The New York Knicks walked away from Las Vegas without champagne showers, but with something they value even more: growth under genuine pressure.
Their hard-fought 124-113 victory over the San Antonio Spurs delivered the NBA Cup title and something head coach Mike Brown believes will pay dividends when the stakes rise even higher.
“During the course of the year, you try to find situations to put pressure on your group,” Mike Brown said via ESPN. “This is a single-elimination tournament when you get to a certain point. Every game counts. There’s pressure on every game if you expect to be who you think you are.”
Jalen Brunson, the NBA Cup MVP, was not at his absolute best, yet still produced 25 points and 8 assists. He used his moment on stage to shine attention on the second unit and their impact.
“A game like this, an environment like this, you don’t really see around the NBA too often,” Brunson said. “We got to take advantage of the experience that we got here. I mean, those guys will. Being down 10 in the third and them kind of controlling the game throughout the game. Us just finding a way. Going on the run in the fourth with the help of our bench, it was big-time.”
Tyler Kolek’s late playmaking, Mitchell Robinson’s 15 rebounds with 10 on the offensive glass, and Jordan Clarkson’s crucial consecutive three-pointers defined the Knicks’ comeback.
Brown, who initially questioned the NBA Cup’s relevance, now sees tangible benefits.
“That pressure is manufactured without you as a coach having to try to do it all the time,” Brown said. “When you’re able to have success doing it, it breeds confidence in everybody within the organization. That can propel you come the right time when you’re in that environment to be able to handle the pressure because you’ve already been through it.”
READ MORE: Deandre Ayton Speaks After ‘An Emotional Game’ in Phoenix