Jalen Brunson made sure the Knicks would be sticking around Las Vegas a little longer.
Behind 40 points and eight assists from their star guard, New York pulled away from Orlando on Saturday to reach the final of the NBA Cup, handling the Magic by 12 and continuing a run that is starting to feel very on-brand for this group.
“When you have an MVP of the league candidate in Jalen Brunson, he makes the game easier for everybody,” coach Mike Brown said, via ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill. “That’s what MVPs are supposed to do.”
Brunson shot 16-of-27 and controlled the game from start to finish, with Karl-Anthony Towns adding 29 points on nine shots and OG Anunoby chipping in 24 points while filling the stat sheet across the board.
New York looked comfortable in the moment, which is no small thing in a neutral-site setting designed to feel anything but routine.
Orlando hung around early, with Jalen Suggs scoring 26 points before exiting in the third quarter due to a left hip injury. The Magic never fully recovered, and the Knicks steadily separated.
Spurs Stun Thunder
The other semifinal delivered its own statement. San Antonio edged Oklahoma City by two points, snapping the Thunder’s 16-game winning streak and punching its ticket to the final in the process.
Victor Wembanyama was the headline, even off the bench. Playing his first game in a month after missing time with a left calf strain, Wembanyama scored 22 points with nine rebounds and two blocks in just 21 minutes.
The Spurs outscored Oklahoma City by 21 points during his time on the floor, as relayed by ESPN’s Michael C. Wright.
“It’s our first time playing with everybody healthy,” Wembanyama said. “We’re just figuring it out.”
San Antonio had four players score 20 or more, but the broader takeaway was composure. Against the league’s most consistent team, the Spurs did not blink.
The final is set. Knicks vs. Spurs, Tuesday night in Las Vegas. Two teams at 18-7, neither pretending this is just a side quest anymore.
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