The NBA Cup semifinals are heating up with the in-form New York Knicks all set to face the gritty Orlando Magic in Las Vegas on Saturday. The Knicks are flying right now with four consecutive wins and are currently second in the Eastern Conference with a solid 17-7 record this season. Meanwhile, the Orlando Magic are also in decent rhythm with three wins out of their last five games. However, the entire narrative will be based on the availability of stars like Paolo Banchero and Jalen Brunson.

Are Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns playing tonight? Latest injury update on Knicks

The New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson has been cleared to feature in Saturday’s game against the Magic. There were some concerns about his illness after he addressed the media following their quarterfinal win over the Raptors. But the situation eased once the Knicks released their injury report for the game.

Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns is another player who will be crucial in this game against the Magic. The big man is also cleared off the injury list for New York. He has been extremely banged up this season. KAT accumulated 14 points, 16 boards, one assist, one steal, and three blocks in their win against the Raptors.

If the Knicks want to have any chance of winning this game against the Magic, they need Towns at his very best. He brings great athleticism to counter the physicality of the Orlando Magic, coupled with exceptional scoring ability.

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Other than the two, Knicks forward Pacome Dadiet has been upgraded to questionable after he missed the last seven games due to a knee injury. Whereas Deuce McBride and Landry Shamet are also sidelined with ankle and shoulder injuries, respectively.

Are Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane playing tonight? Latest injury report on Magic

It has been a tough start to the season for Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero as he missed 10 consecutive games following a groin strain. He returned on a minutes restriction three games ago, but against the Miami Heat, he played 32 minutes and recorded 18 points, seven boards, four assists, and a block in their 117-108 win in the quarterfinals.

However, the Magic may continue to monitor Banchero’s minutes even in the upcoming games, even though it seems he is nearing full fitness.

Another crucial player for this game has to be Magic’s seventh-year guard Desmond Bane, who is available for Saturday’s game and will be crucial for Orlando. Bane dropped 37 points on Tuesday’s quarterfinals against the Heat and will hope to carry that momentum against the Knicks in the semifinals.

In Franz Wagner’s absence, both Bane and Banchero will have to take the onus of leading the Magic in a crucial knockout game. Bane has recorded exactly 37 points in three of his last six games, which speaks a lot about his scoring form, whereas Banchero has looked good since his return from injury.

In terms of absentee, the Magic will miss Franz Wagner (left ankle sprain), Moe Wagner (knee), and Colin Castleton (two-way deal) for Saturday’s semifinals.

New York Knicks vs Orlando Magic Match Preview and What to Expect?

The Knicks and the Magic met earlier this season on Sunday, December 7, where the Knicks won 106-100 at Maddison Square Garden. Orlando fielded their best possible unit while the Knicks were without Karl-Anthony Towns. Overall, Jalen Brunson finished with a game-high 30 points as Banchero and Wagner recorded 16 and seven points, respectively.

Even across games between the two teams since the start of last season, the Knicks have had the upper hand with a slender 4-3 lead over the Magic.  It is expected to be another high-scoring, extremely feisty affair between two quality teams in good form.

New York Knicks vs Orlando Magic Predicted Lineups

Based on the information around injuries available, here’s the predicted lineup for both teams

With Franz Wagner’s absence, the Magic are slightly shorthanded, but Anthony Black has filled his spot in the starting lineup with some useful contributions. While it promises to be a proper semifinal showdown, we expect the Knicks to win by a narrow margin, mainly because of their superlative form and winning streak.