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Knicks Win the 2025 NBA Cup - Hang the Banner!


Whoa... 

The New York Knicks have won something - anything - in my lifetime! They are the 2025 NBA Cup Champions!

No, you won't find any discourse delegtimizing the NBA Cup here. I actually enjoy the concept (more on that in a bit). 

In a remarkable Cup Final game, my freakin! New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs, 124-113. In a concept that provides a trophy and displays a super high-level of basketball (in December), my Knicks won it all. They beat everyone.


Man, I prayed for times like this...

Nope, there is no discounting or cutting into my excitement. And no, don't tell me it's not "legitimate". 

I sat on my couch just as nervous as I am for basketball in April and May. I want the Knicks to win...always. Whether it's the NBA Cup, the NBA Playoffs, or it's the Charlotte Hornets on a Tuesday night in November...it's always New York Knicks basketball - apologies, Hornets fans. 

It's just another step in the right direction for this franchise that once brought me so much pain, for decades.

It's not the ultimate goal - we all understand that. You would actually have to be a dummy to think otherwise. But we needed this. Boy, did we ever need this. And it's certainly another step in the right direction toward an NBA Championship.

I like love this feeling. And it makes that fantasy of an NBA championship seem much more tangible in possibility. We're closer than we think...and this NBA Cup, and this run through some tough teams in a pressurized tournament proves it. 

Damn, that's so scary to wrap my mind around. 

You can't laugh at the New York Knicks anymore. Even if you tried tonight, you can't take this away from Knicks fans. My "NBA Cup Champions" shirt is ordered. I'm wearing everything New York Knicks tomorrow. No water bottles for the next few days - I'll be drinking from Cups-only. Knicks forever. I'm very, very happy. 

The Knicks have won something in my lifetime.

Hang the banner. 

---

A few other thoughts:


NBA Cup Concept

As mentioned above, I'm confident that I'm in the minority in finding the entire concept to be entertaining. Much like the World Baseball Classic's origin in 2006, I find the criticism, or more so, the fake apathy toward it to be overblown, and in some ways, a product of today's lame "hot take" sports environment. 

For me, I only ask this question to those who find issues with it: what is the downside of it? Sure, the courts are terrible, I'll give you that. But high-level basketball this early in the season is exactly the intention of the concept. 

If you've watched Cup games thus far, from pool play to the final game, you honestly cannot say the players don't care. Or, that the product hasn't been better. There is a competitive nature and environment to the games, and this is much welcomed this early in the season. 

We're in year three, and I'm confident this will only get better.



Hang the Banner

Read the title to confirm where I land on this: Hang the (bleepin') Banner. 

The Knicks currently have Division Titles hanging from the rafters of Madison Square Garden. Does anyone care about their Division in the NBA in today's landscape?

The NBA Cup (and not because the Knicks have now won it) is here to stay. It's a concept where all 30 teams have a shot, and only one can win. It likely has a longer shelf life for sustainability than the All-Star Game.  

This year, the Knicks won. 

And for the sake of compromise (and rationale), whaddya say we place it with the Divisional Title banners!

By the way, people are obsessed with banners, huh?!


Brunson Banner

In the spirit of banners, it should be understood that there is no debate that #11 is going up into the Garden rafters as well. 

Dude is special...just a winner. 


Wembanyama

So is this guy. Very special. Too special at times to be considered real. He's figuring it out, and once he does, the entire basketball world is in trouble.

That third quarter, where he casually and repeatedly hit defenders with sharp jab steps before knocking down a beautiful middy, was a terrifying look into the future - we're in such trouble. How do you stop that?!!!


OG, Mitch, Clarkson, and...Tyler Kolek?

OG Anunoby was phenomenal. Mitchell Robinson, in my opinion, continues to be the most important player to the Knicks' success, behind Brunson, of course. Clarkson reminds me of JR Smith and his streakability so much...we're very lucky Clarkson had one of those crazy games he's capable of in this one.

But there was also Tyler Kolek. Wow. Tyler Kolek...

As of this post, that might have been the game of his life. And considering he earned a significant amount of money in comparison to his salary for this season, in this one game, it makes sense. 

Ball out, kid. Get that money.

---

Edit (12/17/25): They decided NOT to hang a banner. Boo!
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