The New York Knicks had the option to shake Madison Square Garden. Their NBA Cup conquest in Las Vegas could have been cemented with a banner. For the first time in over 50 years, the ardent Knicks fanbase would have a cause for celebration. However, the team has made it clear. They aren’t after regular-season validation.

It didn’t come from head coach Mike Brown. The former Kings coach was hoping to see a rapturous crowd during the unveiling. However, the team decided against it to avoid celebrating a mid-season achievement. And they might take more measures to ensure the team starves for a proper celebration until the end of the season.

According to insider Steve Popper, the Knicks might not display their Vegas treasure at the MSG.

“BTW, asked a team official what the plan was to display the trophy from the NBA Cup at MSG and was told that hadn’t been determined yet…But there will be some sort of honouring the team at MSG Friday,” Popper wrote on X.

How that looks, no one knows. Previously, both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Milwaukee Bucks created a championship-like setting for the banner. The first champions even had a champagne shower in the locker room. The Knicks might just hold a short ceremony, briefly displaying the trophy and then getting back to business.

While the Cup did provide some vindication, the team isn’t even halfway through its greater objective. With an impeccable chance at making it through the Eastern Conference this season, the second seed wants to reserve its satisfaction for a possible championship parade. However, although there won’t be a champion’s welcome at MSG, the Knicks managed to take a lot away from the NBA Cup.

The NBA Cup atmosphere proves the Knicks have resilience

Mike Brown, a coach who has transformed teams, has created small goals for the Knicks in the regular season. Notably, they have a 5-game approach, looking to have a spotless record and put “pressure” on the group. They put value on each result, hoping to have the sharpness needed for the playoffs.

However, the NBA Cup presents that opportunity. Brown saw it as a vehicle that propels the team to have a championship mindset.

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“You got to give Adam a lot of credit and the NBA league office to create an environment like this because it helps us coaches add pressure to your group early in the season,” Mike Brown said. “There’s pressure on every game if you expect to be who you think you are”.

The NBA Cup simulates a mini-playoff atmosphere. There are huge stakes on the line when you consider the half-million-dollar reward for the winners. But more importantly, it acts as a catalyst for contenders to chase these moments early in the season. It ends the same way. The Knicks outlasted every other team in the NBA. And they delivered on the grand stage.

The team staged a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback, developing resilience even when they didn’t have the edge. Those moments are where champions are made. And the Knicks managed to survive through adverse times and found a way to win. So even though there won’t be a banner, they got a taste of what it takes to produce such results.

That being said, the playoffs also test a team’s durability. That might be the reason the Knicks didn’t want to remotely let the victorious feeling sink in. It’s still a long season ahead. But they are moving with a purpose. Do you think they can raise the Larry O’Brien? Let us know your views in the comments below.