Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs will face Jalen Brunson’s New York Knicks for the Emirates NBA Cup tonight at 8:30 ET on Prime.
Enjoy the best of the Emirates NBA Cup Championship with the NBA.com live blog, featuring all of the meaningful moments, performances, observations, news, notes and highlights.
What we know about Tuesday night’s game:
- It’s the Emirates NBA Cup Championship! The Knicks and Spurs have survived months of group play and a single-elimination knockout tournament to get here. Now, they’ll play for the NBA Cup, hoping to bring glory home for their fans.
- The game will tip at 8:30 ET on Prime, live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
- Jalen Brunson (34.8 ppg in NBA Cup play) sits at No. 1 in the latest Emirates NBA Cup MVP Ladder.
8:15 PM / DECEMBER 16, 2025
The energy is building
Feel the vibes in Las Vegas. Tip off Is only a few minutes away.
ELITE GUARD PLAY UPCOMING ‼️
Jalen Brunson (40 PTS in Semifinals) leads the Knicks vs. No. 2 pick Dylan Harper and the Spurs in the @emirates NBA Cup Championship 🏆
8:30pm/et | Prime pic.twitter.com/XE64AcNm5g
— NBA (@NBA) December 17, 2025
7:00 PM / DECEMBER 16, 2025
Follow the journeys of the Knicks and Spurs
Get hyped before tip off.
HOW THE SPURS & KNICKS GOT HERE 🏆
Before they battle for the @emirates NBA Cup tonight at 8:30pm/et on Prime… go inside each team’s journey to the championship! pic.twitter.com/nvaewGyCjn
— NBA (@NBA) December 16, 2025
6:30 PM / DECEMBER 16, 2025
Welcome to the Emirates NBA Cup Championship game!
Tonight, the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks play for the Emirates NBA Cup (8:30 ET, Prime), seeking to claim hardware for their fans and celebrate a championship!
Victor Wembanayama (25.8 ppg, 12.6 reb, 3.8 ast, 50.4 FG%) has averaged 32.0 ppg against the Knicks in his career — the highest against any opposing team.
He’ll go up against Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson tonight, traditional bigs who may struggle to contest his mobility on the perimeter, although they should be able to battle him in the post.
Jalen Brunson (28.8 ppg, 3.1 reb, 6.4 ast) faces a squad full of talented guards, including De’Aaron Fox (23.9 ppg, 6.2 ast) and the 2024-25 Kia Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle (18.4 ppg, 6.1 reb, 6.9 ast).
Castle’s height, strength and quickness could prove difficult for Brunson.
He’s holding opposing scorers to -8.4% worse shooting on two-point shots this season, while Brunson loves to get in the lane for floaters and stepbacks.
But no one has managed to slow down the Knicks captain during this year’s Emirates NBA Cup tournament. He’s put up 34.8 points per game during NBA Cup play, shooting 56 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range.
NBA.com’s Shaun Powell has more for you on tonight’s matchup.
It ought to be a great game. The Spurs can cement their status as contenders in the West and bring home the first bit of glory in Wemby’s increasingly-impressive career. The Knicks can win their first NBA trophy since 1973, avenging their loss in the 1999 NBA Finals in the process.
All eyes are on the NBA in the City of Lights tonight.
