Can the Knicks Win the Emirates Cup?
The upcoming 2025-2026 season will feature the third In-season Tournament. This year’s tournament, also known as the NBA Emirates Cup, will have multiple teams from either conference that could make a run and end up the third winner of the NBA Cup. One of these teams is the New York Knicks, and they don't just have a chance; they may be the favorites to win it all. While other teams may seem better on paper, in a one-game elimination tournament, the strengths of the Knicks will stand out.
The Knicks are in East Group C with the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Charlotte Hornets, and Milwaukee Bucks. The Knicks should be the clear favorites to exit. The Hornets are a promising young team, but they still need time to develop their players and add to their roster. They are not in a position to compete with a team that has managed to retain all the top-end talent that just made the Eastern Conference Finals. The Heat and the Bulls are both weakened after losing their high-end talent last season. The Heat lost their best player in Jimmy Butler, and while Tyler Herro took a leap and even made the All-Star team, they don't have enough scoring talent to compete with the Knicks. The Bulls lost Zach LaVine last season, and are in a position where they need to make more roster developments before they are ready to compete with one of the conference's top teams. If any team poses a threat to the Knicks' advancement, it would be the Milwaukee Bucks, led by Giannis Antetokounmpo. Giannis is still widely considered to be a top-three player in the world, and he just finished his third season in a row averaging a 30-point double-double. While Giannis is still comfortable in his prime, he is surrounded by a weaker roster.
The Knicks' roster benefits from the one-game elimination style due to their ability to perform well in clutch situations. Jalen Brunson was the 2024-2025 clutch player of the year, and there is no reason for him to take a step back this upcoming season. The culture of this Knicks roster pushes the stars to fight out of point deficits. In the previous season's playoffs, the Knicks won multiple games in which they started the fourth quarter down by 20 points. The Knicks also have an opportunity to run a double big lineup with Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson. This lineup hides KAT's defensive weaknesses, and with OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges being excellent wing defenders, the Knicks have a competent defense and a strong offense that performs well in clutch situations. Once the Knicks' inevitable advance out of their group, all they need is to maintain last year's defensive culture and count on Brunson to carry a large chunk of the offense. Even if it looks like they could get eliminated, this team has shown they can and will fight out of point deficits.
