Category: NBA

Steve Kerr reveals why standout rookie Will Richard isn't in Warriors' rotation originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors’ rotation has been erratic in the first half of the 2025-26 NBA season, and a 13-14 record only brings more questions to how coach Steve Kerr is using his players.

Draymond Green was back in Golden State’s starting lineup for its 136-131 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday after a foot injury/excused absence, but his return was overshadowed by Stephen Curry’s historic 48-point performance. Will Richard, Jonathan Kuminga, and Seth Curry did not see any action on the court.

It was Richard’s second consecutive game without any minutes, and Kerr on Tuesday explained his decision to keep the rookie guard out of the rotation on 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs” show.

“Right now, frankly, he’s sitting because he’s a rookie and I’m honoring what the older guys have done over the years,” Kerr said. “I think that’s good for chemistry, I think this is kind of how it goes.”

"It's been tough not playing [Will Richard] because I'm a huge fan and a believer…Right now, frankly he's sitting because he's a rookie. I'm honoring what the older guys have done over the years."

– Steve Kerr on @WillardAndDibs.

🎧 https://t.co/Es5Q9kWxn0pic.twitter.com/BylSQxC0cz

— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) December 17, 2025

The 22-year-old has averaged 8.0 points per game in 23 of 27 contests played so far and brings a youthful burst of energy to an otherwise aging core.

“It’s been tough not playing him because I’m a huge fan and a believer,” Kerr said. “He offers us stability and decision-making, good shooting, so he’s just got to stay with it.”

Kerr emphasized relying on veteran expertise now that the team has fallen below .500 and acknowledged that Richard has what it takes to be a starter possibly later in the season.

“Guys have to earn their stripes,” he noted. “You give everybody a fair look, and you continue on through the season so he could very easily find himself back in the rotation. He’s obviously a good-enough player.”

Kerr mentioned how he relayed that to Richard during Wednesday’s press conference at Chase Center.

“The great thing with Will is he gets it. I went to him last week, told him, I'm going to take him out of the rotation because we're getting healthy, and I want to play my vets and give everybody you know a look.”

Steve Kerr on Will Richard. pic.twitter.com/skHygH2XZL

— Joseph Dycus (@joseph_dycus) December 17, 2025

Richard started four of the five games Curry missed with a quad injury and averaged 5.2 points in 22.0 minutes per game in that span. Since Curry returned to action on Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Kerr reiterated he only can shape so many lineup combinations around the 37-year-old star point guard.

“There are times where you can only play 10 or 11, three or four guys are out of the loop, right now it’s Jonathan, it’s Will, Gary Payton’s barely played the last couple games,” Kerr concluded.

The Warriors are set to face the Phoenix Suns twice in three days starting Thursday night at Chase Center. Yet, the question looms whether Kerr will have the same players start for each matchup.

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Draymond Green addresses owner Joe Lacob's email to disgruntled Warriors fan originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Joe Lacob’s viral email response to a Warriors fan has become a momentous part of the team’s lackluster season so far. 

Will it spark a big personnel change? Should anyone in the organization be concerned? 

Draymond Green is not; he explained on his podcast “The Draymond Green Show.” The strong response from Golden State’s owner is nothing out of the ordinary to Green. 

“Joe is passionate as hell. You’re either going to love his passion or hate it,” Green noted. “Whether you love his passion or whether you hate it, the one thing you do know is the most important thing to Joe — and you’ll understand that at every step of the way — is winning… 

“… If you’re not winning, he’s pissed, and that’s just how Joe rolls.” 

Green chalks up the seemingly angry and earth-shattering response to Lacob’s passion. That same passion has fueled the Warriors’ success during his ownership, according to Green. 

“That’s who he is. That’s a large part of the reason this organization became winners; because you’re run by a winner,” Green explained. “So, it is what it is. No one from our organization is cracking from it. 

Just as coach Steve Kerr told reporters Tuesday, Green does not see Lacob’s response as a big deal.  

“When you’ve worked so long with someone, you know how they are; you know what makes them tick; you know what pisses them off,” Green said. “I don’t think any of us are sitting there like, ‘Oh, Joe said this.’ Like, quite honestly, Joe will say these things to your face, and that’s just who he is.” 

If what Green says is true, the locker room probably already has heard, in-person, some variation of what Lacob wrote in that e-mail. 

Kerr agreed in his press conference Tuesday that he shared Lacob’s frustration. Green acknowledged that as well. 

“[Lacob] should be frustrated; We’ve f—king sucked so far,” Green said. “It is frustrating, and we’ve got to figure it out and we will figure it out, I have zero doubts about that.” 

Sitting in eighth place in the Western Conference standings through 27 games, the Warriors have yet to figure it out.

Lacob, Kerr and the rest of the Warriors have 55 more regular season games to do so. 

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Steve Kerr hints Jonathan Kuminga is set to rejoin Warriors' rotation originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – The next episode of the long-running soap opera depicting the estrangements and reconciliations of Jonathan Kuminga and the Warriors was promoted Wednesday and is titled “Another Chance, Part XX.”

