The 2025-26 NBA season is the third to feature the NBA Cup, the league's new midseason tournament. The odds that the Knicks take home a trophy in Las Vegas hinge on whether or not they can defeat the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday. Some fans have doubted whether the Cup's higher stakes actually create a better product. Head coach Mike Brown made his stance on the event clear after a team practice, telling reporters that his team's competitive nature will result in them treating Cup games like early playoff reps.
Cup quarterfinals will be first playoff-level test for Mike Brown
The Knicks' decision to make a change at head coach was controversial, with Tom Thibodeau just having completed a season in that role that culminated in the franchise's first appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals since 2000.