NBA Cup Final: 5 Things San Antonio Spurs Must Do To Defeat New York Knicks

After 66 games, the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs have emerged as the best teams in the tournament and face each other in the NBA Cup Final on Tuesday. The matchup will tip off from T-Mobile Arena at 8:30 p.m. ET and will stream exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.

The Spurs booked their spot in the tournament final after defeating the reigning champions, the OKC Thunder, 111-109 on Saturday. The Knicks, meanwhile, took down the Orlando Magic 132-120 to advance to the Finals.

New York and San Antonio both hold an 18-7 record this season and are neck and neck on paper. Tuesday’s game is likely to be an intense and tight affair as there is no shortage of quality on both sides.

Let’s take a look at five things the San Antonio Spurs must do to win the NBA Cup Final.

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#1 The Spurs’ guards must contain Jalen Brunson

NBA: New York Knicks at Toronto Raptors - Source: Imagn

Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, and Devin Vassell will have a huge responsibility on Tuesday as they look to match up with Jalen Brunson in the backcourt.

The Knicks’ offense runs through Brunson, making him the biggest offensive threat to San Antonio. He is averaging 28.8 points, 6.4 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game this season.

Disrupting Brunson’s game will surely give the team a better chance at winning, giving Castle, Harper and Vassell a significant challenge in the NBA Cup Final.

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#2 Victor Wembanyama must win the Karl-Anthony Towns matchup

The Wembanyama-Towns matchup will be one to watch tomorrow as two of the league’s most skilled big men look to carry their team to victory.

Wembanyama is the clear star of this San Antonio Spurs team and is averaging 25.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 3.5 blocks per game. His two-way production remains unmatched this season.

Towns, meanwhile, is averaging 22.4 ppg, 11.9 rpg and 3.2 apg. While he doesn’t provide the same defensive value as Wembanyama, he can take over games and will be one to look out for. San Antonio’s star player will need to win his matchup against Towns to put the team in a winning position.

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#3 Shut down New York on the offensive glass

NBA: Memphis Grizzlies at New York Knicks - Source: Imagn

The New York Knicks are one of the best rebounding teams in the league. Moreover, the team puts in extra effort on the offensive end, resulting in many second-chance opportunities.

These can be lethal in a tightly contested game, something Tuesday’s matchup is gearing up to be. New York is third in the league in offensive rebounds, recording 13.6 per game. The San Antonio Spurs must limit the team’s presence on the offensive glass in the NBA Cup Final.

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#4 Limit OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges

The Knicks have no shortage of quality on their roster, giving them plenty of options to make life difficult for the Spurs.

Even if the team manages to contain Brunson and Towns, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby will remain a threat to explode. While both players are secondary to the team’s stars, they possess enough quality to take over games.

The San Antonio Spurs must ensure that it doesn’t stretch itself too thin between Brunson, Towns, Bridges and Anunoby. Josh Hart, one of the team’s best 3-point shooters, will also be one to look out for.

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#5 Set up De’Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama for success

NBA: San Antonio Spurs at Washington Wizards - Source: Imagn

To win Tuesday’s NBA Cup Final against the Knicks, San Antonio will need to play to their strengths. Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox are the clear leaders of the team, making it likely that the offense will revolve around them.

But the better team will win, and to be the better team, the San Antonio Spurs’ other players need to make life easier for Fox and Wembanyama.

Whether it's boxing out, chasing loose balls, setting screens, or simply spacing the floor for the stars, Mitch Johnson’s players must be willing to do everything to win the NBA Cup Final.

Edited by Sameer Khan