After three consecutive games in which Kuminga was healthy but reduced to spectating from the bench, coach Steve Kerr indicated after practice that the young forward will return to the floor Thursday night when the Warriors face the Suns in Phoenix.

“You definitely want to see how guys respond in practice,” Kerr said. “And I can tell you, JK, has been great this last week as he’s been out of the rotation. He’s working really hard, and I’m going to reward that.”

Kerr did not say whether Kuminga would start or come off the bench, but the latter seems more likely. The coach on Tuesday expressed a willingness to stay with a starting lineup featuring Stephen Curry, Moses Moody, Jimmy Butler III, Draymond Green and Quinten Post.

The Warriors (13-14, eighth in the Western Conference) are coming off back-to-back losses in which they could not hold fourth-quarter leads, the most recent a 136-131 loss to the Trail Blazers on Sunday in Portland. One startling element of that game was the Blazers’ decisive advantage in athleticism and quickness, which surely stood out in the team’s video review.

Kuminga, 23, is the most athletic player on Golden State’s roster.

After starting the first 12 games of the season, Kuminga was sidelined with bilateral knee tendinitis and missed the next seven games. Upon his return Dec. 2, he came off the bench for two games but was ineffective, scoring 17 points on 7-of-22 shooting from the field, with 13 rebounds, three assists and five turnovers.

Reinstalled into the starting lineup Dec. 6 at Cleveland, Kuminga sputtered. He snagged seven rebounds but scored only four points on 1-of-10 shooting from the field and dropped out of Golden State’s rotation for the next three games.

The Warriors lost two of the three games. 

“He needs to be back out there,” Kerr said.

Though Kuminga remains very much in potential trade scenarios – he can’t be moved before Jan. 15 – the Warriors for now hope to get a return on their investment, as he signed a two-year contract worth $48.5 million during training camp.

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OG Anunoby scored 28 points as the New York Knicks ended their 52-year trophy drought by beating the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Cup final.

The London-born forward finished with five three-pointers as the Knicks came from 11 points down in the third quarter to win 124-113 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Point guard Jalen Brunson, who was named the NBA Cup's Most Valuable Player, scored 25 points as the Knicks won the third edition of the mid-season tournament to claim their first silverware since winning the 1973 NBA Finals.

"We found a way to win," said Brunson. "That's going to be our motto going forward: we're going to find a way."

Mike Brown, who is in his first year as Knicks head coach, said: "Any time you can participate in an event where you're the last one standing and you're able to hang a banner, you take that seriously. And all of our guys took that seriously."

San Antonio upset top seeds and reigning NBA champions Oklahoma City Thunder in Saturday's semi-finals thanks to a superb display from Victor Wembanyama.

In his second game after missing 12 straight matches with a calf injury, he was limited to 18 points and 25 minutes off the bench.

An emotional Wembanyama fought back tears at a brief post-game news conference, saying: "Sorry, I just lost somebody today."

Seven Knicks players reached double figures in points. Karl-Anthony Towns claimed 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Mitchell Robertson had 15 rebounds and two blocks from the bench.

Dylan Harper led the scoring for the Spurs with 21 points.

Victory was the Knicks' sixth in a row - and 10th in 11 games - although the final does not count towards the regular-season standings.

They are second in the Eastern Conference and the Spurs are fourth in the West.

• Why are there so few Brits in the NBA?

As trade winds continue to blow across the NBA, fantasy managers can also wheel-and-deal to
help their chances of winning a championship. Here are some players to consider buying low
on, selling high on or who are worth holding onto in fantasy at this time.

Buy

Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic

Banchero recently missed 10 games with a groin injury. He jumped right back into the starting
lineup when he returned, but the Magic limited him to fewer than 25 minutes in each of his first
two games. He has seen his playing time increase in both games since, topping out at 35
minutes in Saturday's game against the Knicks. In that matchup, he produced 25 points, eight
rebounds, three assists and one steal.

Banchero's overall stats haven't been great this season. He is shooting just 26.6% from behind
the arc, which is down from 32.0% last season. His scoring is also down to 20.5 points per
game, compared to 25.9 last season. However, he is healthy now and should see his normal
allotment of minutes moving forward. His scoring production could increase, given that Franz Wagner (ankle) and Jalen Suggs (hip) are both out. This might be a rare buy-low window for the
All-Star forward.

Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons

Duren produced a disappointing stat line against the Celtics on Monday, posting six points and
three rebounds over 29 minutes. The only silver lining was that he had two steals and two
blocks. It marked the fourth time over his last five games that he has hauled in fewer than 10
rebounds. It was also his second game with fewer than 10 points during that span.

Even with Duren's recent struggles, he is averaging 18.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks
for the season. After shooting 66.9% from the free-throw line last season, he has shot 74.7%
from there this season. All his recent struggles might have done was create an opportunity to
acquire him in a trade at a slight discount.

Sell

Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz

Markkanen is having a fantastic season with averages of 27.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.9
three-pointers. After shooting just 42.3% from the field last season, he is at 46.9% through 24
games. He is also playing a lot, logging 35 minutes a game. The 28-year-old has a ton of talent
and is, without question, a top fantasy option when he is on the floor.

