The Knicks will play in Milwaukee on Tuesday night looking to seize a first-of-its-kind opportunity, but where they go from there depends on the outcome of their In-Season Tournament quarterfinal matchup against the Bucks.
Julius Randle, for one, wasn’t planning on a quick return flight to New York.
“I packed for Vegas,” the All-Star forward declared after practice Monday in Tarrytown.
Indeed, a Knicks victory would send them to Sin City for the semifinals of the inaugural NBA Cup on Thursday against the winner of Monday’s tilt between the Celtics and the Pacers.
The potential championship game is slated for Saturday night with the chance to hoist the trophy and claim $500,000 in prize money per player.
“We’re excited. We look at it as a great opportunity to come out and play and compete against the best and compete for something. I think every guy in the locker room is excited,” Randle said. “It feels good. We get to see how we stack up against one of the best teams in the league.
“We feel like we are improving every game, every day. Guys individually, and as a team. This will be a good test for us, to just keep pushing the limit of who we are as a team.”
A loss to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks (14-6) would mean the Knicks’ next game would be against the loser of the other Eastern Conference game, either Wednesday night against the Pacers at the Garden or Friday night against the Celtics in Boston.
“The challenge is, every season, there’s a number of different things that happen. And then it’s always, ‘How quickly can you adapt?’” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “Everyone’s faced with the same challenges, so that’s where I want our guys to [focus]. The things that we can control are how we get ready. Every game, there shouldn’t be a change.
“If you want to be a consistent team, that’s how you have to approach it. … So as you get ready for [Tuesday’s] game, and whenever the next game is, you follow the same thing. I think that’s how you build your habits and that’s how you build your consistency.”
The Knicks have won three straight games to improve to 12-7 overall this season, but they are 10-3 since a giveaway loss in Milwaukee on Nov. 3 in the opener of group play in the tournament for both teams.
Playing without RJ Barrett, Thibodeau’s squad led 103-101 with barely one minute remaining, before imported All-Star guard Damian Lillard netted eight points in the final 63 seconds to drop the Knicks to 2-4.
Jalen Brunson recorded a season-high 45 points, but Julius Randle still was mired in his early-season shooting slump following offseason ankle surgery, missing 15 of 20 field-goal attempts and eight of nine from 3-point range.
“We’ve played them well the past four or five times. Into last season, we played them close games,” Randle said. “We’re kind of looking to get over that hump.
“Obviously, Dame made some great shots the last time we played there. But we feel good about our chances going in.”
Added Thibodeau: “You learn from every game. Dame is obviously a great player, Giannis is a great player, [Khris] Middleton is getting healthier. So it’s a team that has a lot of weapons. When you look at what they’ve done over the past few years and you look at their numbers from this year, it tells you how good they are. So we’re gonna have to be at our best.”
Thibodeau also stressed that the Knicks “can’t get sidetracked” by what comes next, wherever the schedule sends them.
“I think the tournament itself has been great for the league, for the fans. I love it. I think it’s exciting,” Thibodeau said. “But for us, stay focused on what you have to stay focused on.”