No. 23 Florida dominates inside, blasts Saint Francis

Rueben Chinyelu totaled a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, Xaivian Lee had a team-high 18 points and No. 23 Florida blasted Saint Francis 102-61 on Wednesday night in Gainesville, Fla.

Chinleyu made all five of his field goal attempts and both free throws for the Gators (7-4).

Lee was 7-of-9 from the field and 2-of-4 from 3-point range. Alex Condon produced 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three blocked shots.

Urban Klavzar and Boogie Fland had 11 points apiece, and Micah Handlogten notched 10 points and eight rebounds.

Florida won for the third time in five games by shooting 61% from the field, winning the rebound battle 44-19 and holding a 52-30 edge in paint points.

Skylar Wicks had a game-high 22 points, and Zion Russell had 10 points, five rebounds and three assists for the Red Flash (2-10), who made 25 of 63 field goals (39.7%).

The Gators saw all of their starters score in the first four minutes as the Southeastern Conference school raced out to a 12-2 lead over Saint Francis.

The defending champs' lead grew to 30-10 just past the halfway point of the half. Chinyelu had eight points, dominating in the paint, and Lee poured in seven over the opening 11 minutes.

After the lopsided first half, Florida headed to the locker room with a 47-23 lead behind Condon's 12 points.

The Gators shot 64.3% (18 of 28), made 4 of 11 from long range and owned a 22-9 margin in rebounding over the opening 20 minutes. They also handed out 10 assists.

Wicks paced the Red Flash with 10 points at the half. They shot 35.5% (11 of 31) and missed all six of their perimeter shots.

There was more of the same in the final 20 minutes as the Gators boosted the lead to 32 points with 15:06 left on Handlogten's slam. Klavzar drained a long trey at the 10:53 mark for a 73-39 advantage.

--Field Level Media

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December 17, 2025

No. 23 Florida dominates inside, blasts Saint Francis

Rueben Chinyelu totaled a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, Xaivian Lee had a team-high 18 points and No. ...

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Luke Weaver agrees to $22 million, 2-year deal with the New York Mets, AP source says

NEW YORK (AP) — Luke Weaver has agreed to a $22 million, two-year contract with the New York Mets, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press, joining Clay Holmes and Devin Williams as former Yankees on a rebuilt pitching staff.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was subject to a successful physical.

A 32-year-old right-hander, Weaver supplanted a struggling Holmes at the Yankees closer in September 2024, was replaced by Williams at the start of 2025, then took over from a faltering Williams late last April only tostrain his left hamstring on June 1.

Weaver had a 1.05 ERA and eight saves in nine chances over 24 games before getting hurt, then returned in late June and had a 5.31 ERA with no saves in three chances over 40 games.

In 2024, Weaver was 7-3 with a 2.89 ERA and four saves during the season and 1-0 with a 1.76 ERA in four postseason games. He allowed a tying, two-run homer to Cleveland's Jhonkensy Noel with two outs in the ninth inning of Game 3 of the AL Championship Series, a game the Yankees lost when David Fry homered against Holmes in the 10th.

A 10-year major league veteran, Weaver is 38-49 with a 4.74 ERA and 12 saves for St. Louis (2016-18), Arizona (2019-22), Kansas City (2022), Cincinnati (2023), Seattle (2023) and the Yankees.

Holmes reached a $38 million, three-year contract last Decemberand was moved to the rotation, andWilliams struck a $51 million, three-year dealthis month.

Other former Yankees joining the Mets in recent years include star outfielder Juan Soto, catcher Luis Torrens and manager Carlos Mendoza.

After failing to reach the playoffs, the Mets lost closer Edwin Díaz last week when he agreed to a$69 million, three-year contract with the two-time World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. In addition, the Mets lostfirst baseman Pete Alonso to Baltimorefor a $155 million, five-year contract andtraded outfielder Brandon Nimmo to Texasfor Gold Glove second baseman Marcus Semien.

AP MLB:https://apnews.com/MLB

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December 17, 2025

Luke Weaver agrees to $22 million, 2-year deal with the New York Mets, AP source says

NEW YORK (AP) — Luke Weaver has agreed to a $22 million, two-year contract with the New York Mets, a person familiar with...

