New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Knicks' Jalen Brunson singles out four teammates who made NBA Cup win possible

By Olamilekan Ajayi | Last updated Dec 17, 2025 9:40 AM ET

Jalen Brunson appeared in front of media members at T-Mobile Arena with the NBA Cup MVP trophy in his hands.

The shooting guard for the New York Knicks, who had an 11-of-27 game in the 124-113 win against the San Antonio Spurs, made it a point to give credit to four of his teammates. OG Anunoby. Tyler Kolek. Jordan Clarkson. Mitchell Robinson. These were the first players Brunson mentioned when asked about the win in Las Vegas.

The Spurs were up 11 in the third and seemed ready to pull away. Another player had to step up, and those four did just that. Brunson made it clear what his priorities are.

Bench players stepped up when Knicks needed them most

Anunoby scored 28 points, making 10-of-17 shots, including five three-pointers. The 28-year-old forward pulled down nine rebounds and provided three assists while guarding Victor Wembanyama on the opposite side. His three-pointer with 1:56 left on the clock extended the lead to eight after Dylan Harper had narrowed it to five. This sealed the win.

"OG Anunoby, Tyler Kolek, Jordan Clarkson, Mitchell Robinson. Without them we don’t win this. Played their a— off tonight," Brunson said.

Kolek, the second-year guard from Marquette, recorded a career-high with 14 points and five assists in 20 minutes of action. The young player shot 5-of-9 from the field and ended the game with a +14 rating. The 24-year-old was averaging only 3.6 points per game in limited appearances when Miles McBride sat out with an ankle injury.

Clarkson was the spark off the bench with 15 points, including three three-pointers. The 33-year-old veteran fired two three-pointers in quick succession in the early part of the fourth quarter to help New York erase a five-point deficit and take a 100-95 lead that it never surrendered.

Robinson was a rebounding force with 15 boards, 10 of which were offensive. The 27-year-old center maintained possession after possession and had two blocks in 18 minutes. The Knicks dominated the Spurs, 35-19, in the fourth quarter and restricted San Antonio to only 26.3 percent shooting in the final quarter.

Seven different players scored in double figures for the Spurs, but none of them could limit the scoring of New York. The Knicks ended with 32 second-chance points and won the rebounding margin, 59-42, despite being challenged by Wemby and Luke Kornet.

Each member of the Knicks will receive $530,933 in prize money for their win in the competition. The game will not be counted toward the season record, but the Knicks are still 18-7 and second in the Eastern Conference. That Brunson is willing to pass along credit to his teammates is indicative of the depth that could make this team a true threat come playoff time.

Olamilekan Ajayi

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