The Knicks did not just end a 53-year title drought; they became the first team to achieve a modern NBA double.
New York claimed the Emirates NBA Cup in December.
Then it finished the job in June by beating the same opponent, the San Antonio Spurs, in the NBA Finals.
Knicks NBA double gives this season a unique distinction
It is only the third year of the midseason tournament, but that does not make this milestone any less meaningful.
The Knicks beat the Spurs 124-113 in Las Vegas to win the 2025 NBA Cup, with Jalen Brunson taking home MVP honors after averaging 33.2 points across the tournament.
Six months later, they faced San Antonio again, this time in the Finals, and finished the series in five games. Brunson closed it out with 45 points in Game 5, earning Finals MVP and delivering New York’s first championship since 1973.
It is the first time any team has won both the Cup and the championship in the same season, a clean double that also gives the Spurs an odd distinction as runners-up in both competitions.
Knicks’ title boosts NBA Cup legitimacy
The league needed a storyline like this. The NBA Cup has faced plenty of skepticism since its launch, with many fans questioning whether a December trophy could ever carry real weight.
But the early signs are stronger than critics might suggest. The 2023 Lakers won the first Cup, while runner-up Indiana reached the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals. The 2024 Bucks won the Cup, while Oklahoma City, who lost that final, went on to win the 2025 NBA title.
Now the third Cup has produced a direct Finals preview, with Knicks vs. Spurs deciding both the in-season tournament and the championship. It is hard to dismiss the midseason bracket as just a sideshow anymore.
There is also a growing link between Cup and Finals MVPs. LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Brunson are the only three Cup MVPs so far, and all three have also won Finals MVP.
The Cup still needs time to build tradition, but the Knicks’ double has given it a real boost. If winning in December can lead to a title in June, then the NBA Double is no longer just a novelty; it is a legitimate part of the league’s landscape.
Read more:
