After being up to 37 points ahead, the Knicks imploded the Magic on Tuesday evening to continue their journey in the NBA Cup, heading to the quarter-finals, where the Hawks await them this Wednesday. The road to final victory is getting closer as there are only three games left to win in order to succeed the Lakers, the first winners in the history of the NBA Cup.
The potential opponents that remain to be beaten will be anything but easy to negotiate, between the winner of Milwaukee-Orlando to face in the semi-final and a possible shock in the final against OKC, Dallas, Golden State or Houston. But New Yorkers don't stop themselves from dreaming!
Not the same concerns between Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart…
Asked about the importance of the bonus paid to the winner, i.e. $515,000 per player, Jalen Brunson confirmed that he was not insensitive to it, but not particularly in his personal case. The former Dallas point guard has the team's third-largest contract this season (behind Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby), at nearly $25 million per year. It's not $500,000 that's going to change his world. But this is the case for others…
“It would mean a lot for us to win. It would be huge for us to go to Las Vegas and go all the way,” he explained. » You have guys on the team who are on one-year contracts, or who are on two-way contracts. So when we're on the pitch, it's also to win for them, and that's why it's not nothing for us. So I don't think about it and say, 'What's in it for me?', but rather, 'How will it benefit the team?' »
A new watch?
Perhaps it’s the point guard’s selflessness that pushes him to think of his teammates as well. We also remember the leader of the Pelicans, Jose Alvarado, who had already reserved the sum for his daughter in the event of a final victory. And then there are other players, like Josh Hartwhich only “peaks” at 18 million dollars this season, and would benefit from this additional sum to have fun!
“I might just buy a new watch.” I don't care if the younger ones don't take any money, I think first of myself, and what I could buy.” he declaredbefore being cut off by Jalen Brunson, friendly calling him an “asshole.” “I will keep everything, 100%. I want a new watch, so I might as well buy that,” he then continued before hugging his teammate in turn. “JB, what could I do just to spend money? I would say maybe a new car.”
Before counting the tickets, we will already have to beat Atlanta, where the Knicks lost a month ago (121-116) and which is also one of the teams in form in the East.
| Shots | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Bp | Int | Ct | Party | Pts |
| Jalen Brunson | 23 | 34.2 | 49.5 | 42.9 | 84.0 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 7.7 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 2.4 | 25.4 |
| Karl Anthony Towns | 21 | 33.7 | 53.1 | 45.0 | 85.7 | 2.9 | 10.3 | 13.2 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 3.3 | 25.2 |
| Og Anunoby | 23 | 36.5 | 49.0 | 38.2 | 83.6 | 1.1 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 2.7 | 17.7 |
| Mikal Bridges | 23 | 38.2 | 47.2 | 32.9 | 61.9 | 1.0 | 2.7 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 16.7 |
| Josh Hart | 23 | 37.3 | 59.8 | 39.2 | 85.7 | 1.6 | 6.9 | 8.5 | 5.6 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 2.4 | 14.0 |
| Miles McBride | 18 | 25.7 | 46.1 | 42.2 | 87.5 | 0.6 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 11.1 |
| Cameron Payne | 17 | 17.8 | 43.5 | 44.1 | 81.8 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 3.4 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 2.2 | 8.2 |
| Precious Achiuwa | 2 | 20.0 | 42.9 | 0.0 | 28.6 | 1.5 | 5.5 | 7.0 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 4.0 |
| Tyler Kolek | 16 | 6.9 | 43.2 | 45.5 | 100.0 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 2.9 |
| Ariel Hukporti | 11 | 8.8 | 64.3 | 0.0 | 50.0 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 1.9 |
| Jericho Sims | 23 | 12.9 | 70.4 | 0.0 | 57.1 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 3.8 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 1.8 |
| Pacome Dadiet | 11 | 7.0 | 33.3 | 41.7 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 1.7 |
| Matt Ryan | 8 | 5.1 | 25.0 | 25.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.4 |
| Jacob Toppin | 7 | 3.0 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 |
