The New York Knicks are your inaugural NBA Cup champions, and while some folks may still roll their eyes at the midseason tournament, make no mistake: how they got there is a story worth telling. Because what unfolded in the Cup Final wasn’t just about a flashy new trophy-it was about coaching guts, lineup gambles, and a team finding its identity under Mike Brown.
Let’s start with the boldest move of the night-benching Mikal Bridges down the stretch in favor of Tyler Kolek. That’s not a typo.
In a game that mattered, Brown trusted a second-year guard with barely any big-stage experience over one of his most-used, most reliable veterans. And it worked.
To be clear, this wasn’t a one-man show. Jalen Brunson earned every bit of his NBA Cup MVP honors, once again proving he’s the heartbeat of this team.
Mitchell Robinson continues to be a one-man wrecking crew on the offensive glass. OG Anunoby’s defensive presence is so consistent, it’s starting to feel automatic-and yes, he absolutely deserves to be in the All-Defense and All-Star conversations.
Jordan Clarkson hit clutch shots when the Knicks needed them most. This was a team win, top to bottom.
But the turning point? That three-guard lineup of Brunson, Clarkson, and Kolek.
Heading into the final, that trio had played just eight minutes together all season. Eight.
In the Cup Final alone, they logged over 10 minutes-nearly eight of those coming in the fourth quarter, when the Knicks outscored the Spurs by 12. That’s not just a wrinkle; that’s a game-changer.
And let’s be honest: that’s not a move former head coach Tom Thibodeau would’ve made. Thibs was known for riding his core guys deep into the fourth, often to the point of exhaustion.
The idea of sitting Bridges in crunch time? Highly unlikely.
Giving Kolek the keys in a high-pressure moment? Even less so.
Brown, on the other hand, has shown he’s not afraid to tinker-even if it ruffles feathers. He’s not leaning on Kolek as a foundational piece, but he’s giving him real chances.
And Kolek is starting to reward that trust. It’s a subtle but important shift in philosophy: play the guys who give you the best chance to win right now, not just the ones with the longest résumés.
The same goes for Clarkson. His defense may not be lockdown, but Brown saw the value in his shot-making and trusted him in a tight game. That’s not a decision rooted in old-school rigidity-it’s one born from feel, flexibility, and a willingness to adapt on the fly.
And that’s really the bigger takeaway here. The Knicks didn’t just win the NBA Cup-they validated the decision to move on from Thibodeau and hand the reins to Mike Brown.
It’s still early in the season, and no one’s confusing this with a Larry O’Brien trophy. There’s a long road ahead, and plenty of questions still need answering.
Relying on Kolek instead of Bridges in crunch time could signal a longer-term issue, or it could just be a one-night spark. Time will tell.
But what’s already clear is this: Brown is a coach who’s willing to explore every option, flip over every stone, and make the tough calls-even when they go against the grain. That mindset has already paid dividends. And if this Cup run is any indication, the Knicks are in far better shape than they were a year ago-not just because they won a trophy, but because they’ve got a coach who’s not afraid to push boundaries to get there.