Knicks aim to lock up NBA Cup group, view tournament as playoff warm-up
knicks-see-in-season-tournament-as-playoff-rehearsal
The New York Knicks can secure first place in their NBA Cup group when they face the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night, and the team is treating the in-season event as more than a mid-year diversion.
“Pressure is a privilege,” head coach Mike Brown told reporters, according to the New York Post. “If you’re in a situation where there is pressure, you’re doing pretty good. It gets you ready for the postseason, in my opinion, so I bring it up to our guys.”
A victory at Madison Square Garden would place New York atop its bracket and make the Knicks the only franchise to advance to the knockout stage in all three editions of the tournament.
Guard Josh Hart suggested raising the stakes further by awarding the NBA Cup champion a half-win in the regular-season standings to serve as a potential tiebreaker. At present, the championship game does not affect team records; players receive only prize money. “For me, that’ll be watch money,” Hart joked.
Tipoff against Milwaukee is set for Friday, with a spot in the knockout round on the line.
Source: Hoops Wire
