The New York Knicks won their first title of any kind in 53 years Tuesday night in the NBA Cup final, letting the world know they aren’t going anywhere after last year’s run to the Eastern Conference Finals. But it was the loser of that game who most put the NBA on notice.

Though the San Antonio Spurs came up short of a title, their run to the NBA Cup championship game announced the team’s arrival as a real threat to the league’s very best teams. Including the Knicks, who might’ve had a tougher time beating San Antonio if Victor Wembanyama wasn’t on a minutes restriction in his second game back from injury.

Even with that restriction, Wembanyama helped the Spurs top the Oklahoma City Thunder in the semifinals to hand them their second loss of the season after they tied the best 25-game start in NBA history. Hey, y’all, the Spurs might be back.

Losing in the championship doesn’t invalidate how far the 18-7 Spurs have come either. If anything, it’s an experience the Spurs will be better for. In fact, the last two losers of the NBA Cup went further in the playoffs than the winners, who each got bounced in the first round. The Indiana Pacers made it to the conference finals after losing to the Lakers. The Thunder won the NBA Finals over those Pacers after losing in the Cup championship to the Bucks.

With Wembanyama leading the way, the Spurs have all the talent they need to go on a similar run. De’Aaron Fox is an all-star point guard, reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle has all-star potential and shooting guard Devin Vassell is a bucket too. The sky is the limit for rookie No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper, who led the team in scoring Tuesday. And players like Harrison Barnes give the team a nice veteran presence. They have the assets to make a big swing in the trade market too.

All the Spurs need are more reps as a unit in pressure situations, and that’s what the tournament provided them for the first time. They weren’t perfect in those moments, but they didn’t look shook either. They looked better than anyone could’ve expected for a team that hasn’t made the playoffs in seven years. They looked like a team that could be good for a long time — one that could potentially challenge the Thunder for West supremacy in the very near future.

No banners for the Knicks

The New York Knicks should be proud of their NBA Cup championship. It’s hard to win in the NBA. But if they are proud, the way they intend to celebrate isn’t a great reflection.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the team is opting against hanging a banner in the rafters of Madison Square Garden to commemorate the title. They’ll instead celebrate with fans Friday before moving on with the rest of the season, breaking from the Lakers and Bucks who each raised banners in their home arenas after winning.

The New York Knicks will not raise an NBA Cup championship banner at Madison Square Garden, sources tell ESPN. The Lakers and Bucks raised banners for NBA Cup titles over the last two years. Knicks will celebrate with home fans Friday.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 17, 2025

It’s easy to understand why a team wouldn’t want to put too much stock into a mid-season tournament title when there’s a much bigger goal to accomplish. At the same time, it’s OK to celebrate something you won that every other team had a chance to compete for and came up short.

Shootaround

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