The last part of the above statement is key. Markkanen has missed only one game after playing
a total of just 102 games the previous two seasons. The Jazz are 10-15 and could turn to their
tanking ways again in the near future. Monday's game against the Mavericks was concerning
because they sat Jusuf Nurkic for rest and removed Svi Mykhailiuk from the starting lineup.
They were replaced by youngsters Kyle Filipowski and Brice Sensabaugh. It might be best to
sell high on Markkanen now to avoid possible rest day issues down the stretch.

Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers

Grant has started each of his last 13 games. In the role, he has averaged 22.1 points, 4.8
rebounds, 2.8 assists and 3.0 three-pointers. After a disappointing 2024-25 campaign in which
he shot 37.3% from the field and 36.5% from three, he has shot 43.8% from the field and 39.5%
from behind the arc this season.

Grant was moved into the starting lineup when Jrue Holiday (calf) went down. He has missed a
month with the injury, and the Trail Blazers have not given any updates regarding his potential
return. However, when Holiday does come back, Grant could see fewer minutes and shot
attempts off the bench. Now is the time to float him out in trade offers.

Hold

Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics

The absence of Jayson Tatum (Achilles) has set up Brown to have the best season of his
career. He hasn't disappointed those who drafted him, putting up 29.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.9
assists, 1.1 steals and 2.1 three-pointers per game. Not only has his usage rate increased to
36.2%, but he is shooting 50.0% from the field.

Even with Tatum out and the Celtics losing Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford during the
offseason, they are currently the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. They should remain
playoff contenders, so any potential of them taking a "gap year" and trying to improve their draft
lottery odds without Tatum has probably gone out the window. This is not a sell-high situation
with Brown. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

Onyeka Okongwu, Atlanta Hawks

After the Hawks benched Clint Capela during last season, Okongwu thrived in a starting role.
Despite his success, the Hawks still added Kristaps Porzingis during the offseason. That left Okongwu to come off the bench to begin the season. Over his first 12 games, he averaged 13.4
points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.1 three-pointers over 28 minutes a night.

Porzingis has since been in and out of the lineup with injuries and illness, opening the door for 
Okongwu to play 33 minutes over his last 14 games. During that span, he provided 18.4
points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.6 blocks and 2.6 three-pointers a game. It has
been reported that Porzingis is dealing with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS).
He has battled this before, and it could be something that impacts him throughout the season.
Okongwu should continue to play a lot moving forward, so don't view this as a sell-high
opportunity with him.

Jalen Brunson didn’t have his best scoring night on Tuesday, but it didn’t matter. 

The Knicks received contributions from up-and-down their bench as they pulled out a thrilling victory over the San Antonio Spurs to secure their first NBA Cup title. 

Brunson was named the tournament MVP, but he was sure to tip his cap to his teammates afterwards. 

“Without them, we don’t hold that trophy,” he said.  

It starts with OG Anunoby, who led the way offensively with a game-high 28 points. 

Anunoby also continued his stellar all-around play on the other end of the floor, reeling in nine rebounds and earning himself Defensive Player of the Game honors.

“The way he’s shooting the ball is fantastic,” Brunson said. He’s making plays and he has confidence -- when everyone is working on their game even in-season that confidence stays, so it’s a credit to him and what he’s been doing.”

It wasn’t just Anunoby, though, as big man Mitchell Robinson also stepped up with 18 outstanding minutes off the bench while Karl-Anthony Towns battled through some bruises. 

Robinson set an NBA Cup Final record with 10 offensive boards, and reeled in 15 in total. 

“That’s what Mitch does,” Towns said. “I knew playing against him just how much he impacts the game, to be his teammate now and to see what he does, he’s impacted the game how many times -- shoutout to Mitch, hell of a day at the office.” 

Jordan Clarkson had another strong scoring night with 15 big points off the bench, but it was youngster Tyler Kolek who took advantage of the opportunity the most and truly shined on the biggest stage. 

Kolek was leaned on heavily down the stretch and he finished with 14 points, five rebounds, five assists, and turned the ball over just once over his 20 minutes of action. 

It was arguably one of his most impressive at the NBA-level. 

“He played big-time, I’m very happy for him,” Brunson said. “It may be a surprise to a bunch of people, but many of you see how hard this kid works and I’m just very happy for him. The way he played tonight helped us for sure, we needed him.”

The hope is that this success in big minutes can help the rest of the way in the regular season. 

“In a game like this where it’s basically win or go home,” the captain said. “You have guys who step up and pick up the slack for a person like me who wasn’t shooting the ball well and made a terrible second-half turnover with the back-court. 

“It’s when those guys come in and do that, that gives us even more confidence. That excites me more than anything, the guys who come in and do that, it gives us an opportunity to win, it’s just a great feeling.”

While celebrations for an NBA Cup title stick in the craw of basketball purists, the Knicks need to dust off their trophy case and find room for a new piece of hardware.

