NBA Cup: Knicks return to win a title half a century later after beating Spurs

It has taken 52 years to see New York Knicks players hoisting a trophy again. And it came in the NBA Cup, a new-fangled one, barely three years old, that the Madison Square Garden franchise had to overcome a San Antonio Spurs in which their star, Victor Wembanyama could not work his magic as in the semifinals against the Lakers.

The key to victory was in the group work, with 25 points from Jalen Brunson and 28 from Briton OG Anunoby for a final score of 124 to 113. Both had the decisive support of center Mitchell Robinson, who came off the bench to dominate the battle under the boards, where he grabbed fifteen rebounds, ten of them on offense, and the double-double of Dominican Karl-Anthony Towns (16 points and 11 rebounds).

The Spurs had been ahead in the second and third quarters, but failed to consolidate a significant lead and fell apart in the final quarter, losing 35-19. The New York quintet, led by Mike Brown, turned the game around thanks to a great defensive performance in the decisive quarter, leaving the Texans trailing by 20 points.

Brunson shines, Spurs fade with 'Wemby'

Brunson, 29 and winner of the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, shot for a 41 percent effectiveness from the field, connecting on 11 of his 27 attempts. He also dished out eight assists. "We were down by 10 points and we were looking for a way to win," the Knicks star commented in remarks picked up by AFP. "My teammates have all the confidence in me and without them I couldn't be in this position."

A performance that contrasts with opposing star Wembanyama, who could only manage 18 points for San Antonio in 25 minutes on the court in the finals, with six rebounds and an assist. However, his team's best moments rotated around 'Wemby,' who showed off his exceptional talent with two three-pointers, two dunks and a mid-range basket that wowed the crowd, all in the third quarter.

The Knicks joined the Los Angeles Lakers, in 2023, and the Milwaukee Bucks, last year, as the only champions in the history of a tournament that remains without repeat finalists.