Knicks’ NBA Cup Group Features Familiar Foes

In-season glory is back in metropolitan style: on Friday night, the New York Knicks and rest of their NBA brethren learned where they would be situated in the 2024 in-season tournament, which has been officially branded as the Emirates NBA Cup.

New York will appear in the East’s Group A alongside the Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, and Charlotte Hornets.

The showdown with the 76ers will no doubt be the most anticipated showdown of the group: not only is it a rematch of one of the 2024 postseason’s most tightly-contested series (a six-game victory for the Knicks in the opening round) but it’ll also show how far each team has come amidst high-profile additions made in the name of chasing down the defending NBA Finals champion Boston Celtics.

Philadelphia-born Mikal Bridges will make his entry into the rivalry after the Knicks obtained his services from the Brooklyn Nets while the Sixers made several additions headlined by nine-time All-Star Paul George.

Orlando, fresh off its first playoff appearance since 2020, was one of the few teams to get the best of the Knicks last season, as it posted a 3-1 mark in four get-togethers. The Knicks will also face the Charlotte Hornets in pool play for the second straight year (winning 115-91 as part of a four-game sweep) as well as their crossborough rivals from Barclays Center. Manhattan earned a four-game sweep in the metropolitan rivalry for the first time since 2017-18.

The Knicks are set to host Brooklyn and Orlando while traveling to Charlotte and Philadelphia. All group play games will be staged on Tuesdays and Fridays between Nov. 12 and Dec. 3 with dates set to be unveiled next month.

Elsewhere in the East, Boston is situated in Group C with Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, and Washington while Group B consists of Detroit, Indiana, Miami, Milwaukee, and Toronto.

The Knicks were one of the surprise success stories of the inaugural In-Season Tournament, taking the Eastern Conference’s wild card spot as the top second-place finisher. New York went 3-1 in East Group B play before falling to the fivesome’s winner Milwaukee in the quarterfinal round of the knockout stage.

The Los Angeles Lakers are the defending champions of the competition, besting the Indiana Pacers in the first edition of the championship game last December. Los Angeles is matched up with Oklahoma City, Phoenix, San Antonio, and Utah in the West’s Group B.

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