Knicks vs. Magic Same-Game Parlay for NBA Cup Semifinals: SGP Picks for Dec. 13

My Knicks vs. Magic same-game parlay will count on New York’s winning hand when the two teams meet in Las Vegas for the NBA Cup semifinal. Tipoff is 5:30 p.m. ET on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena on Amazon Prime.

The Knicks (17-7) are 5-point favorites against a shorthanded Magic (15-10) squad. My NBA picks confidently back the better and healthier team in this playoff preview.

🏆  Knicks vs. Magic same-game parlay: NBA Cup semifinals

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💰 Best Knicks vs. Magic SGP picks

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🚀 Knicks moneyline (-220) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is the Knicks’ chance to prove they are the Eastern Conference favorites. The NBA Cup might not matter that much in the grand scheme of things, but this could be a similar path to the NBA Finals next summer.

I believe New York is the best team in the East, as evidenced by its net rating of +8.6. That mark is the best in the conference and fourth in the league, trailing the Oklahoma CIty Thunder, Houston Rockets, and Denver Nuggets.

The Knicks won this exact matchup on Sunday, earning a 106-100 win. There is a reason why New York’s moneyline value has gone from -175 to -220 since odds were released for this game.

🚀 Jalen Brunson 30-plus points (+124) ⭐⭐⭐

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Mike Brown was hired as New York’s head coach to help the offense become less dependent on Jalen Brunson. But Brunson still runs the show, averaging 28.8 points per game.

Brunson has scored 30 or more points in three straight contests, which included a 30-piece against the Magic last weekend. According to Props Madness, Orlando is 25th at defending the pick-and-roll ball handler, which is where Brunson gets 30% of his scoring production.

I don’t see how the Magic slow down Brunson on Saturday, so I’ll take a +124 price on him scoring 30-plus points rather than his scoring line of 28.5. Our Juan Carlos Blanco takes it another step further in his Knicks vs. Magic player props.

🚀 Paolo Banchero Under 28.5 points + rebounds (-110) ⭐⭐⭐

Paolo Banchero is already back up to 32 minutes in his last game, a steady increase since his return from injury on Dec. 5. He played 20 minutes in his first contest back and then 24 minutes in his second outing.

Given what’s at stake on Saturday, I’m projecting more than 30 minutes for Banchero. And yet, this number still feels a touch high until he shows more efficiency. He finished with 18 points (on 13 shots) and seven rebounds against the Miami Heat in the NBA Cup quarterfinal.

Against New York last weekend, Banchero had one rebound on four rebound chances. If the Knicks can contain him on the glass (they are fifth in rebounds allowed), I like my chances of cashing this Under.

📺 How to watch Knicks vs. Magic: NBA Cup semifinals

• Date: Saturday, Dec. 13
• Tipoff: 5:30 p.m. ET
• Location: T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas, NV)
• TV: Amazon Prime

❓ NBA Cup FAQs

Follow the latest NBA Cup odds to win the in-season tournament.

How does the NBA Cup format work?

All 30 teams were split into five groups and faced off in group play to determine which eight teams advanced to the "knockout rounds" (quarterfinals) and meet in a single-elimination tournament to crown the NBA Cup winner.

What is the NBA Cup schedule?

Every team played one group stage game per week from Oct. 31 to Nov. 28, and eight teams will face off in the quarterfinals on Tuesday and Wednesday. The four remaining teams meet in the semifinals on Saturday, Dec. 10, with the final championship matchup on Tuesday, Dec. 16.

What do the NBA Cup winners get in prize money?

The winner of the NBA Cup will share a prize pool determined by the league's collective bargaining agreement, though the prize money is expected to be more than $500,000 per player on the championship team. The runners-up are expected to receive over $200,000 per player, with the semifinalists receiving more than $100,000 and the quarterfinalists receiving more than $50,000.