From indifference to intensity: how New York turned the NBA Cup into something real
The NBA’s midseason experiment reaches its third edition with doubts intact – until New York seize the moment on a bright Las Vegas night.
The third edition of the NBA Cup ended much as it began, with a certain indifference and the unassailable truth that convenient reasoning works for everything: if you reach the title rounds, it matters; if you are knocked out early, it is no big deal. That has been the daily reality of the In-Season Tournament, now rebranded under its current name and carrying the Emirates tag, a reminder of the NBA’s comfort doing business with everyone and everywhere. All of it played out in Las Vegas, at the T-Mobile Arena, a neutral venue at the basketball heart of a city that Adam Silver has openly floated as a future expansion site, alongside a potential return to Seattle. Minor details in a tournament that no one quite knows how to judge, but one that, like so many things, has arrived to stay.
That persistence belongs to the commissioner who replaced David Stern and set about changing the league – pushing its reach across the globe while trying to make the regular season feel less tedious, a near-universal complaint. From that impulse came this European-inspired tournament, along with annual games in Europe and the introduction of the play-in, initially justified by the pandemic and now an essential part of April, adding extra skirmishes for some teams. Ideas that divide opinion, all driven by Silver’s persuasive rhetoric, while players, coaches and fans alike remain unsure what to make of it all.
Against that backdrop, the third NBA Cup left most fans cold – except those of the Knicks, who lifted the trophy and placed it in their cabinet after a genuinely compelling final. Two teams went all in once they got there. On one side were New York, hardened by decades as a historic franchise but still trapped in a wilderness they cannot quite escape, even as hope grows within a deeply underwhelming Eastern Conference. They reached their first conference finals since 2000 just months ago, yet still dismissed Tom Thibodeau, an old-school coach replaced by Mike Brown, another cut from similar cloth, who once reached the Finals with LeBron James’s Cavaliers back in 2007. A long time ago.
Opposite them stood disruption and change. The Spurs had eliminated the Lakers and the Thunder on their Cup run, the latter against all expectations, and are now fighting themselves as they step out from the long shadow of Gregg Popovich, seeking their first playoff appearance since 2019. Seven years away after 22 straight postseason trips, all under the legendary coach who built a dynasty of five titles and six Finals. With Tim Duncan and company gone, Victor Wembanyama is now trying to become the cornerstone of a new era – if his body allows it. Instead, he was left with the bitter aftertaste of a 124–113 defeat, having already done the hardest part by beating Western rivals.
Knicks-Spurs: a game that had everything
The showdown promised fireworks and delivered. It was a relentless back-and-forth, with the Spurs leading for longer stretches but never shaking the Knicks. New York trailed by 11 in the third quarter, inspired by Wembanyama, yet rose from the ashes before producing a spectacular final 12 minutes: a decisive 35–19 run, defensive lockdown and dominance in the paint. That is the basketball Madison Square Garden loves – grit, rebounding and hard labor. The same formula that made the Knicks the center of the basketball world in the 1970s with two titles and figures such as Willis Reed and Red Holzman, later revived in the 1990s with Patrick Ewing despite the absence of rings.
That is the golden age New York longs to revisit. This may be a minor trophy, but it serves as a tribute to the past and a sign of life for a roster that might yet contend in an East so open no one can predict its outcome. OG Anunoby was decisive, scoring 20 by halftime and finishing with 28 points, nine rebounds, three assists and five three-pointers. The supporting cast functioned as a single unit – with one exception, soon to be mentioned. Karl-Anthony Towns posted 16 points and 11 rebounds and was crucial defensively against Wembanyama in the fourth quarter. Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart added 11 apiece. Jordan Clarkson chipped in 15 off the bench, Tyler Kokek 14, and Mitchell Robinson was vital with just four points but 15 rebounds, 10 offensive, part of the Knicks’ 23 on that end.
Then there is Jalen Brunson, inevitably. Once in Luka Dončić’s shadow in Dallas, he is now among the NBA’s elite: 25 points, four rebounds, eight assists and two blocks despite standing just 6ft 2in, decisive late on even with an 11-for-27 shooting night. He was named tournament MVP after logging more than 41 minutes in the final, succeeding LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo on the roll of honor. A deserved accolade that he shared with teammates, the hallmark of an outstanding point guard who allowed the Knicks to feel proud of being the Knicks again.
Wembanyama, still managing injuries and coming off the bench under a minutes restriction, played fewer than 25 minutes and scored 18. He was not the answer, outmuscled by Towns down the stretch, a reminder that he still needs more physical development. Dylan Harper led the Spurs with 21 points, De’Aaron Fox had 16 with nine assists, and Stephon Castle recorded 15 points, seven rebounds and 12 assists. Seven players reached double figures, but it was not enough against a Knicks team that played better when it mattered most. Over 48 thrilling minutes, New York’s history prevailed – and the Knicks produced a genuine golden symphony.
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