The Knicks were crowned champions of the league's in-season tournament on Tuesday night, as they outlasted the Spurs, 124-113, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

By winning the finals matchup, Knicks players earned a cash prize of $530,933 each. Fans can also count on a banner being raised to the Madison Square Garden rafters -- head coach Mike Brown said as much before the game.

Here are the takeaways...

-- The incentive to compete was clear from the jump, as both teams played up-tempo and produced runs in a closely contested first quarter. After making three of the game's first four buckets, the Knicks allowed the Spurs to score nine unanswered points, and the heat-check also occurred without superstar Victor Wembanyama -- hecame off the bench midway through the opening period, under a minutes restriction. But the Knicks regrouped with help from OG Anunoby, who added 10 points on two-made threes. After one, the Spurs led by two, 30-28.

-- There was no change of pace in the second quarter. The Spurs kept their foot on the gas, extending their lead to seven at the halfway mark by forcing turnovers and spreading the floor in transition. They also saw De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle work as catalysts, contributing 15 combined assists. But the Knicks stayed in striking distance, cutting their deficit to one with 2:28 left in the half and knotting the score at 59-59 in the final minute. While the Spurs entered the break ahead by two, Anunoby flexed his muscles by adding another 10 points (20 total).

-- It took just two minutes of third-quarter action to notice an energy shift. The Spurs returned from the locker room with tenacity, orchestrating a quick 9-2 run that forced the Knicks to call timeout. By the halfway point, the Knicks' deficit reached double-digits, and to add injury to insult, Karl-Anthony Towns hurt his left leg after driving to the hoop on a contested layup. While the Knicks' star received treatment on the bench, Wembanyama took advantage of his limited time with the rock, finishing the quarter with 13 points (16 total). Still, the Knicks kept things tight, finishing the quarter on an 8-2 run to trim their deficit to 94-89.

-- The fourth quarter opened with a complete role reversal. Behind a pair of threes from Jordan Clarkson off the bench, the Knicks caught fire with eight unanswered points in 93 seconds that extended their run to 16-2, placed them ahead by three, and forced the Spurs to use a timeout. After the break, the Knicks stretched their lead to 104-97 on a three from Anunoby and a pair of jumpers from Jalen Brunson, who delivered a relatively quiet 23 points up until that point. With 4:49 remaining, Towns surprisingly checked back in after spending more than 10 minutes on the bench. The broadcast crew reported moments earlier that Towns had reaggravated a lingering calf issue.

-- Josh Hart gave the Knicks their largest lead of the night with 2:58 left, draining a three with a noticeable limp from the left wing to push the score to 115-107. Then, after a three from Harper that cut the Spurs' deficit to five, Anunoby took charge again with a corner three that widened the margin back to eight. The momentum swing placed the Spurs in a closing-minutes hole they simply couldn't climb out of, and when the final buzzer sounded, the Knicks were crowned winners of the third NBA Cup.

-- From start to finish, the pace was intense. Both teams combined for 204 shots, and the Knicks made just one more three (15) than the Spurs (14). The difference was seen on the boards, as the Knicks out-rebounded the Spurs, 59-42, and scored 12 more points in the paint. The Knicks' leader on the glass was Mitchell Robinson, who racked up 15 boards in 18 minutes. Towns wound up playing 30 minutes, adding 16 points. The early fourth-quarter swing gave the Knicks a jolt -- they outscored the Spurs, 35-19, during the 12-minute stretch.

Game MVP: OG Anunoby

Anunoby found a groove early and never gave it up. He finished with a game-high 28 points on 10-of-17 shooting with eight rebounds and three assists. It was Brunson who earned NBA Cup MVP honors, however -- he scored 25 on 11-of-27 shooting with eight assists and four boards.

Highlights

KAT from deep to open it up! pic.twitter.com/jsOHaakjnY

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 17, 2025

Josh Hart cleans up the miss! pic.twitter.com/O4xkthueqV

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 17, 2025

20 points in the first half for OG Anunoby! pic.twitter.com/9TfbUWIwur

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 17, 2025

JORDAN CLARKSON. KNICKS LEAD! pic.twitter.com/ekBkWWYa1G

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 17, 2025

JALEN 👀 KOLEK pic.twitter.com/EN6PPZ9xZH

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 17, 2025

JOSH HART BIG TRIPLE pic.twitter.com/GePqzitT0L

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 17, 2025

OG CORNER 3 BANG pic.twitter.com/KciN3vhR3w

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 17, 2025

Up next

The Knicks (18-7) will resume regular-season play on Thursday night, with a road matchup against the Indiana Pacers (7 p.m. tip-off).

Jalen Brunson has been everything for the Knicks over the past few seasons. 

On Tuesday, the captain was officially named the 2025 NBA Cup MVP. 

Brunson was spectacular for New York throughout the tournament to help them secure the title. 

He led all scorers averaging 33.5 points and 6.5 assists on a stellar 55 percent shooting from the field. 

While Brunson took home the award, he credited his teammates for stepping up during Tuesday's win over the Spurs.

"OG Anunoby, Tyler Kolek, Jordan Clarkson, Mitchell Robinson, they played their a-- off tonight," he said. "Without them, we don't win this, they played their a-- off tonight."

