New York Knicks Make STATEMENT vs Raptors in NBA Cup! $500k or a Week Vacation?!?

New York Knicks Make STATEMENT vs Raptors in NBA Cup! $500k or a Week Vacation?!?

We talk about the other game happened up in Canada last night. Look at this. New York wins a game on the road. I I can’t I don’t want to. It gives me migraines. But here’s the thing. The Knicks have made the quarterfinals in every one of these cups we’ve had so far. This is the first time they’ve actually advanced. Um Chandler, what do you think? What what did you see last night? First of all, can we talk about the NBA Cup? It’s awesome. Like these crowds are great. The intensity is great. You hear Eric Spolster, a legendary Hall of Fame coach, talking about, “All right, this is what we got to do to get to Vegas in the middle of a timeout in early December.” It is awesome. So, you is it the Vegas? I think partly it’s Vegas. I think Vegas in December is is a nice little treat for the teams. But listen, these these atmospheres are great and this is a huge experience situation that that most teams don’t get. Like the Knicks get to go on the road in like a survive and advance situation with a playoff atmosphere and they handle business. Jaylen Brunson went absolutely bananas in the first half, but I think this is great experience that the Knicks exactly what they need to again survive and advance in the regular season and they went on the road and they handled it and they and they played really really well. So they made a statement and I’m really looking forward to New York, Orlando, and Vegas. It’s also their fourth win on the road. Like I feel like that whole winning on the road thing was sort of starting to be a little bit of a of a narrative that nobody wanted to talk about and so that’s kind of a big deal too as well. What did you feel the same way? Did you feel like there was a a level of excitement maybe not necessarily on a normal Tuesday night? Uh definitely it was a great competitive game. Two, you know, uh two competitive teams out of the East that are competing to, you know, continue to move up the rankings. Uh Knicks have been pretty consistent this season. They’re continuing to do so. The Raptors have been kind of somewhat of a surprise this year, but you know, they’re one of those teams that are kind of floating under the radar and surprising a lot of teams at the same time. So, good competitive game from both sides. Um, obviously, um, Jaylen Brunson went out there and put on the show, but this was great for the Knicks. It’s great for their camaraderie. It’s great moving forward. Like you said, it was a rumor where, you know, they were struggling to win games on the road. So, this is great for confidence, momentum moving forward. And obviously, you feel like you’re, you know, at the top right now being able to pull out a clutch win like this. So, uh, they’re on the right path right now. Let’s, um, let’s pick the brains of players real quick. So, Lou, you’re up first. So, this is how this sort of breaks down. The win last night against Toronto now puts the Knicks in a situation where you add basically a 10-day road trip to your schedule. So, if you make the finals, if they go on to to beat the Magic, they go from Toronto to Vegas, then they go to Indie, then they go home um to play Philly next Friday. So, as a player, first of all, are you even thinking about that? Do you look ahead and go, “Oo, this I don’t know if I like that.” Yeah, somewhat you do. And it’s and it’s kind of confusing, right? like you’re still trying to iron out everything that comes with Vegas, that comes with the NBA Cup. It’s a relatively new experience for a lot of these guys. And so I know that they’re getting to the point where you’re starting to manage, you’re starting to micromanage the the schedule and and the challenges that it bring. But the reality of it is nobody’s going to be able to duck it. There’s always going to be adversity in your schedule. There’s always going to be adversity in the season. And unfortunately for these guys, it might be worth it to them to go through all of this to be able to have a trip to Vegas and and have a have an opportunity at a half a ticket. So, you know, it’s it’s it’s not going to be easy, but they also know that’s what we signed up for and and that’s what we do. But because of the NBA Cup and it being so relatively new, there is going to be some adversity. There is going to be some things that pop up that’s not going to be fair or is not going to not going to be helpful to some of the teams involved. And that’s just the nature of the beef. Yeah, I think there’s pros and cons, right? I think as a player, I think as a competitor, there’s a tournament, there’s a goal, you want to go win it, right? So, I think part of that that aspect of it, yeah, of course you want to be there. Even teams like Detroit and Cleveland, they basically get the whole week off. I guarantee you, you ask them, they’d rather be in Vegas playing and competing for a championship, no matter what level that is. So, I do agree with that and it is another wrench thrown at them in the schedule. But like Luda said, this is new. This is fun. This is fresh. You get to go to Vegas and we know as players this season is so long and that time from basically now to weekend. Need a couple little celebrations. Yeah, it can get a little stagnant and get a little boring. So, what better