Some fans are critical of the format, but dozens of players around the league would appreciate winning the NBA's midseason tournament, the NBA Cup.
Aside from players on the winning team receiving a sizeable bonus, the competitive juices flow just a little bit more when there's something to play for in the early months of the season.
The New York Knicks' Jalen Brunson torched the Milwaukee Bucks with 37 points last night and clinched Group C, helping his team advance to the quarterfinals in Las Vegas. The star point guard made it clear he cares about winning the tournament.
"It means a lot," Brunson said in a postgame interview on Amazon Prime Video. "Whenever there's a chance to win something, you go and win it. As long as we are focused and staying together, and not really worrying about what lies ahead down the road, that's how we're gonna continue to get better."
Brunson's play since returning from injury
After Brunson's performance against the Bucks, head coach Mike Brown told reporters that he should be an early-season candidate for MVP.
Brunson became the 24th player in Knicks history to score 6,000 points with the franchise, and is averaging 31.6 points and 6.1 assists per game in his last seven contests. The Knicks are 4-1 since he returned from his Grade 1 ankle sprain.
If the 29-year-old can keep up his recent level of play, he should make his third consecutive All-Star team while hoping to lead the Knicks on a deep NBA Cup and playoff run.
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