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Puka Nacua rips NFL officials, says they call penalties so they can be on television: 'The refs are the worst'

Los Angeles Rams wideout Puka Nacua might head into the team's Week 16 game against the Seattle Seahawks with a lighter wallet than normal. Nacua could face a fine from the NFL following disparaging comments he made about league officials during a livestream appearance Tuesday.

During the livestream,Nacua ripped the refsand accused them of calling penalties to ensure they would appear on the broadcast, per ESPN.

"The refs are the worst," Nacua said. "... Some of the rules aren't ... These guys want to be ... these guys are lawyers. They want to be on TV too. You don't think he's texting his friends in the group chat like, 'Yo, you guys just saw me on "Sunday Night Football." That wasn't P.I., but I called it.'"

[Get more Rams news: L.A. team feed]

Those accusations are almost certain to get Nacua fined. The NFL doesn't look kindly on players or coaches who are critical of officials, and usually levy hefty fines for those types of comments. The league doesn't play favorites with those fines, either, as both Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid were hit for acombined $150,000 after criticizing the refsfollowing a 2023 playoff game. Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon was alsogiven a $25,000 finein January after the team's playoff loss to theKansas City Chiefs.

While the league will almost certainly follow suit with Nacua, it's unclear when that fine will come down. With the Rams playing Thursday night, Nacua might receive his notice from the league after the Rams play their Week 16 game.

The NFL does not normally suspend players or coaches for making critical comments about officials, so Nacua status for Thursday's game shouldn't be in question.

The Rams will need Nacua even more than usual in the contest, as Davante Adams isbattling a hamstring injury. Adams' status for Thursday's game remains up in the air, meaning Nacua could see more work as Matthew Stafford looks to lead the Rams to victory over the division-rival Seahawks.

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December 17, 2025

Puka Nacua rips NFL officials, says they call penalties so they can be on television: 'The refs are the worst'

Los Angeles Rams wideout Puka Nacua might head into the team's Week 16 game against the Seattle Seahawks with a li...

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Rivers says Bucks don't need to make wholesale changes as they attempt to break out of slump

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers remains confident in his team and doesn't plan on making any major changes in the wake of a 45-pointloss to Brooklynthat matched the Nets' most lopsided win in franchise history.

The Bucks (11-16) haven't won two straight games since Oct. 28-30 as they struggle to deal with the absence of two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has been out for the last two weeks with aright calf strain.

"We like our team," Rivers said Wednesday after practice. "I really like this team. We're not playing well. We're not playing well for a lot of reasons. You don't recreate the wheel. You just don't. Teams that do that, then they fail. I'm just being honest. I've been around this long enough."

Milwaukee won four of its first five games but has gone 7-15 since. The Bucks haven't played since falling 127-82 at Brooklyn on Sunday.

"It was just an embarrassing game for us, at the end of the day," guard Ryan Rollins said.

The time off since has given the Bucks an opportunity to practice on back-to-back days, a rarity during an NBA regular season. The Bucks say they've used that time to try to make sure they correct what went wrong in Brooklyn.

Milwaukee returns to action Thursday by hosting the Toronto Raptors.

"I don't think there's many losses in NBA history like the one we just had last game," guard Kevin Porter Jr. said. "I think a loss like that wakes you up, and you don't ever want to be on the end of that stick. Having those days (off) and having to sit on that loss definitely makes it worse. I think we all had an eye opener."

But they apparently haven't spent this time off pondering wholesale changes to the scheme or lineup.

"Yeah, we want to do things better," Rivers said. "We want to tweak things. We like what we run. We like our defensive package overall. We've just got to do it better. We've got to take care of the ball. But we like the parts of this team, and that has not changed. This is not, 'OK, guys, we're five games under .500, let's blow it all up.' This is not where we're at. We're not even thinking in those terms."

Milwaukee's slow start has led to increased leaguewide speculation about Antetokounmpo's future, thoughRivers has disputedan ESPN report that the nine-time All-NBA selection was talking with Bucks officials about whether he's best suited to stay in Milwaukee or get traded.

The Bucks have gone 2-8 when they don't have Antetokounmpo, who was out with a left adductor strain before injuring his calf.

The Bucks can take comfort in the fact that they have some impressive wins. Theybeat the Boston Celticsthree nights before the debacle in Brooklyn. Theydefeated Golden Statewithout Antetokounmpo early in the season. Theybeat the Detroit Pistonson Dec. 3 even after Antetokounmpo left with hiscalf injuryjust three minutes into the game.

