LAS VEGAS — The New York Knicks finally brought home a banner, and this one didn’t need dusting off first.
The Knicks stormed past the San Antonio Spurs 124-113 on Tuesday night to win the NBA Cup, delivering the franchise its first piece of championship hardware since 1973 and giving Madison Square Garden something new to hang that doesn’t involve nostalgia. Oh, and their last NBA Finals appearance came in 1999 when they lost to the Spurs, so there were some demons exorcised tonight, too.
It may not count in the standings, but it counts where it matters most in New York — pride, validation and belief.
Led by NBA Cup MVP Jalen Brunson, the Knicks erased an early deficit and owned the fourth quarter with the kind of composure that has long eluded the franchise. Brunson controlled the game, dictated tempo and reminded everyone why he has become the heartbeat of this team. When the moment demanded calm, he supplied it.
And he had help — lots of it.
Tyler Kolek delivered the spark of the night, slicing into the Spurs’ defense and flipping momentum when New York needed it most. Jordan Clarkson provided instant offense off the bench, turning a tense final frame into a statement. The Knicks outplayed, outmuscled and out-executed San Antonio when the lights were brightest.
That mattered against a Spurs team that did not blink easily.
Victor Wembanyama lived up to the billing, stretching the floor and keeping San Antonio alive with his shooting range and length. The Spurs, who entered the night 18-7, had already knocked off Oklahoma City in the semifinals and looked capable of adding another scalp. But New York’s defense tightened, the rotations sharpened and the rebounds landed in blue-and-orange hands.
This Knicks group has learned from heartbreak. They bowed out to Indiana in the Eastern Conference finals last season and fell to the Pacers again the year before in the conference semifinals. Tuesday night wasn’t about revenge — it was about growth.
First-year head coach Mike Brown deserves credit for that transformation. In his first season on the sideline, Brown has installed structure without draining personality, toughness without losing pace. The Knicks didn’t panic. They waited, trusted the work and delivered their best basketball when it mattered most.
Yes, the Eastern Conference lacks some of its usual depth this season. No, the Knicks don’t apologize. You can only beat who lines up across from you. New York beat a very good Spurs team, on a neutral floor, under pressure, with a trophy waiting at center court.
The standings will still say 18-7. The history books will say banner.
And for a city that lives and breathes its teams — that measures winters by wins and losses — this one mattered. A lot.
Vegas crowned them.
Madison Square Garden will celebrate them.
And the Knicks finally have something new to show for the wait.
Not bad for a Tuesday night in December.
Check out all EasySportz NBA Content Here
