After six weeks of play, the NBA Cup was down to its final four teams entering Saturday: the Orlando Magic, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.
The second NBA Cup game of the night features the league’s most dominant team against its most surprising team. The Thunder can’t be stopped this year. Coming off a championship, OKC has been even better this season, carrying a 24-1 record into Saturday’s game.
Advertisement
The Spurs, meanwhile, appear to have found their footing. After finishing last season with just 34 wins, the Spurs have already reached 17 victories in their first 24 games. The team has managed that record despite losing star big man Victor Wembanyama for 12 games due to a calf injury, and now they’re getting him back for a clash with the NBA’s top team.
That’s the exact kind of matchup the NBA was hoping for when it crafted this in-season tournament.
Jalen Brunson torches Magic as Knicks reach NBA Cup championship
The New York Knicks have reached the knockout round of the NBA Cup all three times the tournament has been held. They are about to play in their first championship game, primarily thanks to Jalen Brunson.
Advertisement
Behind 40 points and 8 assists from their All-Star guard, the Knicks survived a high-scoring thriller against the Orlando Magic in the East semifinal,
The Magic entered the game ranked fifth in the NBA in defensive efficiency, and the Knicks gashed them on that side of the court as much as any team has all season, despite shooting only 7-of-20 from 3-point range as a team. The absence of defensive standout Franz Wagner loomed large.
It also didn’t help that Jalen Suggs, another defensive standout, left the game in clear discomfort in the fourth quarter. The Magic later announced he was questionable to return with a sore left hip, but he never made it back to the court.
Advertisement
The win guarantees Knicks players $205,998 each in NBA Cup prize money, with a chance to win $514,971 in the championship game. The Magic players will have to settle for $102,994.
Which teams will punch their tickets to the NBA Cup Championship on Tuesday? Follow along with Yahoo Sports for live updates, highlights and more from the 2025 NBA Cup semifinals:
-
Jack Baer
No Wemby out of the time out for San Antonio. We might be talking about some very limited minutes for him tonight.
-
Jack Baer
Welcome back, Isaiah Hartenstein.
-
Jack Baer
It hasn’t been all bad for the Spurs, though.
-
Jack Baer
All Thunder so far. OKC builds a 12-4 lead in the first three minutes, making all five shots inside the arc. No Wemby minutes yet, but the Spurs need to at least keep it close when he’s out if he’s not getting a full workload yet.
-
Jack Baer
The Spurs win the tip and we’re off as the Thunder try to continue their all-time start.
-
The Spurs aren’t the only team getting its starting center back tonight. Isaiah Hartenstein is in the lineup for the Thunder after a six-game absence due to a calf strain.
-
-
-
Tarohn Finley
Jalen Brunson’s 40 points helped the New York Knicks beat the Orlando Magic 132- 120 to advance to the NBA Cup Championship. Brunson passed Richie Guerin for the third-most 30+ point games in franchise history. The Knicks will play the winner of the San Antonio Spurs – Oklahoma City Thunder game for the NBA Cup Championship.
Magic’s Jalen Suggs led the team in scoring but struggled to continue his momentum from the first half. Suggs scored 1 point in the second half after scoring a first-half career high of 25 points. Paolo Banchero added 25 points and 8 rebounds.
-
Tarohn Finley
-
Tarohn Finley
-
Tarohn Finley
-
Tarohn Finley
-
Tarohn Finley
-
Tarohn Finley
-
Tarohn Finley
Jalen Brunson leads the Knicks with 37 points. Brunson passed Richie Guerin for the third-most 30+ point games in franchise history. Magic’s Jalen Suggs struggled to continue his momentum from the first half. Suggs went scoreless in the third quarter after scoring a first-half career high of 25 points.
-
Tarohn Finley
-
Tarohn Finley
-
Tarohn Finley
The Orlando Magic take the lead 87 – 85 after 23 quick points in the third quarter. Jalen Suggs still leads the way for the Magic with 25 points.
-
Tarohn Finley