But they also have fallen toWashington,Charlotte, Brooklyn andSacramento,all of whom have lost more than twice as many games as they've won.

Myles Turner said this has become a "play-hard league" and noted the Bucks must consistently show the same effort and energy that was apparent in the NBA Cup games that took place the last few days. He believes the Bucks must recapture the joy they showed when they were playing well early in the season.

"When you start to lose, obviously it knocks your spirit a bit," Turner said. "Again, it's just really no time for excuses at this point. You have to go out there and perform."

Rivers noted that it's easy to simply say a team isn't playing hard enough when it's struggling, but he pointed out there are generally plenty of variables that are contributing to that. Rivers said a team that's executing properly naturally looks as though it's playing harder.

"It's like the chicken and egg: Something has to go first," Rivers said. "Something has to give you confidence to do it over and over again. Put it like this: I'm far more focused on execution than I am about feelings and head space and all that stuff. That's just my opinion."

AP NBA:https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

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December 17, 2025

Rivers says Bucks don't need to make wholesale changes as they attempt to break out of slump

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers remains confident in his team and doesn't plan on making any major ...

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Rory McIlroy adds TGL teammate, takes jab at Keegan Bradley

Rory McIlroy announced that his TGL team has a new member.

The Northern Irishman tabbed Michael Thorbjornsen to join Boston Common Golf in the tech-infused indoor golf league.

"We have a new member of the team who I practiced with this morning, Michael Thorbjornsen," McIlroy said on The Shotgun Start.

"I am breaking some news! So we have some fresh blood. I think that could make the difference."

When asked why he felt the need to add Thorbjornsen, McIlroy noted that Hideki Matsuyama and Adam Scott are "world travelers."

"Hideki will be in Japan and Adam will be in Australia for the first game we play on Jan. 2 (versus Los Angeles Golf Club)," McIlroy said. "So Michael has come in and it's going to be Michael, Keegan (Bradley) and myself. We are feeling pretty good!"

Thorbjornsen, 24, is still seeking his first win after making 45 starts on the PGA Tour. He does have a second-place finish at this year's Corales Puntacana Championship under his belt.

McIlroy also addressed the elephant in the room in regard to any potential issues with TGL teammate and former United States Ryder Cup captain Bradley in the wake of the recent Ryder Cup.

McIlroy noted that any lingering issues with Bradley lasted for "a week or two," but it's over now.

McIlroy, in fact, made a joke at Bradley's expense.

"We should've got Viktor Hovland in there (TGL) to fake an injury," McIlroy said, referencing the Norwegian golfer who had to sit out the final day of the Ryder Cup with a neck injury.

"I think Keegan was put in a tough spot."

--Field Level Media

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December 17, 2025

Rory McIlroy adds TGL teammate, takes jab at Keegan Bradley

Rory McIlroy announced that his TGL team has a new member. The Northern Irishman tabbed Michael Thorbjor...

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Tua Tagovailoa's future with Dolphins complicated by three factors

Tanked for Tua?

It's fair to say theMiami Dolphinshave a majorTua Tagovailoaproblem. A few actually. To anyone who covers or follows theNFLclosely, they've been apparent for some time. But the issues moved to the forefront Wednesday morning when the 2020 first-rounder, who's in the first season of a weighty contract extension, was reportedlybenched for rookie Quinn Ewers. Miami hosts theCincinnati Bengalson Sunday afternoon, a game once-ticketed for "Sunday Night Football"flexed by the leagueearlier this month.

At first blush, it makes some sense. The Fins wereofficially eliminated from playoff contentionwith Monday night'sdecisive loss at Pittsburgh, a game in which Tagovailoa struggled – especially without the benefit of the dominant ground attack the team had ridden on its four-game winning streak entering Week 15. His play "was not good enough," head coach Mike McDaniel admitted Tuesday.

Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Best images of the 2025 NFL season

Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18)makes a catch for a touchdownagainst the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.

With three meaningless games left on the docket, why not get a look at Ewers, once a highly regarded prospect who fell to the seventh round of the 2025 draft – likely based on his limited physical attributes and an injury-plagued 2024 season at the University of Texas. Miami also has Zach Wilson, the No. 2 overall pick of the 2021 draft (by the New York Jets) on the roster, though he's likely headed back to the free agent pool after the season.