Winners and losers as Knicks claim NBA Cup over Wembanyama, Spurs 124-113 originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

An NBA trophy is headed to New York.

The Knicks on Tuesday won the 2025 NBA Cup Final in Las Vegas with a 124-113 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

It marks New York’s first win in the tournament, as the first two editions went to the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks, respectively.

Both teams stayed neck and neck for the opening two-and-a-half quarters, when San Antonio went up by double digits late in the third behind a Victor Wembanyama solo run.

But that didn’t continue in the fourth, as the Knicks capitalized on Wembanyama sitting on the bench due to an injury limiting his minutes. New York outscored the Spurs 35-19 in the fourth, with OG Anunoby and Jalen Brunson, the eventual MVP, showing their quality.

Each player on the Knicks will now take home an extra $530,933 for the win. Let’s analyze the game further with winners and losers:

WINNER: OG Anunoby, Knicks

Anunoby chose a fantastic game to go above and beyond. The 28-year-old forward recorded a game-high 28 points on 10 of 17 shooting overall, including a 5 of 10 clip from deep. He added nine rebounds and three assists to his stat line, with four offensive boards.

OG ANUNOBY CIRCUS SHOT.
OG ANUNOBY FASTBREAK SLAM.

He's got a game-high 20 PTS with 24 minutes to go in the @emirates NBA Cup Championship on Prime 🏆

Tap to watch SAS-NYK: https://t.co/iOJEBfh901pic.twitter.com/btgiP1yNcr

— NBA (@NBA) December 17, 2025

He may not have claimed the MVP award for his game, but these types of two-way performances can give New York the edge come playoff time.

LOSER: De’Aaron Fox, Spurs

With Wembanyama playing limited minutes on a bench role, these are the types of games where Fox has to reach the next level. That just wasn’t the case.

The point guard went for just 16 points on 5 of 16 shooting with nine assists, two rebounds and five turnovers. He was second to everything offensively and defensively down the stretch, and it’s not ideal that Wembanyama and Dylan Harper outscored him in less minutes.

WINNER: Jalen Brunson, Knicks

It may not be the NBA Championship, but Brunson remains on the right track to potentially winning the major trophy. The 29-year-old, sometimes deemed too small to be the No. 1 option on a title-winning team, assembled a 25-point showing to go with eight rebounds, four rebounds and two blocks.

Not everything was clean, though, despite the MVP win. He shot 11 of 27 overall, 1 of 5 from deep and 2 of 4 from the foul line. How things would look in a four-game series vs. San Antonio is unclear, but it’s a night to celebrate regardless.

Jalen Brunson in the NBA Cup:

29 PTS
33 PTS
37 PTS
35 PTS
40 PTS
25 PTS

on 53/46% shooting. pic.twitter.com/nyDW7EDB7D

— StatMuse (@statmuse) December 17, 2025

LOSER: Victor Wembanyama, Spurs

Wembanyama has enjoyed two 40-point games against the Knicks in his young career, but he was limited to just 25 minutes in this one. Had he played the majority of the fourth quarter instead of Luke Kornet, perhaps the outcome may have been different.

But the young French star will not get the chance to add to his resume early on, scoring 18 points on 7 of 17 shooting with a 2 of 6 mark from deep. He added six rebounds, two blocks, one assist and one steal. Now he’ll need to stay healthy with San Antonio’s roster in much better shape to embark on a playoff run.

10 STRAIGHT POINTS FOR VICTOR WEMBANYAMA 🔥

Triple.
Alley-oop layup.
Triple.
Middy.

FOURTH QUARTER of the @emirates NBA Cup Championship UP NEXT on PRIME: https://t.co/iOJEBfh901pic.twitter.com/6BjxGx1w1s

— NBA (@NBA) December 17, 2025

WINNER: Mitchell Robinson, Knicks

Sometimes you need your role players to come up big when needed the most. New York received valiant bench-scoring efforts from Jordan Clarkson and Tyler Kolek, but it was long-time center Robinson that was at the heart of everything.

CLARKSON TRIPLE.
MITCH STEAL.
MITCH OREB.
CLARKSON TRIPLE.

Knicks take the lead with a 4Q flurry with a Cup Championship on the line 🏆 pic.twitter.com/sAgDc7uGgK

— NBA (@NBA) December 17, 2025

In 18 minutes, he nabbed 15 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive glass. The Spurs had success with second-chance points, but Robinson helped the Knicks tilt that to their advantage, especially without Wemby. New York also had 56 points in the paint to San Antonio’s 44. Again, it’s not the main title, but New York fans will appreciate what Robinson did for them given his time spent with the franchise.

Winners and losers as Knicks claim NBA Cup over Wembanyama, Spurs 124-113 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

An NBA trophy is headed to New York.

The Knicks on Tuesday won the 2025 NBA Cup Final in Las Vegas with a 124-113 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

It marks New York’s first win in the tournament, as the first two editions went to the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks, respectively.

Both teams stayed neck and neck for the opening two-and-a-half quarters, when San Antonio went up by double digits late in the third behind a Victor Wembanyama solo run.