place in the world than Las Vegas to go there and and be able to compete again and you put a championship in front of us and we get to go play against, you know, a nice little rival that’s formed with Orlando and New York, too. Like, it’s just it’s fun. It’s meaningful. And the fact that they have this experience going into the playoffs is going to do wonders for these teams that get a chance to do this. You know what? One more little small thing. Imagine being a team that you’re catching a rhythm and you’re flowing and then you take that week off. That can be just as detrimental. Like some teams, they need that week off to get healthy. But some teams if you allow them a week off and kind of take your foot off the pedal, that’s fair. That can be harmful as well. So again, depending on the team and the scenario what it is for your individual group, it could be it could be helpful. It could be horrible. It’s a good point. Like the MLB playoffs. I was just going to say World Series. The teams the number one seeds, they don’t play for weeks and then they go and they just get blasted by the team that’s just hot and with all the momentum. It’s a thing. It’s It’s a scary time for them. So, I would rather I’d rather be in Vegas. 1,000%. Okay. True Sum. Would you rather be in Vegas or have a week off? Man, I see it from both sides. And um obviously when it comes to, you know, staying in rhythm, keeping that chemistry going, obviously you want to be able to play, you want to, you know, have a chance to win and carry this momentum over. But like they said, also that rest. I mean, we’ve all had the experience of coming back from a off day and feeling like complete crap the next day on the court. So, so imagine taking a week off in the middle of the season, you know, after performing and, you know, that feeling is there. So, uh, I can see it from both sides. Uh, it can be it can benefit you and harm you at the same time. Like like L said, I think it just depends on on the group, the team, but uh, I can see it from both sides. So, I’m not mad at it. What day would they get there? They play Saturday. They get there Thursday or Friday, you think? Like if they get depending on where they are tomorrow. Yeah, depending on where they are. If they get there Thursday, are they doing something in Vegas like going out going? One thing is for sure. You have to, right? Guys are going to find a way to get off whatever they trying to do. I get not the night before a game. Thursday. That’s why that’s why I would go Thursday. Like, hey guys, go have a little fun and then enjoy it. You earned it. You’re here. Well, also also if if you’re a really good coach, have a conversation with your team. Hey fellas, we still here on on a mission. And no matter what, after this first Saturday game, we have to stay over. Like, nobody is planning to leave after the Saturday game just in case they win. So, it’s already in your schedule that you’re going to have a night in Vegas. The best night to be in Vegas is probably going to be that Saturday. So, listen, if we’re going to get here Thursday, Friday night, be responsible. Go to dinner, gamble a little bit, but let’s be mindful that we still here on business. And if it means that much to you, we’re going to have time after we handle business for y’all to have an opportunity. I wish I wish you were my coach. Planning my nightife activities. Factor that in the schedule. Where were you my whole career? But I’ve had I’ve had coaches that had that conversation with the type of teams that I’ve been on. You have to know the identity of your group. Absolutely. So, when you know the identity of your group and you know I got some parters on my team, let me reason with these guys and let me bargain with them so we can be on the same page if I go. I do love after I go win it’s like you know what guys enjoy yourself tonight. We’re off tomorrow. That was like the best speech. Yes. greatest speech. Listen, I I had my god Dan Tony down in Houston and he made it very clear. We had we had a four four games in five days and then after that we had a a fiveday stretch where we didn’t have any games. He said, “Listen, fellas, this this what we trying to do. We need to get four we need to get three out of four four of these games and if we do, y’all can have all five days off and y’all meet us at the plane.” and that that like to fire up under a It’s a goal. When you have a veteran group and you have a responsible group that can that can deal with that type of responsibility, that is a goal. That’s a playing the game inside of a game and that’s keeping your team motivated. Okay. I love that. That’s I goals are good. Um we’re going to take a quick break on the other side. I wonder if Al Harrington has any opinions on while we’re talking about all this. We’ll get to know OG B. OG B. Yes, sir. It all run it back.

On December 10, 2025 episode of ‘Run It Back’ on FanDuel TV, co-hosts Michelle Beadle, Boogie Cousins, Chandler Parsons, and Lou Williams react to New York Knicks vs Toronto Raptors, Miami Heat vs Orlando Magic. Knicks & Magic headed to Las Vegas for NBA Cup. They are also joined by former Indiana Pacers Al Harrington!

FULL EPISODE HERE: https://youtube.com/live/r_71RE4zDeI

CHAPTERS
0:00 KNICKS VS RAPTORS REACTIONS
2:20 NBA CUP AFFECTING TEAMS?
4:28 A WEEK OFF OR COMPETE IN NBA CUP

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