"I think that the biggest thing is that you have a standard of performance," said McDaniel. "There are oftentimes that heavy is the crown; there's misplaced blame and it's not always one person's fault.

"(B)ut realistically I just want to give with some credence behind it, the team deserves to have the best chance to win the football game. That means taking care of the football, being able to make plays, move the chains and get the ball to the open guy. … There's multiple things that have to be thought through, but ultimately we need to have better play at that position."

Which brings us back to Tua, who was selected fifth overall in 2020 after a storied career at the University of Alabama, and the inherent difficulties of finding him another pool to swim in if he's taken his final snap with the team.

Here are three issues theDolphinsmust wrangle with as they determine Tagovailoa's future:

Week 5: Buffalo Bills wide receiver Curtis Samuel makes a catch against the New England Patriots at Highmark Stadium. The Bills wore their new "Rivalries" uniform for the "Sunday Night Football" game, which the Patriots won, 23-20.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Week 5: Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield awaits the snap against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Both teams wore throwback uniforms in the Buccaneers' 38-35 win. The Buccaneers and Seahawks entered the NFL together as expansion teams in 1976.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Week 4: Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) hands the ball off to running back J.K. Dobbins during the "Monday Night Football" game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Empower Field at Mile High. The Broncos wore their "Midnight Navy" uniforms for the 28-3 win.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Week 4: Miami Dolphins running back De'von Achane rushes the ball against the New York Jets during a 27-21 win on "Monday Night Football" at Hard Rock Stadium. The Dolphins wore their new their Nike "Rivalries" uniforms – the team version dubbed "Dark Waters."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Week 4: The Arizona Cardinals defense tackles Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tory Horton (15) during the first quarter of a "Thursday Night Football" game at State Farm Stadium. The Cardinals became the first NFL team to wear the new Nike "Rivalries" uniform in a game. The Seahawks won the game, 23-20.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Week 3: New Orleans Saints running back Kendre Miller (5) stiff arms Seattle Seahawks linebacker Tyrice Knight (48) during the second quarter at Lumen Field. The Saints wore their all-white uniform and helmet combo for the first time in the 44-13 loss.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Week 3: San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey carries the ball against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half at Levi's Stadium. The 49ers wore throwback jerseys - an homage to the team's 1950s look, as well as its 1994 Super Bowl-winning season - in the 16-15 win against the Cardinals.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Week 2: Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) runs the ball against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium. Sporting "The Vikings Classic" throwback uniform inspired by the team's look during the 1960s and '70s, Minnesota was defeated, 22-6.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Can't-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season

Tua has played poorly in 2025

At his very best, Tagovailoa is an accurate, decisive quarterback – traits that have generally made him a snug fit in McDaniel's offense. His completion rate has exceeded 67% each of the past three seasons, including a league-best 72.9% in 2024. His passer rating surpassed 100.0 in McDaniel's first three seasons, beginning in 2022. Passer and scheme dovetailed nicely, McDaniel drawing up plays that so often had Tagovailoa firing the ball to Miami's playmakers as soon as he hit the end of his drop.

But such offensive harmony has been hard to come by in 2025. The absence ofinjured WR Tyreek Hill has certainly been a contributing factor. And Tagovailoa's weaknesses – unremarkable arm strength, vertically challenged, lack of mobility – have been exacerbated, especially so in light of some of his seemingly inexplicable reads and decisions, like Monday night's league-leading 15th interception, the four sacks he absorbed, and Miami's inability to covert six of its eight third-down opportunities. Tagovailoa wound up with 253 yards and two TDs through the air, but they were largely cosmetic stats in a game the Steelers led 28-3 in the fourth quarter.

What's more noteworthy is that he didn't throw more than 23 passes or for as many as 175 yards in any of the four games the Dolphins, who are now 6-8, won in succession prior to Monday night. Tagovailoa's 88.5 QB rating in 2025 is his lowest since he was a rookie.

Tua's contract is already a burden

It was just last year that Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension ($167.2 million of it guaranteed). Compensated at $53.1 million annually on average, Tagovailoa ranks sixth on the league's QB compensation scale … but he's nowhere near No. 6 from a performance perspective.

