With the Knicks missing five players following their NBA Cup win, Jalen Brunson came up clutch once again to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

INDIANAPOLIS — It took a while, but the Knicks recovered from their NBA Cup hangover. The cure was — who else? — Captain Clutch. After struggling for much of the fourth quarter with his shots falling short, Brunson hit the biggest one of Thursday’s 114-113 victory over Pacers, when he nailed a trey over Andrew Nembhard.

New York Knicks coach Mike Brown believes there are plenty of benefits to playing for and winning the midseason NBA Cup.

The Knicks started the third just 2-of-8 from the floor, allowing the Spurs to open a double-digit lead. New York would bring it back down to single digits, but the highlight was this Victor Wembanyama reverse alley-oop slam.

Follow along live with Emirates NBA Cup Championship game between the Knicks and Spurs, coming to you from Las Vegas.

After winning the NBA Cup in Las Vegas, the New York Knicks will be shorthanded for their matchup against the Indiana Pacers on Thursday. Jalen Brunson knows there's no parade for winning the NBA Cup, thus the Knicks will head back to work with an extended list of injuries on their injury report.

The NBA saw a surprising move as the New York Knicks declined to raise their NBA Cup banner. The team prioritized a championship run. Meanwhile, Ja Mo

Moreover, the cup run highlighted this team's growing ability to stay composed, play collectively and overcome adversity in high-pressure moments. For Hall of Famer, Reggie Miller, this triumph only doubles down on his belief that the Knicks can finally be trusted when the 2026 playoffs arrive and represent the East in the 2026 NBA Finals.