LAS VEGAS (AP) \u2014 It’s been more than half a century since the Knicks hung an NBA championship banner inside Madison Square Garden.<\/p>\n
The wait since 1973 to add another one didn’t end on Tuesday night, but New York can make room for the NBA Cup banner.<\/p>\n
OG Anunoby scored 28 points, Jalen Brunson had 25, and the Knicks rallied to beat Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs 124-113.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is great and we\u2019re going to enjoy this,\u201d Brunson said. \u201cBut once we leave tomorrow, we\u2019re moving on.\u201d<\/p>\n
This is a championship roster \u2014 NBA Cup MVP Brunson, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges cut down the nets in college at Villanova \u2014 with high hopes of representing the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a single-elimination tournament when you get to a certain point, so every game counts,\u201d New York coach Mike Brown said. \u201cThere was pressure on every game if you expect to be who you think you are. When you’re able to have success, it breeds confidence in everybody in the organization.\u201d<\/p>\n
New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns had 16 points and 11 rebounds despite battling a calf injury. He went into the locker room with a minute left before halftime and later exited for the bench with 5:06 remaining in the third quarter and didn’t return until late in the fourth.<\/p>\n
Dylan Harper led the Spurs with 21 points, Wembanyama scored 18 and De’Aaron Fox had 16.<\/p>\n
Wembanyama excused himself early from the postgame news conference because he said \u201cjust lost somebody\u201d on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
New York dominated inside, outrebounding the Spurs 59-42, with Mitchell Robinson collecting 15 boards, including 10 on the offensive end in 18 minutes. That helped give the Knicks a 56-44 edge in points in the lane.<\/p>\n
The Spurs, however, led for much of the game before the Knicks went on a 13-1 run that began late in the third quarter to go up 100-95. New York never trailed again.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter 25 games in, I believe that we\u2019ve shown some signs that we can be a pretty good team,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. \u201cWe\u2019ve also shown that we have a lot of areas of improvement. I think that\u2019s where we were living today.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Knicks got more than a trophy. Each player with a standard contract got an extra $318,560 for winning, making the total $530,933 for even reaching the final.<\/p>\n
This game doesn’t count in the standings, so both teams remain 18-7, putting them atop their respective divisions.<\/p>\n
Just making the final bodes well for both teams. The previous four finalists \u2014 Los Angeles Lakers, Indiana, Oklahoma City and Milwaukee \u2014 also made the playoffs. The Pacers made the Eastern Conference finals in 2024, and the Thunder won the NBA championship last season.<\/p>\n
Up next<\/p>\n
Knicks: At Indiana on Thursday night.<\/p>\n
Spurs: Host Washington on Thursday night.<\/p>\n
___<\/p>\n