If you’ve been following the NBA over the last few decades, you know the drill. New York fans talk a huge game, the Garden gets loud, and then... well, usually nothing happens. But things changed recently. If you're asking about the NBA Cup winner, the answer is the New York Knicks. They actually did it. They took down the San Antonio Spurs 124-113 in Las Vegas on December 16, 2025, to hoist the trophy.
It was a weird, wild night at T-Mobile Arena.
For a franchise that hadn't touched a major trophy since 1973—back when the NBA Finals was the only game in town—this felt like a massive exorcism. Sure, it’s an in-season tournament. Some critics still call it a "glorified exhibition." But tell that to Jalen Brunson, who looked like he’d just won Game 7 of the Finals when the buzzer sounded. Honestly, the energy in that building was light years ahead of a standard December regular-season game.
Who won the NBA Cup? Breaking Down the 2025 Finals
The Knicks didn't just stumble into this. They had to fight through a bracket that felt like a gauntlet. The final game against the Spurs was particularly fascinating because of the "clash of styles." You had the Spurs, led by the alien-like Victor Wembanyama, playing this fluid, beautiful-to-watch basketball. Then you had the Knicks. They basically decided to turn the game into a fistfight.
It worked.
New York trailed by 11 points late in the third quarter. It looked like Wembanyama was going to have his coronation moment on the Vegas Strip. But the Knicks’ depth took over. Seven players finished in double figures. That’s the kind of balanced attack that drives opposing coaches crazy. While Wemby finished with 18 points, the Knicks made him work for every single inch of floor space.
👉 See also: Was Bill Belichick Ever Married? What Most People Get Wrong
The MVP and the Standout Performers
Jalen Brunson walked away with the NBA Cup MVP award, which surprised exactly nobody who has watched the Knicks lately. He’s the engine. He finished the final with 25 points and 8 assists. But if you want to talk about the real reason they won, you have to look at OG Anunoby.
Anunoby was the best player on the floor for long stretches. He dropped 28 points and hit five three-pointers. More importantly, he was the primary defender tasked with making life miserable for the Spurs' stars. It was a masterclass in "two-way" basketball.
- Jalen Brunson: 25 points, 8 assists (Tournament MVP)
- OG Anunoby: 28 points, 5 threes
- Karl-Anthony Towns: 16 points, 11 rebounds
- Mitchell Robinson: 15 rebounds (10 of them on the offensive glass!)
That 10-offensive rebound stat from Mitchell Robinson is the one that really tells the story. The Knicks just wanted it more. They outworked a younger Spurs team and used their physicality to pull away in a 35-19 fourth-quarter explosion.
A Look Back: Previous NBA Cup Winners
Since this is only the third year of the tournament’s existence, the list of winners is still short. But it’s a prestigious list. Each year, the "cup" seems to be gaining more legitimacy, mostly because the players are actually playing for something—and the prize money doesn't hurt either.
- 2023: The Los Angeles Lakers won the inaugural title, beating the Indiana Pacers. LeBron James was the first-ever MVP.
- 2024: The Milwaukee Bucks took the crown, defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 97-81. Giannis Antetokounmpo was the MVP of that run.
- 2025: The New York Knicks, as we just discussed, beat the San Antonio Spurs.
It’s interesting to note that the "NBA Cup curse" is a real talking point now. Both the Lakers and the Bucks struggled significantly after their mid-season wins. The Lakers flamed out against Denver in the playoffs, and the Bucks had a similar fate against Indiana.
✨ Don't miss: Vertical Leap: What Most People Get Wrong About Jumping Higher
Currently, the Knicks are feeling that heat. Since winning the cup in mid-December, they’ve been a bit inconsistent. There's a legitimate fear among fans that they peaked too early. Is the trophy worth the "hangover" that seems to follow it? Only time will tell, but if you’re a Knicks fan who hasn't seen a title in 52 years, you take the hardware and worry about the playoffs later.
Why the NBA Cup Actually Matters Now
When Adam Silver first proposed this, people hated it. "We don't need more games," they said. "The players won't care," they argued.
They were wrong.
The financial incentive is a big part of it. Every player on the winning team gets around $500,000. For a superstar like Brunson, that’s nice, but for the guys at the end of the bench—the rookies and the two-way players—that is life-changing money. You can see that desperation in the way teams play defense during the knockout rounds.
The courts are also a vibe. The bright, high-contrast designs might be an eyesore for some, but they signal to the viewer that this game is different. It’s a tournament. It’s a sprint, not the usual 82-game marathon.
🔗 Read more: U of Washington Football News: Why Jedd Fisch’s Roster Overhaul Is Working
What’s Next for the Knicks?
Winning the NBA Cup is a milestone, but it isn't the destination. For Mike Brown and his squad, the goal is to prove that this win wasn't a fluke. They proved they can win high-pressure, "win-or-go-home" games in a neutral site environment. That’s exactly what the playoffs are.
If you want to keep an eye on how this win impacts the rest of the season, watch the Knicks' defensive rotations. In the final against the Spurs, they were crisp. If that defensive intensity stays, they are a threat to anyone in the Eastern Conference. If they slip into that "post-cup slump" we saw from Milwaukee and LA, it's going to be a long spring in Manhattan.
To stay ahead of the curve, keep a close watch on the injury reports for Anunoby and Robinson. These two are the physical backbone of the team. Without their rebounding and perimeter defense, the Knicks' "gritty" identity starts to crumble. You should also track the betting odds for the Eastern Conference Finals; usually, the NBA Cup winner sees a temporary bump in their championship stock before the market settles back down.
Check the remaining schedule for the Knicks to see if they have a "cup hangover" or if they can build on the momentum from Las Vegas. The next few weeks of regular-season play will reveal if this team is a true contender or just a tournament specialist.