But that didn’t continue in the fourth, as the Knicks capitalized on Wembanyama sitting on the bench due to an injury limiting his minutes. New York outscored the Spurs 35-19 in the fourth, with OG Anunoby and Jalen Brunson, the eventual MVP, showing their quality.

Each player on the Knicks will now take home an extra $530,933 for the win. Let’s analyze the game further with winners and losers:

WINNER: OG Anunoby, Knicks

Anunoby chose a fantastic game to go above and beyond. The 28-year-old forward recorded a game-high 28 points on 10 of 17 shooting overall, including a 5 of 10 clip from deep. He added nine rebounds and three assists to his stat line, with four offensive boards.

OG ANUNOBY CIRCUS SHOT.
OG ANUNOBY FASTBREAK SLAM.

He's got a game-high 20 PTS with 24 minutes to go in the @emirates NBA Cup Championship on Prime 🏆

Tap to watch SAS-NYK: https://t.co/iOJEBfh901pic.twitter.com/btgiP1yNcr

— NBA (@NBA) December 17, 2025

He may not have claimed the MVP award for his game, but these types of two-way performances can give New York the edge come playoff time.

LOSER: De’Aaron Fox, Spurs

With Wembanyama playing limited minutes on a bench role, these are the types of games where Fox has to reach the next level. That just wasn’t the case.

The point guard went for just 16 points on 5 of 16 shooting with nine assists, two rebounds and five turnovers. He was second to everything offensively and defensively down the stretch, and it’s not ideal that Wembanyama and Dylan Harper outscored him in less minutes.

WINNER: Jalen Brunson, Knicks

It may not be the NBA Championship, but Brunson remains on the right track to potentially winning the major trophy. The 29-year-old, sometimes deemed too small to be the No. 1 option on a title-winning team, assembled a 25-point showing to go with eight rebounds, four rebounds and two blocks.

Not everything was clean, though, despite the MVP win. He shot 11 of 27 overall, 1 of 5 from deep and 2 of 4 from the foul line. How things would look in a four-game series vs. San Antonio is unclear, but it’s a night to celebrate regardless.

Jalen Brunson in the NBA Cup:

29 PTS
33 PTS
37 PTS
35 PTS
40 PTS
25 PTS

on 53/46% shooting. pic.twitter.com/nyDW7EDB7D

— StatMuse (@statmuse) December 17, 2025

LOSER: Victor Wembanyama, Spurs

Wembanyama has enjoyed two 40-point games against the Knicks in his young career, but he was limited to just 25 minutes in this one. Had he played the majority of the fourth quarter instead of Luke Kornet, perhaps the outcome may have been different.

But the young French star will not get the chance to add to his resume early on, scoring 18 points on 7 of 17 shooting with a 2 of 6 mark from deep. He added six rebounds, two blocks, one assist and one steal. Now he’ll need to stay healthy with San Antonio’s roster in much better shape to embark on a playoff run.

10 STRAIGHT POINTS FOR VICTOR WEMBANYAMA 🔥

Triple.
Alley-oop layup.
Triple.
Middy.

FOURTH QUARTER of the @emirates NBA Cup Championship UP NEXT on PRIME: https://t.co/iOJEBfh901pic.twitter.com/6BjxGx1w1s

— NBA (@NBA) December 17, 2025

WINNER: Mitchell Robinson, Knicks

Sometimes you need your role players to come up big when needed the most. New York received valiant bench-scoring efforts from Jordan Clarkson and Tyler Kolek, but it was long-time center Robinson that was at the heart of everything.

CLARKSON TRIPLE.
MITCH STEAL.
MITCH OREB.
CLARKSON TRIPLE.

Knicks take the lead with a 4Q flurry with a Cup Championship on the line 🏆 pic.twitter.com/sAgDc7uGgK

— NBA (@NBA) December 17, 2025

In 18 minutes, he nabbed 15 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive glass. The Spurs had success with second-chance points, but Robinson helped the Knicks tilt that to their advantage, especially without Wemby. New York also had 56 points in the paint to San Antonio’s 44. Again, it’s not the main title, but New York fans will appreciate what Robinson did for them given his time spent with the franchise.

Winners and losers as Knicks claim NBA Cup over Wembanyama, Spurs 124-113 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

An NBA trophy is headed to New York.

The Knicks on Tuesday won the 2025 NBA Cup Final in Las Vegas with a 124-113 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

It marks New York’s first win in the tournament, as the first two editions went to the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks, respectively.

Both teams stayed neck and neck for the opening two-and-a-half quarters, when San Antonio went up by double digits late in the third behind a Victor Wembanyama solo run.

But that didn’t continue in the fourth, as the Knicks capitalized on Wembanyama sitting on the bench due to an injury limiting his minutes. New York outscored the Spurs 35-19 in the fourth, with OG Anunoby and Jalen Brunson, the eventual MVP, showing their quality.

Each player on the Knicks will now take home an extra $530,933 for the win. Let’s analyze the game further with winners and losers:

WINNER: OG Anunoby, Knicks

Anunoby chose a fantastic game to go above and beyond. The 28-year-old forward recorded a game-high 28 points on 10 of 17 shooting overall, including a 5 of 10 clip from deep. He added nine rebounds and three assists to his stat line, with four offensive boards.

