NBA, Knicks and Jalen Brunson
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The Magic leaned on an 11-man rotation in hopes of running the Knicks into the ground, a tactic that has worked against New York in the past. In theory, it should have worked again — especially with the Knicks missing two perimeter pieces in Miles McBride (ankle) and Landry Shamet (shoulder). Instead, the Knicks flipped the script.
By making it to the final, the Knicks and Spurs already have secured $212,373 per player from the NBA Cup prize money pool. The losing team on Tuesday gets nothing extra. Players on the winning team get an additional $308,560 — pushing their Cup winnings to $530,933 each. Two-way players get half of what players on standard contracts get.
The New York Knicks (18-7) have done a nice job of winning the games they are supposed to lately, and they did so again after earning a 132-120 NBA Cup Semifinals victory over the injury-hampered Orlando Magic (15-11) on Saturday.
If the Milwaukee Bucks end up in a situation where they have to trade Giannis Antetokounmpo, a new suitor from the Western Conference has emerged as a potential landing spot.
The Magic and Knicks square off first in a game that could provide fans a preview of the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks and Magic are among the best teams in the East this season, with New York coming into the game on a four-game winning streak.
Jalen Brunson had an astounding crossover move on Anthony Black in the Knicks' NBA Cup showdown against the Magic on Saturday night.
Knicks small forward OG Anunoby is ready for a rematch against Desmond Bane and the Orlando Magic in the NBA Cup.