Jalen Brunson Torches Orlando Magic As New York Knicks Punch Ticket to NBA Cup Final

They say the house always wins in Las Vegas, but on Saturday night, the Knicks were the ones cashing out big at T-Mobile Arena.

In a city built on illusions and sleight of hand, New York brought straight-up, punch-you-in-the-mouth reality to the Orlando Magic. Behind a masterclass from Jalen Brunson, the Knicks rolled to a 132-120 victory, securing their spot in the NBA Cup championship game. If you were looking for a turning point in the season, this felt like it.

Brunson, who sounded like he’d been gargling gravel during media availability on Friday due to an illness, didn’t look sick for a second once the ball tipped. He dropped a season-high 40 points, dissecting the Orlando defense with the kind of surgical precision that’s starting to make “MVP” chants feel less like wishful thinking and more like a reasonable observation.

Brunson Silences the Noise

The narrative coming into this one had a little extra spice. Orlando’s Anthony Black had told reporters he planned to “get into [Brunson’s] jersey.” Well, be careful what you wish for.

In the third quarter, Brunson responded in the loudest way possible—without saying a word. He hit Black with a nasty step-back that sent the defender stumbling to the floor before burying a 3-pointer. It was the kind of highlight that makes the rounds on social media instantly, but more importantly, it broke the Magic’s spirit. The “neutral” site crowd, which was undeniably heavy with New York transplants, erupted. It wasn’t Madison Square Garden, but for a few minutes in the fourth quarter, the “MVP” chants made it feel like 33rd and 7th.

Knicks Depth Overpowers Orlando

While Brunson was the headliner, the Knicks didn’t turn this into a one-man show. This was a complete team dismantling of a solid opponent. The first half was a pure shootout, evoking memories of old-school heavyweight fights. Orlando’s Jalen Suggs was unconscious early, matching Brunson with 25 first-half points.

For a minute there, it looked like we were going to see history with two 50-point scorers. But the Knicks locked in defensively after the break. Suggs cooled off significantly (and eventually exited with a hip issue), while New York kept it up.

Karl-Anthony Towns was a force, pouring in 29 points, while OG Anunoby added 24. They dominated the paint, outscoring Orlando 70-62 inside. It was physical, it was fast, and frankly, the Magic just ran out of gas trying to keep up with New York’s pace.

What’s Next For New York?

This win makes it five in a row for the Knicks, and they’ve now taken nine of their last ten. They aren’t just winning; they are overwhelming teams.

They now head to the NBA Cup final on Tuesday to face either the Thunder or the Spurs. Whether it’s facing the young guns of OKC or Wemby’s Spurs, New York is playing with a scary amount of confidence right now. If Brunson plays like this, there aren’t many teams in the league that can stop this train.

David Copperfield might have his face on the MGM Grand across the street, but the only disappearing act in Vegas this weekend was the Orlando defense trying to locate Brunson.