Jalen Brunson Makes History in Knicks' NBA Cup Victory

New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown and his players have emphasized performing in NBA Cup games this season.

After losing their first cup game against the Chicago Bulls, they defeated the Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks and Charlotte Hornets to advance to the quarterfinals after winning Group C. That led to a matchup against the Toronto Raptors, which the Knicks won.

The third time was the charm for the Knicks. After failing to advance their first two times in the NBA Cup, they advanced to Las Vegas for the semifinals to play against the Orlando Magic for the fourth time this season.

After losing their first two matchups to the Magic in the 2025-26 campaign, New York has now won two in a row against the Southeast Division foes, emerging as legitimate rivals. Leading the way into the NBA Cup Finals was none other than Jalen Brunson.

Jalen Brunson Makes History Leading Knicks to NBA Cup Final

Dec 13, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) shoots the ball against the Orlando Magic during the second quarter at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The All-Star point guard has been excellent this season once again. On Saturday evening in Las Vegas, he made history, leading the Knicks to a 132-120 win.

Brunson, who sounded under the weather during press conferences leading into the semifinals, certainly didn’t look any worse for wear on the court. He was excellent, picking apart Orlando from the opening tip.

He would score 25 points in the first half, setting the stage for a monster 40-point performance. That is the most points scored in an NBA Cup semifinal or final game, with Brunson showcasing his scoring prowess on another major stage.

40 BALL FOR CAP 🫡 pic.twitter.com/eD1Omi46gU
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 14, 2025

He shot 16 of 27 from the field overall and two of five from 3-point range. Uncharacteristically, he made only six of nine free throws, but it didn’t come back to hurt his team, helping them to a 12-point victory.

Brunson was operating at an incredibly high level offensively. Even when he wasn’t looking to score, he was still making an impact with his eight assists.

The Knicks tore up a normally stout Orlando defense, shooting 60.7% overall from the field, making 51 out of 84 shot attempts.

Under Brown, New York has focused on attempting more 3-pointers. The Magic did a good job of limiting their attempts, with the Knicks going seven of 20. But, they found a way to still fill up the bucket, scoring 70 points in the paint.

playing for each other 🤝

Jalen 40 PTS | 4 REB | 8 AST | 1 STL
KAT 29 PTS | 8 REB | 2 AST | 1 STL | 1 BLK
OG 24 PTS | 6 REB | 4 AST | 3 STL | 1 BLK
Mikal 16 PTS | 3 REB | 3 AST
Josh 12 PTS | 6 REB | 6 AST | 3 STL | 1 BLK pic.twitter.com/did3w4ZHNM
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 14, 2025

This was the 19th time in his career that Brunson reached the 40-point plateau. It is the first occurrence this season, with the star point guard having the ball in his hands a little less frequently but still being able to put the team on his back when need be.

With the victory, New York will now be facing off against the San Antonio Spurs on Dec. 18. The Western Conference representatives defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-109 in a thrilling contest to earn the championship berth.

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