Jalen Brunson and the Knicks are battling with the Spurs on Prime with the Emirates NBA Cup on the line.
Enjoy the best of the Emirates NBA Cup Championship with the NBA.com live blog, featuring all of the meaningful moments, performances, observations, news, notes and highlights.
What we know about Tuesday night’s game:
- It’s the Emirates NBA Cup Championship! The Knicks and Spurs have survived months of group play and a single-elimination knockout tournament to get here. Now, they’ll play for the NBA Cup, hoping to bring glory home for their fans.
- The game will tip at 8:30 ET on Prime, live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
- Jalen Brunson (34.8 ppg in NBA Cup play) sits at No. 1 in the latest Emirates NBA Cup MVP Ladder.
10:58 PM / DECEMBER 16, 2025
Two minutes to go
With the NBA Cup on the line. Knicks are up 118-110 after a clutch three from OG Anunoby. Kolek delivered an on-target pass while leaping underneath the basket to find him.
“Effort level incredibly high,” said Ian Eagle.
10:46 PM / DECEMBER 16, 2025
A close one with six minutes to go
108-102 Knicks with half of the fourth quarter remaining. Tyler Kolek (10 pts, 4 reb, 3 ast) has provided clutch minutes off the bench for the Knicks, as has Mitchell Robinson (15 reb).
10:38 PM / DECEMBER 16, 2025
Knicks take the lead
100-95 Knicks after an 13-1 run, including two threes by Jordan Clarkson and one from OG Anunoby (25 pts).
CLARKSON TRIPLE.
MITCH STEAL.
MITCH OREB.
CLARKSON TRIPLE.
Knicks take the lead with a 4Q flurry with a Cup Championship on the line 🏆 pic.twitter.com/sAgDc7uGgK
— NBA (@NBA) December 17, 2025
New York now has 30 second-chance points on the night.
10:26 PM / DECEMBER 16, 2025
Wemby makes his presence felt
10 straight points for Victor Wembanyama (17 pts, 6 reb), but the Knicks are hanging tough. 94-87 San Antonio with under a minute to go in the third.
“What can’t he do?” Dwyane Wade asked.
“Uh, nothing,” answered Stan Van Gundy.
10 STRAIGHT POINTS FOR VICTOR WEMBANYAMA 🔥
Triple.
Alley-oop layup.
Triple.
Middy.
FOURTH QUARTER of the @emirates NBA Cup Championship UP NEXT on PRIME: https://t.co/iOJEBfh901 pic.twitter.com/6BjxGx1w1s
— NBA (@NBA) December 17, 2025
10:20 PM / DECEMBER 16, 2025
Towns’ tenacity
Back-to-back buckets off offensive rebounds for Karl-Anthony Towns (16 pts, 10 reb) after the Spurs had opened up a 12-point lead.
82-75 Knicks with 5:06 to go in the third.
10:09 PM / DECEMBER 16, 2025
Brunson keeps battling
Jalen Brunson (17 pts on 17 shots) has had to fight for his buckets tonight, but the Knicks’ floor general keeps working.
“He just has no quit in him,” noted Dwyane Wade.
Jalen Brunson’s shot chart so far.
10:01 PM / DECEMBER 16, 2025
The second half is underway on Prime
De’Aaron Fox opens the third quarter with six straight points, cueing the Spurs with the Emirates NBA Cup on the line.
De’Aaron Fox coming out of the half HOT 🔥
Back-to-back threes as the Spurs lead in the 3Q on Prime! pic.twitter.com/zN1bUg6oud
— NBA (@NBA) December 17, 2025
9:44 PM / DECEMBER 16, 2025
Spurs up two at the half
61-59 Spurs at the half in a close-run battle.
First half highlights between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks.
The Spurs have seemed more likely to take control, but OG Anunoby (20 pts on 8-of-10 shooting) and Jalen Brunson (16 pts) have been tireless in keeping the Knicks in it.
“We’ve got to bring it up to another notch,” said Stephon Castle at the halftime break.
Who will take home the Emirates NBA Cup? The second half is coming up on Prime.
9:41 PM / DECEMBER 16, 2025
Castle making moves
Look out for Stephon Castle pirouetting into the lane to get the Spurs into their early offense, using his athleticism, lift and vision to find shooters.
He has seven assists so far — and Stan Van Gundy, claiming a “Stan crush,” wants to give him his eighth.
9:28 PM / DECEMBER 16, 2025
Vassell with the vertical
Devin Vassell just put up a poster jam off a dime from Stephon Castle. Long, lanky and athletic, Vassell’s leading the Spurs with 9 points so far.
DEVIN VASSELL FLYING DOWN THE LANE!
BIG SLAM FROM THE SPURS GUARD 💥
Tap to watch the @emirates NBA Cup Championship on Prime: https://t.co/iOJEBfh901 pic.twitter.com/GrrNuUVB09
— NBA (@NBA) December 17, 2025
9:25 PM / DECEMBER 16, 2025
Spurs stay up
46-40 Spurs with 6:59 to go in the half.
