance of the 21st century in the NBA finals. Before returning to his match, the Knicks leader wanted to highlight the superb work of the bench, the key to the victory. The reserves’ contribution, led by Jordan Clarkson’s 15 points, gave the team the spark it needed after trailing throughout the second and third quarters, where they lost by 11 points.
The guard, accompanied by center Mitchell Robinson and his 10 offensive rebounds (15 in total), fueled the 10-0 sequence between the third and last quarter which turned the situation around on the scoreboard. Tyler Kolek, second-year point guard and a true unknown to the general public until his moment of glory in the cup, also stood out with 14 points. The good group work of Spurs, even more comfortable and synchronized without Wemby on the pitch, dissolved like a sugar cube in the final minutes.
“When you have the opportunity to participate in an event like this and be the last one standing and lift the trophy, of course you take it very seriously. And even more so when you play for an iconic franchise like New York,” said Mike Brown, proud coach of these Knicks who keep their core intact but are looking for new ideas from the coach who once opted for Catalan Jordi Fernández on the wing and won four rings as a as an assistant for several franchises.
To win, the Knicks sought to make Wembanyama uncomfortable from the first moment. Unlike the semi-final against the Thunder, the Frenchman seemed somewhat offbeat and lacked rhythm. He also did not find the complicity of certain referees who treated the match as if it were a playoff shock and let the New Yorkers play with their physicality, one of their non-negotiable signs. At halftime, which was reached with a score of 59-61 in favor of the Spurs, the alien was not seen, with four goals and practically no impact in a match as entertaining as it was equal.
San Antonio’s outside trio pushed the car, notably thanks to Stephon Castle (15 points and 12 assists) in the organization and Devin Vassell in the execution (12 points, dry after the break). De’Aaron Fox, a little more experienced in this type of scenario, did both to complement the Texans’ two young perimeter gems with 16 points and nine field goal attempts. Veteran Luke Kornet, starter and key part of Spurs’ good streak with Wemby injured, once again caused a sensation with 14 goals but disappeared after the break.
For New York, Brunson was in tune from the first moment, even if he faltered somewhat with 15 points at the break. OG Anunoby was more inspired, all heart and efficiency for the Knicks and top scorer of the match with 28 points. Thanks to the British striker of Nigerian origin, the New Yorkers resisted the threats of escape from Spurs in the second and third periods, when the losers were the most comfortable even if they missed the contribution of their leader.
In the fourth quarter, while Wembanyama faltered after his blitz of 10 consecutive points in the third quarter, it was Devin Harper – son of Ron Harper, five-time NBA champion with the Bulls and Lakers in the 90s and early 2000s – who kept the Texans afloat with 21 points and seven rebounds. For a young and improving team, its performance without its star in tune is also a sign of hope. Until now, everyone who lost in the NBA Cup finals could then reach the NBA Finals in June, the jackpot, no matter how much the league fuels the cup tradition with half a million dollars for the winners.
New York, after 52 years of drought, once again lifts a trophy which is making headway and proving its creators right. The final was once again a success, and the list of winning franchises is made up of big teams and big markets like LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks, now joined by Jalen Brunson’s Knicks. The only problem of the day among the celebrations were the injuries to Dominican Karl Anthony-Towns and American Mikal Bridges, who ended up injured in the only cup match that added nothing to the league standings.
Technical sheet
New York (124): Brunson (25), Hart (11), Bridges (11), Anunoby (28) and Towns (16) – starting five; Clarkson (15), Robinson (4), Kolek (14), Hukporti (0).
Saint-Antoine (113): Castle (15), Fox (16), Vassell (12), Barnes (11) and Kornet (14) – starting five; Wembanyama (18), Harper (21), Johnson (3), Champagnie (3).
Referees: Marc Davis, Brent Barnaky, Nate Green
Partials: 28-30 / 31-31 / 30-33 /
Incidents: The NBA Cup Finals took place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, in front of 18,609 spectators.
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