Bleacher Report's NBA Cup prediction for Knicks' group isn't what you expect

A few weeks after the New York Knicks' season begins, they'll make the short trek to Philadelphia for their first 2024 NBA Cup group play game. The cup will add another layer to the division rivalry.

New York is in East Group A with Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Charlotte, and Orlando. The group consists of three teams that should secure a 2025 playoff berth and two teams that will likely be lottery-bound.

The Knicks' final group play game will be against the Magic at MSG on Dec. 3. It could be a loss for New York, as the team went 3-1 against Orlando last season. Like the Knicks, the Magic upgraded their roster this offseason with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope being their most notable addition. Orlando is young, but the playoff experience it gained last year will help in 2024-25.

Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey predicted the winners for each group. For East Group A, Bailey didn't choose New York or Philadelphia, two teams expected to finish at the top of the conference. Instead, he went with Orlando.

"The New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers are probably the better teams, but the Orlando Magic fit the profile of a successful in-season tournament squad a bit better."

Bleacher Report predicts Magic will win East Group A in 2024 NBA Cup

If the Magic win East Group A, that won't mean the Knicks will be eliminated from advancing to the quarterfinals. Like last year, New York could be the Eastern Conference wildcard team.

It won't be the end of the world if the Knicks don't advance past group play. Remember who won the cup last year? The Lakers. Los Angeles won one game in the first round of the playoffs against Denver. The Lakers didn't come anywhere close to winning the actual NBA title.

Would it be surprising if the Magic made it as far as the NBA Cup championship? Not at all. If Orlando hits a stride at the right time, the team could go to Las Vegas. As Bailey wrote, the Magic have young players who should be incentivized by the prize money.

There's always the possibility that the Knicks will become the first team to win the NBA Cup and NBA title in the same season. One can dream!