The Knicks have gone with Mitchell Robinson and Karl-Anthony Towns in the front court. Victor Wembanyama survived their first attempt at bully-ball on the offensive glass, swatting a shot underneath the rim and barring the way as the Knicks grabbed four offensive rebounds on the last possession.
9:09 PM / DECEMBER 16, 2025
Spurs up by a bucket after one
.@dy1anharper with the lefty 🤌
📺 NBA on Prime pic.twitter.com/3ubomElADL
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) December 17, 2025
It’s 30-28 Spurs after the first quarter of the Emirates NBA Cup Championship.
San Antonio has a slight advantage in field goal percentage, shooting 52 percent to 48 percent for the Knicks, including this slick finish by Dylan Harper.
Only three combined turnovers so far. Both teams have been focused as they pursue a trophy for their franchise and fans.
9:03 PM / DECEMBER 16, 2025
A close battle early
INSANE PASS FROM KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS 🤯
Splits the double.
Finds OG.
SLAM.
Tap to watch the @emirates NBA Cup Championship on Prime: https://t.co/iOJEBfh901 pic.twitter.com/V9PXBFsshG
— NBA (@NBA) December 17, 2025
Knicks 26-23 with 1:55 to go in the first quarter. OG Anunoby leads the Knicks with 10 points, while Devin Vassell has 7 for San Antonio.
Victor Wembanyama, guarded by Anunoby, is working his way into the game with 2 points on 1-of-4 shooting so far.
8:45 PM / DECEMBER 16, 2025
Towns opens the scoring
Karl-Anthony Towns hit a tough contested three over Luke Kornet to open the scoring in Las Vegas.
KAT GETS ON THE BOARD FIRST IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME!
Spurs-Knicks underway in the @emirates NBA Cup Championship on Prime 🏆 pic.twitter.com/J8P9SflU4m
— NBA (@NBA) December 17, 2025
Just beforehand, Stephon Castle successfully cut off Jalen Brunson in the high post, as Brunson sought to get into his series of shifting isolation moves. That matchup will be key tonight — keep an eye on it.
8:15 PM / DECEMBER 16, 2025
The energy is building
Feel the vibes in Las Vegas. Tip off Is only a few minutes away.
ELITE GUARD PLAY UPCOMING ‼️
Jalen Brunson (40 PTS in Semifinals) leads the Knicks vs. No. 2 pick Dylan Harper and the Spurs in the @emirates NBA Cup Championship 🏆
8:30pm/et | Prime pic.twitter.com/XE64AcNm5g
— NBA (@NBA) December 17, 2025
Wemby during unreal 7-foot-4 things during warmups 🤯 pic.twitter.com/cuJGwIJLao
— NBA Philippines (@NBA_Philippines) December 17, 2025
7:00 PM / DECEMBER 16, 2025
Follow the journeys of the Knicks and Spurs
Get hyped before tip off.
HOW THE SPURS & KNICKS GOT HERE 🏆
Before they battle for the @emirates NBA Cup tonight at 8:30pm/et on Prime… go inside each team’s journey to the championship! pic.twitter.com/nvaewGyCjn
— NBA (@NBA) December 16, 2025
6:30 PM / DECEMBER 16, 2025
Welcome to the Emirates NBA Cup Championship game!
Tonight, the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks play for the Emirates NBA Cup (8:30 ET, Prime), seeking to claim hardware for their fans and celebrate a championship!
Victor Wembanayama (25.8 ppg, 12.6 reb, 3.8 ast, 50.4 FG%) has averaged 32.0 ppg against the Knicks in his career — the highest against any opposing team.
He’ll go up against Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson tonight, traditional bigs who may struggle to contest his mobility on the perimeter, although they should be able to battle him in the post.
Jalen Brunson (28.8 ppg, 3.1 reb, 6.4 ast) faces a squad full of talented guards, including De’Aaron Fox (23.9 ppg, 6.2 ast) and the 2024-25 Kia Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle (18.4 ppg, 6.1 reb, 6.9 ast).
Castle’s height, strength and quickness could prove difficult for Brunson.
He’s holding opposing scorers to -8.4% worse shooting on two-point shots this season, while Brunson loves to get in the lane for floaters and stepbacks.
But no one has managed to slow down the Knicks captain during this year’s Emirates NBA Cup tournament. He’s put up 34.8 points per game during NBA Cup play, shooting 56 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range.
NBA.com’s Shaun Powell has more for you on tonight’s matchup.
It ought to be a great game. The Spurs can cement their status as contenders in the West and bring home the first bit of glory in Wemby’s increasingly-impressive career. The Knicks can win their first NBA trophy since 1973, avenging their loss in the 1999 NBA Finals in the process.
All eyes are on the NBA in the City of Lights tonight.