Could the Dolphins trade him? Sure. All they'll need to do is find a partner willing to take on a massive financial package for a player with so many on-field drawbacks – and such a move would still leave Miami with more than $45 million in dead money next year. Any potential swap is further complicated byTagovailoa's troublesome concussion history, though – fortunately – he was on track to make 17 starts for just the second time in his career prior to the decision to sit him. (So if it's reality you value, no, he's not tradeable.)

Could the Dolphins cut him? Sure. That will only trigger close to $100 million in dead money whether it's eaten entirely in 2026 – the requisite $99.2 million hit would establish a new record among cap financial mistakes – or spread over two years. There is a $15 million option due next March that the Fins could trigger to mildly assuage the financial fallout for Tagovailoa, whose contract has $54 million guaranteed in 2026. Regardless, a release next year would bring a bitter financial pill and also make it virtually impossible for a team that'salreadyoverspent in 2026 (by nearly $12 million, per Over The Cap) to remediate the roster with a better quarterback option or add assets anywhere else. (So if it's reality you value, he's very close to un-cuttable, at least not until 2027, when the cap hit drops to $34.8 million. Except …)

Should Tua be part of a Dolphins team already in transition?

Miami hasn't won a playoff game with Tagovailoa or McDaniel … or anyone else in the past 25 years, the longest active drought in the NFL. Owner Stephen Ross andlongtime GM Chris Grier dissolved their relationshipon Halloween, and McDaniel's job security has been a subject of speculation since last season's uninspired 8-9 finish.

Aside from the warmth, beaches and nightlife of South Beach, Ross doesn't have a whole to sell prospective future personnel bosses in the short term other than this job being one of 32. Tagovailoa is clearly problematic, even if McDaniel – he championed Tua at the outset of his 2022 arrival in the aftermath of the quarterback's rocky relationship with previous coach Brian Flores – sticks around … and he no longer seems nearly as committed to the relationship. Tagovailoa's willingness topublicly air the team's dirty laundry at various times this yearalso wasn't particularly helpful, though this locker room has had accountability issues for years.

The team's cap situation will likely necessitate the release of Hill,recently one of the league's most dominant players but now a guy with his own baggageas he tries to come back from a grisly knee injury that ended his 2025 campaign in September.

If McDaniel, whom Ross seems to favor − and the coach did briefly resurrect a team that could have quit weeks ago − stays, then maybe so does Tagovailoa. For 2026. He's already been paid, and the path of least resistance would be giving him one more shot to flourish – even if he ends up serving as a bridge from the job that once seemed like it would be his for a decade-plus. And, don't forget, Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton gave it a (basically unavoidable) go with Russell Wilson in 2023, getting a lay of the Rocky Mountain football landscape but eventuallyopted to take a (still) record $85 million dead cap hitin 2024 topivot from Wilson to Bo Nix. That course of action has worked out beautifully for a squad that'sreached the playoffs two years running– even as it continues to work off its Wilson cap debt. But it required a made man with Payton's organizational juice to execute it.Feels like history could repeat itself in South Florida, as it seems the Dolphins have entered the "when, not if" window for what seems like the inevitable divorce from the fallen face of their franchise.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Tua Tagovailoa's Dolphins future after benching muddled by 3 issues

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December 17, 2025

Tua Tagovailoa's future with Dolphins complicated by three factors

Tanked for Tua? It's fair to say theMiami Dolphinshave a majorTua Tagovailoaproblem. A few actually. To anyo...

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The Knicks won the NBA Cup without a hero, and that should frighten the league

LAS VEGAS — Each time the New York Knicks needed a problem solved, no matter how mundane or complex the on-court task was deemed to be, the question and answer was Mitchell Robinson.

His five offensive rebounds in the span of 90 seconds provided the fulcrum of a pivotal three-minute, 16-2 run that gave New York a fourth-quarter lead they would never surrender, but Robinson's commitment to crashing the glass — against a team that relished a physical bout down low — proved pivotal on one of the game's biggest stages. Robinson played just 18 minutes but snagged 15 total rebounds — 10 of them being offensive — in a game where the Knicks scored 32 second-chance points from 23 added opportunities.

"Tonight showed why it's important to create extra possessions," Robinson, donning a cup champions T-shirt, told Yahoo Sports following theKnicks' 124-113 win over the Spurs in the NBA Cup championship. "They shoot the ball, they miss, I get the offensive rebound and that's another chance of us scoring. I did that, what, ten times tonight? We missed some but the chance is there. It helps a lot."

