OG Anunoby scored 28 points as the New York Knicks ended their 52-year trophy drought with a 124-113 NBA Cup final victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday.
Forward Anunoby rattled in five three-pointers and point guard Jalen Brunson finished with 25 points as New York clinched their first silverware since the 1973 NBA Finals at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
San Antonio went into the final brimming with confidence after upsetting top seeds and reigning NBA champions Oklahoma City in Saturday’s semifinals, thanks to a superb display from French prodigy Victor Wembanyama.
But a dogged all-round performance from New York thwarted San Antonio’s hopes of crowning their cup campaign with victory.
The Knicks limited Wembanyama to 18 points while delivering a balanced offensive performance to pull clear in the fourth quarter after trailing by 11 points late in the third.
Seven Knicks players finished in double figures, with Anunoby and Brunson backed by Karl-Anthony Towns (16 points), Jordan Clarkson (15), Tyler Kolek (14) and 11 points apiece from Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges.
Mitchell Robertson provided a valuable defensive cameo from the bench, hauling in 15 rebounds with two blocks.
“OG Anunoby, Tyler Kolek, Jordan Clarkson, Mitchell Robertson – they played their as**s off tonight,” said Brunson after being named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
“Without them we don’t win this,” Brunson said. “We got down 10 or whatever it was and we found a way to win. That’s going to be our motto going forward: We’re going to find a way.”
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