OG ANUNOBY CIRCUS SHOT.
OG ANUNOBY FASTBREAK SLAM.

He's got a game-high 20 PTS with 24 minutes to go in the @emirates NBA Cup Championship on Prime 🏆

Tap to watch SAS-NYK: https://t.co/iOJEBfh901pic.twitter.com/btgiP1yNcr

— NBA (@NBA) December 17, 2025

He may not have claimed the MVP award for his game, but these types of two-way performances can give New York the edge come playoff time.

LOSER: De’Aaron Fox, Spurs

With Wembanyama playing limited minutes on a bench role, these are the types of games where Fox has to reach the next level. That just wasn’t the case.

The point guard went for just 16 points on 5 of 16 shooting with nine assists, two rebounds and five turnovers. He was second to everything offensively and defensively down the stretch, and it’s not ideal that Wembanyama and Dylan Harper outscored him in less minutes.

WINNER: Jalen Brunson, Knicks

It may not be the NBA Championship, but Brunson remains on the right track to potentially winning the major trophy. The 29-year-old, sometimes deemed too small to be the No. 1 option on a title-winning team, assembled a 25-point showing to go with eight rebounds, four rebounds and two blocks.

Not everything was clean, though, despite the MVP win. He shot 11 of 27 overall, 1 of 5 from deep and 2 of 4 from the foul line. How things would look in a four-game series vs. San Antonio is unclear, but it’s a night to celebrate regardless.

Jalen Brunson in the NBA Cup:

29 PTS
33 PTS
37 PTS
35 PTS
40 PTS
25 PTS

on 53/46% shooting. pic.twitter.com/nyDW7EDB7D

— StatMuse (@statmuse) December 17, 2025

LOSER: Victor Wembanyama, Spurs

Wembanyama has enjoyed two 40-point games against the Knicks in his young career, but he was limited to just 25 minutes in this one. Had he played the majority of the fourth quarter instead of Luke Kornet, perhaps the outcome may have been different.

But the young French star will not get the chance to add to his resume early on, scoring 18 points on 7 of 17 shooting with a 2 of 6 mark from deep. He added six rebounds, two blocks, one assist and one steal. Now he’ll need to stay healthy with San Antonio’s roster in much better shape to embark on a playoff run.

10 STRAIGHT POINTS FOR VICTOR WEMBANYAMA 🔥

Triple.
Alley-oop layup.
Triple.
Middy.

FOURTH QUARTER of the @emirates NBA Cup Championship UP NEXT on PRIME: https://t.co/iOJEBfh901pic.twitter.com/6BjxGx1w1s

— NBA (@NBA) December 17, 2025

WINNER: Mitchell Robinson, Knicks

Sometimes you need your role players to come up big when needed the most. New York received valiant bench-scoring efforts from Jordan Clarkson and Tyler Kolek, but it was long-time center Robinson that was at the heart of everything.

CLARKSON TRIPLE.
MITCH STEAL.
MITCH OREB.
CLARKSON TRIPLE.

Knicks take the lead with a 4Q flurry with a Cup Championship on the line 🏆 pic.twitter.com/sAgDc7uGgK

— NBA (@NBA) December 17, 2025

In 18 minutes, he nabbed 15 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive glass. The Spurs had success with second-chance points, but Robinson helped the Knicks tilt that to their advantage, especially without Wemby. New York also had 56 points in the paint to San Antonio’s 44. Again, it’s not the main title, but New York fans will appreciate what Robinson did for them given his time spent with the franchise.

Why Steve Kerr is committed to keeping Warriors' starting lineup consistent originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Warriors coach Steve Kerr has used nine unique starting lineups in as many games. He isn’t about to make it a perfect 10 for 10 Thursday in Phoenix against the Suns, or so he says. 

“I would love to get some continuity,” Kerr said Tuesday at Chase Center after practice. “It’s been tough to string together games with everyone healthy and the same starting lineup. So assuming everybody’s available in Phoenix, we’ll start the same way we did last game. I’d like to keep doing that to really build some continuity with the starting lineup and then also with the rotation off the bench.” 

A number of factors have led to Kerr trotting out a different starting five in each of the last nine games. The most notable obstacle has been health and availability. 

Steph Curry only played in four of them, missing five. Draymond Green played three, missing six, and exited in the second quarter in one of the games he played. Jimmy Butler played seven, missing just two, but was unavailable the entire second half to injury in one of the games he was available for. 

“To be honest, it’s been impossible the last couple of weeks,” Kerr said. “I mean, I don’t think we’ve had Dray, Steph and Jimmy all together since the Houston game, which was, I don’t know, six or seven games ago. And then obviously Pat [Spencer] played so well on the road and I wanted to reward him and we got two wins with him starting. 

“Circumstances have led to some of the lack of continuity, but I can do a better job of trying to help the guys build some of that too.” 

