On Tuesday night time, the Orlando Magic and New York Knicks will play for a berth within the NBA Cup quarterfinals.
It would simply be a touch of a much bigger battle to come back between the groups.
The East Group A title and automated bid to the NBA Cup quarterfinals shall be at stake Tuesday, when the Magic go to the Knicks within the first sport of the season between a pair of Jap Convention contenders.
Each groups had been off Monday after incomes wins Sunday, when the visiting Magic earned their sixth straight win by beating the Brooklyn Nets 100-92 whereas the host Knicks routed the New Orleans Pelicans 118-85.
The Magic and Knicks arrange their conflict for the Group A title on Friday, after they each remained 3-0 in Group A play with wins over the Nets and Charlotte Hornets, respectively.
Whereas the Knicks can’t earn one of many two wild-card berths, the Magic shall be well-positioned to maneuver on to the quarterfinals barring a lopsided defeat Tuesday.
Orlando will earn a wild card over the Boston Celtics, who completed second within the East Group C, in addition to the loser of Tuesday’s Group B battle between the unbeaten Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks so long as the Magic loses by fewer than 37 factors or in extra time.
No matter what occurs Tuesday, the Magic and Knicks look like candidates to tussle for a a lot greater prize within the spring.
Regardless of coping with accidents and inconsistency, Orlando and New York enter Tuesday because the third- and fourth-place groups within the Jap Convention. The Magic have received 12 of their final 13 with out third-year star Paolo Banchero, who hasn’t performed since Oct. 30 as a result of a torn proper indirect.
The win Sunday was an encouragingly gritty one for the Magic, which has received 9 of its final 12 video games by double figures. Orlando led 72-65 late within the third quarter earlier than the Nets took a pair of one-point leads within the fourth.
A 3-pointer by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope snapped an 83-83 tie and started a game-ending 17-9 run for the Magic, which received regardless of being whistled for a season-high 29 fouls. Brooklyn was known as for 31 fouls.
“To have the ability to face up to no matter was occurring all through the sport and never lose our heads — to maintain our heads, to maintain our cool for probably the most half, preserve our poise — says lots in regards to the progress of a workforce that understands what we’re attempting to perform,” Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley mentioned.
The Knicks are hoping Sunday’s decisive win nudged them nearer to discovering some much-needed consistency. Mikal Bridges, who was benched within the fourth quarter of Friday’s win over the Hornets, scored 11 unanswered factors to cap a 23-1 first-quarter run Sunday by New York, which led the undermanned Pelicans by no less than 21 all through the ultimate three quarters.
Bridges, who was acquired from the Nets on July 6, is one in every of two new starters for the Knicks, who obtained Karl-Anthony Cities in a three-way commerce Oct. 2. As well as, OG Anunoby is in his first full season with New York after he was acquired from the Toronto Raptors final Dec. 30.
The Knicks, who reached the Jap Convention semifinals final season, have received greater than two straight video games simply as soon as this season.
“It is a new workforce, that is just about it,” Bridges mentioned. “Simply one thing we needed to regulate to and it is simply going to take time.”
