LAS VEGAS — It’s as close as it gets.
No, the NBA Cup is not the same as the playoffs.
But it provides the Knicks with a valuable opportunity to gain more experience in playoff-like atmospheres.
For a game played this early in the season, they represent the only games with real elimination-type stakes on the line.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for us to be in that kind of playoff atmosphere and understand what’s on the line,” Karl-Anthony Towns said. “And to go out there and, you know, show ourselves, again, how disciplined you need to be to win these kinds of games in the NBA Cup. And also, how important execution is. You know, and for us to reach the goals that we have for our team, you know, discipline and execution is going to be at the forefront of most important things that we need to build consistency at.”
This group is not exactly void of playoff experience.
They reached the Eastern Conference finals last year, and pretty much the entirety of the core has remained intact.
But the value in these games goes beyond just executing in high leverage moments on the courts.
It extends off the court, with the influx of media attention.
Unlike normal games, there were swarms of national media asking questions ahead of the Knicks’ clash against the Magic at T-Mobile Arena.
There were social media influencers asking silly questions to post online.
There was a plethora of reporters watching part of their practice on Friday, something that does not normally happen when they practice in Tarrytown.
It’s the kind of media attention that returns in the playoffs.
The Knicks had plenty of it last year, but they see the value in experiencing it again midseason, rather than going the whole regular season without it.
“Yeah, definitely,” Jalen Brunson said. “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.”
Coach Mike Brown has been part of six NBA Finals as either head coach or an assistant, and knows how many outside distractions are present and how much media attention arises in those environments.
And his Knicks side has set Finals-or-bust expectations for this season.
So, he wants his players to use this Vegas experience as a lesson for where they hope to end up later in the season.
He didn’t always hold that sentiment, however.
Originally an NBA Cup skeptic, he admitted he was wrong about the value these games bring.
“You’ve got to give the NBA credit,” Brown said. “Everybody naturally fights change or wants to say something against change. I was one of those guys when they came up with the Cup idea, I was like, ‘Oh, man, for what? In the middle of the season? We are trying to do this and that and practice and blah, blah, blah.’ And as time goes on, you have to give — starting with Adam [Silver, commissioner], you have to give him a lot of credit for being innovative when it comes to things happening in the NBA, and this is one of them.
“This is a really, really neat thing. I said this even before I even got here, I thought it was neat, and it’s a fantastic experience for everybody. You really applaud how the NBA has tried to continue to find ways to make this more meaningful across the board. So it’s a pleasure to be here.”
Winning elimination and high leverage games is a habit.
It never hurts to have more of them under your belt.
“It’s just another opportunity to win something,” Brunson said. “So got to go out there and compete.”
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: nypost.com
