By beating the Celtics and Cavs in group play, the Atlanta Hawks advanced to the knockout round of the NBA Cup as the third seed in the East, where they will play the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. A matchup that is sure to have some fireworks, given the disdain Knicks fans have for Trae Young, who would love nothing more than to send New York home in front of a raucous crowd at MSG.
The knockout rounds are single elimination, so it will be win or go home for both teams next Wednesday night. But if the Hawks win, they will advance to the Semifinals in Las Vegas to face the winner of the Magic and Bucks. Win that, and they’ll be in the championship against the Western Conference champion, which will take place on December 17th.
Initially, I was a little hesitant to buy into an in-season tournament, but I have to admit I was wrong. It adds a little extra to a few regular games each season, which the NBA desperately needed. I wouldn’t be surprised if the league continued trying to build on this tournament to make it even bigger and more important in the future.
—
Photo: Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire
You must log in to post a comment.