The Magic, Heat, Raptors, Suns and Spurs will round out the mini-tournament. It seems like Victor Wembanyama will miss the remainder of the NBA Cup, but MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander may be back for Oklahoma City soon.

The New York Knicks are hitting all the right notes — under new head coach Mike Brown, they’re singing a brand new hit. Twenty-five games into the 2025 NBA season, the Knicks stand tall with an 18-7 record.

The Emirates NBA Cup Semifinals and Finals are back for its third season, bringing adrenaline fueled action to Las Vegas.

No, the NBA Cup is not the same as the playoffs. But it provides the Knicks with an opportunity to gain more experience in playoff-like atmospheres.

Timothée Chalamet has already had a full career in acting that has led to Oscar nominations and countless other awards, but some of the best memories of his life have nothing to do with the big screen.

In 2023, the first year of the Cup, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers to claim the league’s inaugural in-season trophy. The Pacers went on to make an Eastern Conference Finals appearance the following spring, and coming a Tyrese Haliburton Game 7 injury away from a Cinderella ending last season.

The New York Knicks face the Orlando Magic and the San Antonio Spurs battle the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Cup Semifinals on Saturday, Dec. 13.

The Magic and Knicks square off first in a game that could provide fans a preview of the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks and Magic are among the best teams in the East this season, with New York coming into the game on a four-game winning streak.