Tuesday night's Cup final was an enthralling contest from start to finish, a deliberate, grind-it-out affair from two of the slower teams in terms of pace. It was an atmosphere fitting of a championship game — the Spurs super fans chanting and dancing for 48 minutes, the Knicks faithful letting their emotions hang on every missed shot or deflection and Vegas providing the perfect backdrop for a high-stakes affair.

But given the playoff-like environment, Victor Wembanyama's individual star power and New York's assemblage of talent, the crowning glory would come from which team simply had the ball more. In Robinson, the Knicks have one of the league's best in doing just that. So much of the Knicks' offense — second in the NBA according to Cleaning the Glass — comes from their ability to generatemorethan their opponents. They are the second-most frequent and third-most efficient team in offense after an offensive rebound, per Synergy tracking data. When Robinson is on the floor, New York's offensive rebounding rate soars by over fourteen percent — good for the 100th percentile. It's not as glamorous of a stat as isolation efficiency, playmaking control or three-point savvy, but it's just as important.

"Mitchell Robinson, he had 10 offensive rebounds in 18 minutes," head coach Mike Brown said. "That's unbelievable. We had 23 offensive rebounds for the game. He had 10. OG had four. KAT had four. That was probably the biggest difference in the game when you're scoring 32 second-chance points. For him to come off the bench and do that … "

"Shout-out to Mitch, man," Karl Anthony-Towns added. "Hell of a day at the office for him."

Still, as critical as offensive rebounds can be to a good half-court offense, they're deemed futile without everything else working in tandem. Quality floor spacing, decision and shot-making, talent and overall IQ are the other necessary ingredients that make a contender. OG Anunoby led all players on the floor with 28 points on 10-for-17 shooting, Jalen Brunson chipped in 25 of his own and Karl Anthony-Towns finished with 16 — with Jordan Clarkson and Tyler Kolek combining for 29 points from the bench. The Knicks, much like the city of New York, are a diverse group that get their strength from the sum of their parts. They shy away from isolated praise, understanding their ultimate goal can't be reached on the shoulders of one or two. Brunson, who was named tournament MVP, wasted no time in shouting out the contributions of each of his teammates as he was presented with his trophy as a reminder of the collective.

"Without them I don't hold that trophy," Brunson said. "We don't hold the trophy as a team. We're on the complete other side of this."

"Just having everybody out there competing and contributing to the team," forward Mikal Bridges told Yahoo Sports. "I think we got a lot of talented guys. High-IQ individuals that will go out there and do whatever it takes to win."

In a lot of ways, being the last one standing — albeit in a midseason tournament — could invigorate the Knicks as they plant their flag in the ground as one of the NBA elite, especially with New York sitting just 2.5 games behind Detroit atop a much-improved Eastern Conference. It was clear from their words both before and after the game that bringing success back home, lifting a banner, meant something. New York outlasted two top four seeds in the Western Conference and Orlando, the East's fifth seed. Regardless of what the outside perception of the NBA Cup may be, you'd be hard pressed to convince these Knicks that Tuesday night doesn't matter.

New York can make a strong claim as the deepest, most talented team in the East — and perhaps the NBA as a whole. How many teams can match the sheer offensive brilliance and leadership of Brunson? The two-way skill set of Anunoby and Bridges? Towns' unicorn-like gravity? Josh Hart's glue? Jordan Clarkson's instant scoring off the bench? The guidance and tactical astuteness of Brown?

Thisis why the Knicks should be feared. Brunson is the head of the snake, a likely MVP candidate and rightfully so; his ability to command complete control of a team filled with vibrant personalities, all while understanding how to navigate situations, is admirable. But take a stroll into Madison Square Garden and think that slowing Brunson down is a surefire way to victory, and your mistakes haven't even begun. New York is deep. New York is dangerous. New York is champion. And they're just getting started.

"It's a goal of ours that we get to check off," Brunson said. "It's an important stepping stone for us. We can still learn from this game and get better, as well. I'm very thankful for the opportunity presented to ourselves. … This is great. We're going to enjoy this. But once we leave tomorrow, we're moving on."

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December 17, 2025

The Knicks won the NBA Cup without a hero, and that should frighten the league

LAS VEGAS — Each time the New York Knicks needed a problem solved, no matter how mundane or complex the on-court task was...

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