Late in the third quarter of the 2025 NBA Cup championship game in Las Vegas on Tuesday night, the New York Knicks were in danger of being run out of the gym by the young San Antonio Spurs, who surged into a double-digit lead. And then, something unexpected happen. The Knicks’ bench changed the game.
Jordan Clarkson, Tyler Kolek and Mitchell Robinson stemmed the tide and closed the gap to five points heading into the fourth quarter. They carried that momentum into the final frame, as Clarkson and Robinson combined to dominate the opening minutes. Robinson had four offensive rebounds in the first 90 seconds alone, two of which turned into Clarkson 3-pointers. The second Clarkson triple put the Knicks up for good with 10:27 remaining.
The Knicks would go on to outscore the Spurs 35-19 in the fourth quarter to pull away for a 124-113 victory and claim their first trophy since they won the NBA championship in 1973. Jalen Brunson, who was named NBA Cup MVP after putting up 25 points and eight rebounds, made sure to single out the supporting cast during his post-title interview.
“OG Anunoby, Tyler Kolek, Jordan Clarkson, Mitchell Robinson, they played their ass off tonight. Without them, we don’t win this. They played their ass off tonight,” Brunson said. “We find a way to win. That’s it. We’re going to find a way. That has to be our motto going forward: We need to find a way.”
Anunoby was excellent — his 28 points would have been a season-high if this game counted as a regular season contest — but it’s no surprise to see him play well. The Knicks’ bench, on the other hand, has not always been as reliable as they were on Tuesday.
Clarkson hit three 3s en route to 15 points, Robinson grabbed 15 rebounds, including 10 of the offensive variety, and Kolek put up 15 points, five rebounds and five assists to earn rare crunch time minutes. Notably, Kolek was the one who found Anunoby in the corner for his game-sealing 3 with less than two minutes to play.
A change in approach
Under Tom Thibodeau last season, the Knicks relied almost exclusively on their starters. All five starters averaged at least 35 minutes per game, and Josh Hart (2nd), Mikal Bridges (4th) and Anunoby (6th) were all in the top-six in the league in minutes per game. The Knicks’ bench averaged a league-worst 21.7 points per game — nearly five points worse than any other team.
When the Knicks eventually fell short in the Eastern Conference finals, it was in part because they could not match the Indiana Pacers’ depth. Over the six games in that series, the Pacers’ bench scored 210 points on 50.7% shooting, while the Knicks’ bench managed just 117 points on 38.5% from the field.
The Knicks ended up firing Thibodeau after the defeat to the Pacers and replaced him with Mike Brown. They also signed a number of players to boost their depth, including Clarkson, Guerschon Yabusele and Malcolm Brogdon (who ended up retiring before the season). Those moves haven’t all paid off, but the Knicks at least have options now, and Brown isn’t afraid to use them.
This season, Brunson is the only player averaging 35 minutes per game, while 10 players are playing at least 10 minutes per night. While the Knicks are still heavily reliant on their starting five of Brunson, Town, Bridges, Anunoby and Hart, they have three bench players averaging at least nine points per game, and that doesn’t include Robinson, who makes a major impact on the glass and on defense. Last season, for comparison, the Knicks’ only bench player who averaged more than seven points per game was Miles McBride.
Knicks’ bench scoring
|
2025-26 |
30.7 |
28th |
|
2024-25 |
21.7 |
30th |
Can the Knicks’ reserves help them lift the more important trophy?
Brown acknowledged after the game that the Knicks did care about the Cup.
“Any time you can participate in any event where you’re the last one standing, and you’re able to hang a banner — especially in iconic MSG — you take that seriously,” Brown said. “All of our guys took it seriously.”
However, the Knicks care far more about the trophy and banner that will be up for grabs in June.
The Knicks haven’t won an NBA title since 1973, and it won’t be easy to end that drought this season, especially with the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder lurking. However, the Knicks are a real contender. They are the current Eastern Conference favorites (+250, per Caesars) and have the third-best title odds to win the NBA Finals (+1200).
In order to go on a deep playoff run this spring, the Knicks will need their bench to show up like it did on Tuesday. Depth has never been more important. The game is too fast and physically demanding now to rely solely on a few players or even a starting five. If you don’t have reserves who can step up, you won’t win. The Thunder and Pacers proved as much last season.
As great as Clarkson, Robinson and Kolek were against the Spurs, will the Knicks be able to rely on them come April? Clarkson is as streaky as they come, Robinson has major free throw shooting and health issues and Kolek is completely unrpoven. Neither McBride nor Shamet, both of whom are currently injured, did much in the 2025 playoffs.
The Knicks’ bench is vastly improved from last season, but is it good enough to help the Knicks win a title? In the NBA Cup? Yes. In the playoffs? It remains to be seen.
