Knicks’ Depth Delivers NBA Cup Title - and a Whole New Identity
No, there won’t be a banner hanging from the rafters at Madison Square Garden. And no, the NBA Cup isn’t the championship.
But if you’ve been watching the Knicks this season, you know this: that trophy means something. It’s the first tangible proof that the front office’s summer overhaul wasn’t just noise - it was a blueprint in motion.
And it’s working.
Let’s rewind. The Knicks didn’t just tweak around the edges this offseason.
They recalibrated their foundation. The biggest change?
Not a blockbuster trade or a splashy free-agent signing. It was a philosophical pivot - a commitment to depth, versatility, and trust.
That shift started with replacing Tom Thibodeau with Mike Brown, a coach known for empowering his bench and modernizing systems on both ends of the floor.
This wasn’t about padding the roster with warm bodies. It was about building a second unit that could hold its own - and swing games in high-leverage moments.
That’s exactly what we saw during the Knicks’ NBA Cup run. This bench didn’t just survive; it thrived.
And it did so in the kind of moments that used to break New York.
It’s fitting, then, that the Pacers were waiting on the other side of the Cup. Indiana has been a thorn in the Knicks’ side for two straight postseasons - first knocking them out in the second round, then again in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Those losses weren’t just painful; they were instructive. Indiana’s deep rotation, relentless pace, and trust in its bench exposed the Knicks’ biggest flaws.
And New York took notes.
Under Mike Brown, those notes have become action. The Knicks are now the team pushing the tempo, flying up the court after stops, and launching threes in volume.
They’re more physical, more versatile, and - most importantly - more complete. The starting five was never the problem.
But now, the support system behind it is no longer a liability. It’s a weapon.
And that’s what made their NBA Cup title so impressive. They pulled it off without two of their top perimeter defenders.
Miles McBride was out with an ankle injury. Landry Shamet is sidelined with a shoulder sprain.
A year ago, that would’ve spelled disaster. This year?
The next man up stepped in - and stepped up.
Tyler Kolek, in particular, looked like a seasoned vet in the Cup Final. The rookie guard filled McBride’s shoes with poise beyond his years, finishing with 14 points, five boards, five assists, and a steady hand in 20 high-pressure minutes. He didn’t just hold the line - he pushed it forward.
Jordan Clarkson, brought in to inject instant offense, did exactly that. His 15 points in 27 minutes gave the second unit the scoring punch it needed, and he’s defended with more fire than many expected. He’s not just a microwave scorer - he’s buying into the system.
And then there’s Mitchell Robinson, whose move to the bench has been a masterstroke. Since Josh Hart replaced him in the starting five, the Knicks are 10-1.
Robinson has become a game-changing force off the bench, punishing second units with his energy and dominance on the glass. In the Cup Final, he pulled down 10 offensive rebounds in just 18 minutes.
He’s currently leading all qualified players in offensive boards per 36 minutes - a testament to how devastating he can be in a more targeted role.
This isn’t just a better Knicks team. It’s a smarter one.
They’ve taken what Indiana did to them - the pace, the depth, the trust - and turned it into their own identity. Only now, they’ve got the top-end talent to take it further.
Two All-Stars can still bail them out when things get tight. But they don’t have to do it alone anymore.
And now, the roles are reversed. The Pacers come into Thursday’s rematch banged up, with Tyrese Haliburton sidelined by an Achilles issue.
The Knicks? They’re the ones with the firepower, the depth, and the momentum.
They’re the ones who can wear a team down - just like Indiana once did to them.
The Knicks aren’t celebrating the NBA Cup like it’s the Larry O’Brien. But they’re not brushing it off either.
It’s not the destination, but it’s a signpost. A marker that says: this team is different.
And if this is what the new-look Knicks look like in December, the rest of the East should be paying very close attention.