It’s NBA Cup!
New York and Orlando will watch from afar as the Knicks and the Magic go against each other in Sin City for a place in the Cup Final next week.
Should whoever wins this thing raise a banner?
Should a parade even be held? Those questions, and their answers, are here for you.
Mike Brown
On what Cup environments provide teams:
“Being in environments like this, they do help you. I’ve been fortunate and blessed to be part of six NBA Finals teams. The media and the distractions are much bigger than this, but this is about as close as you can get, especially during the regular season. So there are some things that you can take from being here that correlate with you being in the Finals or whatever down the road.”
On the Knicks and Magic knowing each other:
“They definitely know who we are, and we know who they are.”
Jalen Brunson
On the Magic’s physicality:
“Yeah, they are really physical. That’s what Coach [Jamahl Mosley] prides himself on. The way that they have been able to do it makes them very successful. …They are going to be who they are, and they are going to come out here and compete. And so I think for us, we have to be ready to do what we’ve got to do and combat that.”
On how the Knicks should respond to that physicality:
“There’s a lot of ways you combat it, obviously with physicality, but I would move it with space and transition, getting stops and running. I think no matter what, they are going to play their solid basketball. We have to play ours and do it to the best of our abilities. … They do what they do well, and so we have to do what we do well and go from there.”
On the NBA Cup being valuable experience:
“Yeah, definitely. I think that just the atmosphere and what this is capable of being for us can be a huge thing for us. Excited for this opportunity, for sure.”
On competing in Cup games:
“For us, you’re still going out there and competing. It’s part of your regular-season games. It’s part of your journey as a team to go out there and be better than you were the night before. It’s a journey. And regardless of who we are playing, where we are playing, what the circumstances are, Cup games or not, it’s an opportunity for our team to go out there and compete. I think we embrace those challenges.”
Karl-Anthony Towns
On the Cup games providing playoff-level lessons:
“Yeah, I think it’s a great opportunity for us to be in that kind of playoff atmosphere and understand what’s on the line and go out there and show ourselves, again, how disciplined you need to be to win these kind of games in the NBA Cup. And also, how important execution is. For us to reach the goals that we have for our team, discipline and execution is going to be at the forefront of most important things that we need to build consistency at.”
Josh Hart
On whether the Knicks should hang a banner if they win the Cup:
“Yeah, why not? Obviously it’s a Cup, it’s a title, it’s something that you want to win. So yeah, hang a banner. Obviously, there’s different standards to those, Cups and Finals. But whenever you want to go out there and compete and win a title, that’s what you want to do and celebrate that.”
On celebrating Cup titles:
“I don’t know. Yeah, why not? Obviously, it’s a Cup, it’s a title. It’s something you want to win. So — yeah, hang a banner. Obviously, there are different standards for those with Cups and Finals. But whenever you want to go out there, you want to win and compete for a title, that’s what you want to do. And you want to celebrate that.”
Mikal Bridges
On hanging a banner for the NBA Cup:
“Nahh, I’m OK. I think you’re searching for something even more than that.”
OG Anunoby
On how to acknowledge a Cup win:
“They can put a banner up. But no parade or something [like that].”
Mitchell Robinson
On wanting Cup recognition:
“Hang something, appreciate us for something.”
Paolo Banchero
On familiarity with the Knicks:
“It’s a team that we’ve played three times already. They are familiar with us. We’re familiar with them.”
On facing the Knicks all season:
“They are a good team. We have won twice. They have won once. They are at the top of the East. So we’re looking forward to kind of seeing them all year.”
Anthony Black
On how to deal with Jalen Brunson:
“We try to get physical with every team, every player, but definitely star guards. So definitely try to make it tough on him. Get into his jersey and see how he responds.”
Desmond Bane
On the Magic’s playing style:
“One through 15, that’s our goal. To be the most physical team on both ends of the floor every single night. When we win, we usually do that.”
On facing the Knicks in high-stakes games:
“I think that it’s two good basketball teams, two teams that are trying to do something big in the Eastern Conference. I think that any time you have a team that’s standing in the way of what you’re trying to do, it should be a little something extra on the line.”
Jalen Suggs
On how to stop Brunson:
“He gets tough when he gets to the free-throw line. He’s tough when he gets free rhythm and free buckets there. So, trying to be solid and trying to be aggressive, applying heat. Trying to make it uncomfortable. It’s a tough balance.That’s what the great ones in the league make you do.”
De’Aaron Fox
On Mike Brown’s impact on the Knicks:
“He brings a level of accountability to, not just a team, but to an organization from top to bottom. Not surprised the way that they are playing. Obviously, they have an extremely talented team, but I think he adds to that dynamic.”
