Knicks Win NBA Cup: What It Means, and Why the Celtics Might See It Differently
On Tuesday night, the New York Knicks added a new piece of hardware to their trophy case, becoming just the third team in NBA history to win the league’s in-season tournament-now officially known as the NBA Cup. They join the 2023 Lakers and 2024 Bucks as the only franchises to claim the title since the tournament’s inception.
It’s a notable achievement, especially for a Knicks franchise that hasn’t hoisted an NBA championship banner since 1973. But it also raises a bigger question: how much does the NBA Cup really mean-and how should teams, particularly storied ones like the Celtics, treat it?
The NBA Cup: A Quick Breakdown
Let’s start with the format, because it’s not exactly intuitive.
The NBA Cup is essentially a mini-tournament embedded within the regular season. It’s made up of two phases: Group Play and Knockout Rounds.
Every team is placed into a five-team group within their conference based on their 2024-25 regular season records. For example, the Celtics (15-11) were placed in East Group B alongside the Nets (7-18), Pistons (21-5), Magic (15-11), and 76ers (14-11).
Each team plays four group games-one against every opponent in its group, with a split between home and road contests. These games take place on designated “Cup Nights,” which this year ran from October 31 through November 28, with a couple of extra dates thrown in.
The top team from each group, along with one wild card from each conference, advances to the single-elimination Knockout Rounds. Quarterfinals are played in home markets, while the semifinals and championship are held in Las Vegas.
And yes, there’s a financial incentive: every player on the winning team earns $500,000. Not bad for a few extra games in November and December.
So… What Does It All Mean?
That’s where things get murky.
On paper, the NBA Cup games count toward the regular season standings (except for the championship game), so they do have implications for playoff seeding. But winning the tournament doesn’t guarantee a playoff spot, and it doesn’t carry the same weight as a Larry O’Brien Trophy. It’s more like an early-season checkpoint-a chance for teams to compete in a high-stakes environment and maybe build some momentum.
For younger teams or franchises looking to change the narrative-like the Knicks-it’s a meaningful accomplishment. This is a team that’s been searching for a breakthrough moment for decades. Hanging an NBA Cup banner in Madison Square Garden might feel like a turning point, a sign that things are finally trending upward.
But for legacy franchises like the Celtics or Lakers? That’s where the conversation shifts.
How Should the Celtics Approach the NBA Cup?
Let’s talk about Boston specifically. The Celtics are a franchise built on banners-18 of them, to be exact. Their identity is rooted in championship pedigree, and anything short of a Finals win has historically been viewed as falling short of the standard.
So what happens if the Celtics eventually win the NBA Cup? Do they raise a banner for it?
Do they hold a pregame ceremony? Do they treat it like a legitimate piece of the franchise’s legacy?
There’s precedent. When the Lakers won the first NBA Cup in 2023, they raised a pentagon-shaped banner-distinct from their 17 NBA titles, but clearly visible in the rafters. It was designed with space to add future Cup wins, similar to how teams track division titles or conference championships.
But here’s the thing: the Celtics don’t hang banners for anything less than a championship. You won’t find an “Atlantic Division Champs” banner at TD Garden.
That’s just not how this organization operates. So why start now?
It’s a fair question, especially when you consider the optics. A uniquely shaped NBA Cup banner hanging next to the iconic white-and-green championship banners would feel… off. Not because the Cup isn’t a competitive achievement, but because it doesn’t align with what the Celtics have historically celebrated.
For the Knicks, It’s a Different Story
Now flip that perspective.
If you’re the Knicks, this Cup win means something different. This is a franchise that hasn’t won a title since the Nixon administration.
Their fans have endured decades of false starts, rebuilds, and front office missteps. So when they finally win something-anything-it’s worth celebrating.
Whether it’s a banner next to Billy Joel’s 150th concert tribute or a full-on ceremony at the Garden, the Knicks have every reason to embrace this moment. It’s not about pretending the NBA Cup is a championship; it’s about recognizing a rare high point in a long, frustrating journey.
Final Thoughts
The NBA Cup is still finding its place in the league’s culture. It’s new, it’s a little complicated, and it doesn’t carry the same weight as the playoffs. But it offers something valuable: a chance for teams to compete in a playoff-style environment early in the season, and for players to earn a nice financial bonus along the way.
How each franchise chooses to acknowledge it will vary. For the Knicks, it’s a milestone worth celebrating. For the Celtics, it might be more of a footnote unless it’s followed by a deep playoff run.
Either way, the NBA Cup is here to stay. And as the league continues to tweak and evolve the format, one thing’s for sure: the conversation around how much it matters is just getting started.