Inside The Spurs

Spurs Fall to Knicks, Learn Tough Lessons in Physical NBA Cup Final

The San Antonio Spurs faltered late against the New York Knicks as their impressive tournament run came to a disappointing end.
Tom Petrini|
Dec 16, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) dunks the ball past New York Knicks guard Tyler Kolek (13) in the second half during the Emirates NBA Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Dec 16, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) dunks the ball past New York Knicks guard Tyler Kolek (13) in the second half during the Emirates NBA Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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San Antonio SpursNew York Knicks

The NBA Cup Final went 12 punishing rounds, and at the end of it, the San Antonio Spurs fell short of their ultimate goal in a gut-punch loss.

Mitch Johnson's squad traded haymakers in a heavyweight bout with the New York Knicks all game, but the bumps and bruises sustained won't sting as much as the fourth-quarter collapse that kept San Antonio from hoisting the trophy.

Victor Wembanyama's heart was heavy for reasons far more important than basketball on Tuesday night. He fought back tears and shared that he had lost somebody close to him earlier in the day. According to multiple media reports, Wembanyama's grandmother passed away in France.

He played his heart out, and offered a reflection on the game afterward.

"This is the best practice for important games. Of course, our focus is already on the playoffs, and the playoffs are going to be the biggest time of the year, so ... it's good we had this experience together," Wembanyama said.

As sweet as victory would have been, the main mission of the NBA's In-Season Tournament wasn't to win a trophy or prize money; it was to give an untested team experience in games with pressure, physicality and worthy opponents.

San Antonio squeezed as much of that as it possibly could out of its run. The agonizing defeat won't count toward its regular-season record, but the lessons learned in Vegas will help the group grow.

READ MORE: Amid Success, Devin Vassell is Spurs' Proof of Contact

Even in a 124-113 defeat, the Spurs showed plenty of progress they can be proud of.

As soon as the opening tip landed in Jalen Brunson's hands, Stephon Castle made it a point to harangue him. The reigning Rookie of the Year blanketed the MVP candidate as they both bashed each other. The Knicks' shifty leader struggled to create any advantage against Castle, who spearheaded an aggressive, attacking San Antonio defense.

Much like in San Antonio's semifinal victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, the referees' whistles were somewhere between a playoff basketball game and a no-holds-barred MMA fight. Castle, bruised and bloodied by the end of his battle against OKC, continued driving through contact.

In the first half, the sophomore guard notched seven assists for San Antonio, tossing lobs to Luke Kornet and spraying skip passes across the court. He finished with 12 assists and only two turnovers.

Wembanyama once again came off the bench for San Antonio. He made an impact on the game in a metaphorical sense, and Karl-Anthony Towns made an impact on him in the physical sense with a mid-air bear hug on one play and a shove to the hardwood on another. Neither drew a whistle.

When Wembanyama went back to the bench, De'Aaron Fox stepped up to lead the offense and find his teammates, tallying eight assists in the opening half. When the second half started, Fox banged a pair of triples in front of an exasperated Spike Lee.

Dylan Harper threw a forearm shiver in transition to finish a tough layup, and Castle went up among the trees to came down with an offensive board. From the floor, he passed it out and the ball found Harper for 3.

Castle lowered his shoulder on a drive to create space, protected the body with his ball and finished a saucy reverse layup. Wembanyama had been stuck at four points until he crammed a crazy reverse on a lob from Devin Vassell.

Later in the quarter, Wembanyama scored 10 points in under two minutes. First Castle found him for a 3. Then Castle grabbed another absurd offensive rebound, turned on the baseline and lobbed it to Wembanyama for an easy jam.

Wembanyama drained another shot from long range, then from mid-range, and suddenly he'd put in 12 points in the period. The third quarter has been a tough one for the Spurs this season, but much like their victory over the Thunder, they won it and went to the fourth with a lead.

It didn't last long. San Antonio's own Jordan Clarkson cashed in from deep twice in a row in the midst of a 13-1 run for New York.

Julian Champagnie hit a triple to end the dry spell, but Kornet got called for a foul as he knocked an undersized Knick to the floor while rolling. Johnson called timeout to challenge the call, face red, spit and expletives flying from his mouth. He won the challenge, but picked up a technical foul and the 3 was wiped off the board.

Castle put his head down and got to the rim, first for a putback by Kornet and then for free throws. Frenetic Spurs defense led to a transition opportunity, and Vassell found Castle for a corner 3.

With five minutes left and the Spurs trailing by five, Wembanyama and Towns checked back in. Towns picked up two quick fouls, putting San Antonio into the bonus and Wembnanyama at the free throw line. As the crowd in the neutral arena chanted "MVP," he hit both to make it a one-possession game.

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Dec 16, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts against the New York Knicks during the Emirates NBA Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"Wanting it more" is a cliche that fails to fully capture what it aims to describe. Both teams wanted the game completely and desperately. Both fought tooth-and-nail for it for 48 minutes.

Down the stretch, the Knicks executed better and won that fight. They hit their shots as the Spurs missed theirs, and New York pulled down 11 offensive rebounds in the final quarter as it outscored San Antonio 35-19.

The Knicks made aggressive roster moves last year to push for a title, and would have made the NBA Finals last season if not for Tyrese Haliburton's witchcraft. This year, they're the clear favorites to represent the Eastern Conference.

On their way to the Final, the Spurs defeated the Houston Rockets before winning elimination games on the road against the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers. In beating the juggernaut Thunder, San Antonio announced itself to the NBA as a legitimate contender.

A loss to the Knicks serves as a painful reminder of how hard it is to go from contender to champion. Yet, still, the Spurs are probably better for it.

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Tom Petrini
TOM PETRINI

Tom Petrini has covered Spurs basketball for the last decade, first for Project Spurs and then for KENS 5 in San Antonio. After leaving the newsroom he co-founded the Silver and Black Coffee Hour, a weekly podcast where he catches up on Spurs news with friends Aaron Blackerby and Zach Montana. Tom lives in Austin with his partner Jess and their dogs Dottie and Guppy. His other interests include motorsports and making a nice marinara sauce.

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