00:00The Knicks are out in Vegas for some semifinal NBA Cup action.
00:04We got Knicks magic on Saturday evening, so let's talk about the NBA Cup
00:08and, of course, this rivalry with Steph Bondi, our New York Knicks beat writer for The Post.
00:14Steph, what's going on, man?
00:15I hope you're enjoying Vegas, but not too much.
00:18Let's go straight into previewing this semifinal
00:21because I've heard some Knicks fans that are friends of mine over the years
00:25say that the NBA Cup meant nothing, but now that the Knicks are one game away from the final,
00:31it's all of a sudden a big deal.
00:33There's bad blood with these two teams, and it's looking like a new NBA rivalry.
00:37So how big of a win would it be for Mike Brown and his squad
00:40to get one step closer to the Cup final?
00:43And would this be a statement win for the Knicks?
00:46Yeah, I mean, you said it.
00:48This is becoming a budding rivalry.
00:49In the first game, they matched up.
00:52The Magic, frankly, just punked them.
00:53So there's been some injuries in this series so far during the regular season.
00:59There's been Desmond Bain throwing the ball at OG Ananobi.
01:03Like you said, these are two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference,
01:07and it's becoming a budding rivalry.
01:09And, you know, this is the biggest game so far between the two during this season.
01:13So, yeah, it's an important game.
01:15And in terms of the NBA Cup, this is a franchise that hasn't won a championship
01:20in over 50 years of any kind.
01:23And I get it.
01:24The NBA Cup is definitely not on the same level as the NBA championship.
01:29But it would be nice to win something.
01:31In the long term, does it mean a whole lot?
01:34No.
01:35I mean, the Lakers won that first NBA Cup,
01:37and then they fired their coach right after the season.
01:39And then the Milwaukee Bucks won the second NBA Cup.
01:42And already their star player is like, all right, I might want to get out of here.
01:46So, in the long term, it doesn't mean anything, but it is fun, I'm sure, for fans to watch these games.
01:52And it would be cool for the Knicks to finally win a championship of any kind.
01:56Let's say they go ahead and win the entire NBA Cup.
01:59Every team that's won the Cup Final has raised the banner in their arena.
02:03You think Knicks fans will get behind the Knicks raising the NBA Cup championship banner at the Garden?
02:10Yeah, as long as they don't go crazy and make it too much of a big deal.
02:14But like I said, this isn't a franchise that's raised many banners lately.
02:20And so, to win a championship of any kind and to celebrate that, I think that would be cool.
02:25And something that certainly Adam Silver wants.
02:28This is his baby, this tournament.
02:30So, he wants the teams to emphasize it and feel good about winning.
02:34Now, listen, last season, the Bucks won it.
02:37And remember, they didn't even celebrate.
02:39They left all the champagne on ice in Vegas.
02:43So, you know, that image is still out there.
02:46But I think for the Knicks to win and raise a banner, you know,
02:50I think that would be fun and important for this franchise.
02:53Back to the semifinal, are there any key matchups you're going to be eyeing closely?
02:58Yeah, Jalen Brunson against Jalen Suggs.
03:02Suggs is giving him fits.
03:04Suggs is a competitor.
03:05He's, you know, he's fierce in terms of his defensive intensity.
03:09He's been a problem, you know, sometimes for Jalen Brunson, who is having an amazing season.
03:17And I think that that's going to be, you know, that's going to be the key to this matchup.
03:20Can Jalen Brunson go off on Suggs?
03:23When you mention Jalen Brunson, there's a lot of MVP talk around the city when it comes to JB.
03:28Do you think that's a little too early or just some Knicks hype?
03:33Or do you feel like JB's done enough these 24 games to be in that conversation?
03:38Well, I mean, the chatter is because Mike Brown has purposely injected it into the atmosphere by saying he's having an MVP season.
03:46He said it twice, I think.
03:47So, it is a little early.
03:49I think it all boils down to how many games the Knicks win.
03:52And, you know, if they win the conference, not the conference, if they have the best regular season record in the Eastern Conference,
03:59they're obviously not going to catch the thunder.
04:01But if they have the best record in the Eastern Conference, you can make more of a case.
04:06His numbers are probably not going to stack up with the likes of Shea Gilgis-Alexander and Nikola Jokic.
04:13But, you know, he's going to be in the conversation.
04:16I still think it's a long shot that he wins the MVP as long as Jokic and SGA stay healthy.
04:23Another conversation we hear continuously is obviously the trade or not the trade for Giannis.
04:29This Knicks core is jelly, and they seem to be playing some great basketball now, specifically Cat and Mikel Bridges.
04:37Word is bonding here.
04:38Do you feel like the Knicks have a better chance of winning a chip with this core
04:42or trading some key guys to win a chip with Giannis on the roster?
04:48I mean, Giannis raises the ceiling.
04:49You know, if the OKC Thunder are healthy and they get into the NBA Finals
04:56and the Knicks get into the NBA Finals with their team, I don't think they can beat the Thunder.
05:00So we're talking about championship.
05:02Now, it's a big goal.
05:06If we're not just talking about getting in the NBA Finals,
05:08I think this roster, this Knicks roster as constructed can get to the NBA Finals.
05:11But remember, when they fired Tom Thibodeau, the message was we are singularly focused on winning a championship.
05:18They didn't say we are singularly focused on getting to the NBA Finals.
05:22And if you get Giannis Antetokounmpo, that raises your ceiling.
05:27It gives you a chance to compete against the likes of the OKC Thunder.
05:30Now, listen, it lowers the floor because you're going to have to give up a lot to get them.
05:34Guys might get injured.
05:36And now all of a sudden you're having an entire different conversation about, well, we're in trouble here.
05:40We just traded everything.
05:41And, you know, the guy's injured and not playing.
05:44So, listen, it would be a risky move.
05:47But in my opinion, if you're going for the championship, the guy that can get you there is Giannis.
05:53Lastly, we know how banged up they are at guard right now with Deuce McBride being out and Landry Shaman as well.
06:00You think the Knicks should go after Jose Alvarado if the Pelicans make him available?
06:07Yeah, I mean, I, you know, I've been on that train for a while.
06:10Well, he's the guy I would go get.
06:12I think they do need a backup point guard.
06:14You saw it in the last game against Toronto.
06:17For some reason, and not for some reason, I understand why, Mike Brown is not really trusting Tyler Kolek to play a ton.
06:25And Jalen Brunson had to play 40 minutes against the Toronto Raptors.
06:29And again, it was basically a blowout.
06:31I don't think that that score got within double digits.
06:34I mean, single digits in the second half.
06:36So they do need somebody to give Jalen Brunson kind of like a spell, give him some rest, and a defensive intensity guy that can raise the level of the defense.
06:47And Jose Alvarado, to me, is that guy.
06:50He's a local product.
06:51He understands what it takes to play in New York.
06:54He's experienced.
06:56He would be the guy to go get.
06:57And I do think the Pelicans are going to make him available.
07:00The question is, what's going to be the price?
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