Bold statement: The Knicks’ surprise surge from their bench changed the trajectory of their season and reminded everyone why depth can decide a trophy. And this is where the story gets more interesting—the role players who rarely controlled the spotlight stepped up when it mattered most, reshaping both perception and outcome.
Original fans know the scene: late in the third quarter of the 2025 NBA Cup final in Las Vegas, New York looked down and out as the young Spurs built a double-digit cushion. Then the Knicks’ reserves—Jordan Clarkson, Tyler Kolek, and Mitchell Robinson—sparked a decisive swing, trimming the gap to five by the start of the fourth. They didn’t just push back; they propelled the team forward, with Robinson gobbling boards and Clarkson lighting up the arc. In the opening minutes of the final frame, Robinson grabbed four offensive rebounds in a 90-second span, two of which set up Clarkson triples. The second trey from Clarkson gave New York the lead for good with 10:27 left.
From there, New York rode a 35-19 fourth-quarter eruption to seal a 124-113 win, earning their first trophy since the 1973 NBA title. Jalen Brunson, crowned NBA Cup MVP with 25 points and eight rebounds, made sure to credit the supporting cast in his postgame remarks.
“OG Anunoby, Tyler Kolek, Jordan Clarkson, Mitchell Robinson, they played their tails off tonight. Without them, we don’t win this. They played their tails off tonight,” Brunson said. “We find a way to win. That’s it. We’re going to find a way. That has to be our motto going forward: We need to find a way.”
Anunoby delivered 28 points—an amount that would’ve been a season high if this had been a regular-season game. Yet the real narrative shift belonged to the Knicks’ bench, which had rarely been as reliable as it was in this matchup.
Clarkson sank three triples en route to 15 points, Robinson hauled in 15 rebounds (including 10 on the offensive glass), and Kolek contributed 15 points, five rebounds, and five assists, earning crucial late-game minutes. Notably, Kolek threaded a pass to Anunoby in the corner for the game-sealing three with under two minutes to go.
A strategic overhaul
Under Tom Thibodeau last season, the Knicks leaned heavily on their five starters. Every starter logged at least 35 minutes per game, with Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, and Anunoby among the league’s leaders in minutes. The bench produced just 21.7 points per game, the lowest in the league by a wide margin.
That depth gap helped contribute to a costly shortfall in the Eastern Conference finals, where Indiana’s depth overwhelmed New York. Over six games, Pacers’ reserves produced 210 points on 50.7% shooting, while the Knicks’ bench managed 117 points on 38.5% shooting.
The aftermath of that series brought front-office changes: Thibodeau was replaced by Mike Brown, and the roster was reshaped with new depth pieces including Clarkson, Guerschon Yabusele, and Malcolm Brogdon (who would retire before the season). Not every addition panned out, but the philosophy shifted toward a more versatile, capable bench that Brown would lean on.
This season, Brunson remains the lone player averaging 35 minutes per game, while ten players log at least ten minutes nightly. The Knicks still rely on a strong starting core—Brunson, Towns, Bridges, Anunoby, and Hart—but the reserve group now contributes multiple players who reach or exceed nine points per game. That’s a marked improvement from last season, when only Miles McBride averaged more than seven points off the bench.
Bench scoring trajectory
Season Points per game League rank
2025-26 30.7 28th
2024-25 21.7 30th
The path to a deeper run
Brown acknowledged postgame that the Knicks value the Cup experience. “Any time you can participate in any event where you’re the last one standing, and you’re able to hang a banner—especially in iconic MSG—you take that seriously,” he said. “All of our guys took it seriously.”
But the ultimate prize remains the NBA title in June. The Knicks are legitimate contenders, currently priced as Eastern Conference favorites (+250) with third-best odds to win the Finals (+1200), according to Caesars.
For a championship run this spring, the bench will be tested again. Depth matters in today’s game more than ever, where pace and physicality demand fresh legs and smart substitutions. The Spurs defeat last season by the Pacers reinforced a punchline: if you don’t have dependable contributors beyond the starting five, you’re vulnerable.
Clarkson, Robinson, and Kolek delivered a memorable performance against San Antonio, but the real question is consistency. Clarkson’s streakiness, Robinson’s health and free-throw concerns, and Kolek’s unproven track record away from this breakout moment all pose questions. Neither McBride nor Shamet—both sidelined by injuries—made a playoff impact this time around.
The bench has taken a meaningful leap since last year, yet whether it’s enough to secure a title in the playoffs remains to be seen. In the NBA Cup, the reserves shined; in the postseason, they will face tougher tests, and results will determine whether depth really becomes the Knicks’ enduring competitive edge.
