Knicks advance to knockout stage of NBA In-Season Tournament: What’s next?

Immanuel Quickley knew the Knicks needed a blowout win on Tuesday night against the Charlotte Hornets to advance to the knockout stage of the NBA In-Season Tournament.

The former Kentucky guard delivered with 23 points on 4-of-10 shooting from deep to help propel the Knicks to a 115-91 victory at Madison Square Garden.

With the victory - combined with the Milwaukee Bucks’ 131-124 win over the Miami Heat - the Knicks (3-1) earned the wild card and the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. They will face the No. 1 Bucks on either Monday or Tuesday in the In-Season Tournament.

“We might as well go try to win it,” Quickley said in his post-game interview with MSG.

The No. 2 Indiana Pacers will meet the No. 3 Boston Celtics in the other Eastern Conference matchup either Monday or Tuesday.

The advance to the NBA In-Season Tournament Knockout Rounds as the East wild card. pic.twitter.com/wdHLASCfKc

— NBA Communications November 29, 2023

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In the Western Conference,. the No. 1 Los Angeles Lakers will host the No. 4 Phoenix Suns in one matchup.

The winners will play in the semifinals in Las Vegas on Dec. 7, and the championship game is set for Dec. 9.

There is money at stake, too.

The quarterfinal losers will take home $50,000; the semifinal losers $100,000; the runners-up $200,000; and the champions $500,000.

“[The In-Season Tournament] was fun. It makes the game more competitive,” Knicks forward Julius Randle said on MSG after putting up 25 points and 20 rebounds. “It keeps you engaged. So shoutouts to the league for coming up with this.”