NBA Cup: Knicks and Magic to meet in Las Vegas
First semifinal defined between two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference
The Orlando Magic will face the New York Knicks in Las Vegas next Saturday, where both teams will be seeking a spot in the NBA Cup final. This will be their fourth matchup of the season after three previous encounters between these Eastern Conference rivals.
Leading up to this semifinal, the Magic defeated the Miami Heat 108-117, with standout performances from Desmond Bane (37 points), Jalen Suggs (20), and Paolo Banchero (18). On the other hand, the Knicks advanced by beating the Toronto Raptors 117-101 with 35 points from Jalen Brunson and 21 from Josh Hart. With that momentum, both teams head to Las Vegas after solid showings in the quarterfinals.
Orlando took the first two encounters between the two teams this season, but tensions rose in their most recent game played just a couple of days ago. In that match, Franz Wagner suffered a severe ankle sprain following a hard foul by Knicks' center Ariel Hukporti, an incident that will keep Wagner sidelined for a couple of weeks.
The tension didn't end there. Later on, Desmond Bane threw the ball at OG Anunoby while he was crouched near the baseline. This action led to a technical foul for Bane and a $35,000 fine, further escalating the rivalry before the semifinal.
Tension between Knicks and Magic
With this context, it's clear that the Knicks aren't approaching Bane or the Magic with much sympathy. Now, in Las Vegas, both teams must deal with this atmosphere before a game that grants direct access to the final.
The Magic showed in their recent victory over Miami that they are a combative team, willing to find solutions in any situation. Their coach, Jamahl Mosley, summed it up: "We talked about it in the locker room: we always find a way. No matter what, this team knows how to win. They support each other, never disconnect, and keep fighting. They didn't let nerves get to them, defended staunchly, and that was the key." If the Magic replicate that intensity, they will be in a position to contend for the title.
The matchup between the Knicks and Magic will tip off at 5:30 PM ET on Saturday, which is equivalent to 11:30 PM in the Spanish mainland. The game can be viewed on Amazon Prime Video.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, NBA Cup: Knicks y Magic se citan en Las Vegas