Prior to Sunday’s loss against the Portland Trail Blazers, the last time Curry, Butler and Green all played in the same game was the Warriors’ 104-100 loss against the Houston Rockets on Nov. 26, which was seven games and three weeks ago. Curry began limping the last few minutes of that loss and went to the locker room for the final 35 seconds with what later was deemed a left quad contusion that kept him out the next five games. 

Butler missed two and a half games to left knee soreness, and Green missed a handful from a combination of a right foot sprain and an excused personal reason. 

The starting five that Kerr went with Sunday night in Portland featured Curry, Butler, Moses Moody, Green and Quinten Post. It’s a group Kerr wants to give an extended run. As always, however, there are no guarantees. 

“I would love for this to be our starting lineup,” Kerr said. “It’s our starting lineup going forward and we’ll give it a good look. I feel confident with it, but we always have to make adjustments as the season goes.” 

That group of Curry, Butler, Moody, Green and Post played eight minutes and 55 seconds together in the Warriors’ 136-131 loss against the Trail Blazers. The starting five was outscored 29-28. They only made one of their three 2-point shots on the floor together while also going 8 of 14 from 3-point range. 

On the other side, the Blazers went 2 of 5 on 2-pointers against the Warriors’ starting five and 5 of 8 from deep for an 80.6 true shooting percentage. 

To no surprise, Curry, Butler and Green have started every game they have played this season. Moody has played 25 of the Warriors’ 27 games and has started 14. Post has played in all 27 and has been a starter in 13. 

“Consistency is good,” Moody said after practice. “You can get a comfort and feel in your role your spot so you know it. But it’s the NBA, so you’ve got to be ready to adjust.” 

Moody and Post making shots from deep is imperative for the lineup to work. Moody missed four open threes in the first half Sunday and then made two of his four in the second half to wind up with 12 points. Post scored 11, going 4 of 9 from the field and 3 of 6 on threes. 

For years, the Warriors have thrived using Green as a small-ball center. But the 6-foot-6 veteran can only take so much at 35 years old, and Kerr believes the give and take of having a 7-foot center that can stretch the floor like Post next to him is a benefit the Warriors have to lean into. 

“We’re more dynamic speed wise and disruptive defensively when he [Green] is at the five,” Kerr said. “He’s pushing the ball, he’s playing center field and blowing up a lot of things defensively. But when he’s at the four, he’s more on the perimeter offensively. So we’re not quite as dynamic, but I think the trade off is a good one. We get some minutes from him at the four, we can close the game with him at the five anytime we want. 

“And this will give QP, who’s had a great year, who’s playing at a very high level, especially defensively, the size rebounding – I like that. We’re a pretty small team in general. So to get QP in the starting lineup with Dray feels good.”

That unit had played just six minutes together going into Sunday’s game. Starting with the Warriors’ contest Thursday in Phoenix, Kerr hopes he can trust it for much longer.

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Warriors' Steve Kerr downplays ‘coaches desires' narrative from Joe Lacob email originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steve Kerr moved quickly to shut down any speculation.

After Warriors owner Joe Lacob’s brief email response to a frustrated fan circulated online, some fans interpreted one line referencing “coaches’ desires regarding players” as a possible critique of Kerr’s rotational or lineup choices.

Emailed Joe Lacob
byu/Justdutari inwarriors

Kerr addressed that interpretation while speaking to reporters on Tuesday at Chase Center and dismissed any suggestion of tension between himself and Lacob.

Steve Kerr on the Joe Lacob email leak about his current frustrations (included “coaches desires regarding players”)

“Not a big deal.”

“Imagine if everyone’s emails were posted publicly, how tough that would be to live.”

“Joe supports me. I support him.” pic.twitter.com/8FzyRIXyV8

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) December 16, 2025

“It’s not a big deal,” Kerr said. “I’m not concerned about anything like that.”

Lacob’s email was sent just minutes after a fan reached out following Golden State’s loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. In the message, Lacob acknowledged frustration around the team’s current struggles, citing a combination of factors including style of play, league trends and roster usage, while emphasizing that Jimmy Butler “is not the problem.”

Kerr emphasized that frustration is shared throughout the organization.

“Well, we’re all frustrated,” Kerr added. “Joe is frustrated. I’m frustrated. Steph [Curry], [Draymond Green] — everybody’s frustrated. This is kind of how the league works.”

The Warriors’ struggles have stretched across much of the early season, with Curry’s extended absence playing a role. But even since his return, the results haven’t changed. Curry has scored 87 points over the past two games, and Golden State still came up short both times, dropping the Warriors to 13-14.

Kerr also pushed back on the broader idea of private correspondence becoming public discourse.

“I hate when people are going to post private emails,” Kerr noted. “Imagine if everyone’s emails were just publicly posted — how tough that would be to live our lives.”

More importantly, Kerr stressed that nothing has changed in his relationship with the organization’s ownership.

“Joe supports me 100 percent. I support him,” Kerr said. “We have a great connection, and we’ve had so much continuity here in our stable environment. Our organization is one of our strengths. So yeah. It’s not a big deal.”

As Golden State continues to search for consistency, Kerr made it clear that internal alignment isn’t in question — even if frustration is.

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