Knicks NBA Cup Group: Toughest in East?

The New York Knicks are looking forward to the Emirates NBA Cup in November and December in hopes of improving upon their quarterfinals finish from the first In-Season Tournament in 2023.

On the first day of the Las Vegas Summer League, the Knicks and the rest of the NBA were placed in their six groups for the tournament. The Knicks were placed in East Group A, which could turn out to be the toughest group in the conference, and potentially the entire NBA.

Here’s a preview as to who the Knicks will play in East Group A:

Arguably the easiest team in the group, the Nets will play the Knicks an early season match that will see Mikal Bridges go against his former team. Whether the game takes place in Manhattan or Brooklyn, there will be a lot of eyeballs on Bridges and the Knicks as they look to get a big win against their New York City rival.

The Hornets are seen as an underdog in the group, but they could be better if LaMelo Ball returns to good health. With last year’s No. 2 overall pick Brandon Miller also on the team and new coach Charles Lee injecting a new energy into the franchise, the Hornets could look to use the Emirates NBA Cup as a way to build momentum and grow as a group, making them a sneaky team in Group A.

The Magic were the biggest risers in tha NBA last season, going from a perennial lottery team to the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference. Led by Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, the team went to Game 7 of the first round against the Cleveland Cavaliers. This offseason, the team only got better by adding Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the mix, forming one of the better defenses in the NBA.

Another chapter of the rivalry between the Knicks and Sixers will be born after last year’s six-game playoff series in the first round. The 76ers eyed improvement in the offseason, signing Paul George to a max deal in order to challenge the Knicks and the Boston Celtics for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

No game in the Emirates NBA Cup will be easy, and the Knicks will have to bring their A-game every night if they want to make it out of Group A.

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