A magnificent defensive display helped the New York Knicks stifle the Orlando Magic with a 98-74 beatdown, and leapfrog over them in the Eastern Conference standings. Before the game, the Knicks and the Magic were separated by one game, making this a critical fixture for both teams. Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart were the stars of the show for New York, as they combined to score 45 of their team’s 98 points.
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While the Knicks were focused on securing the win and climbing to the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference standings, Hart had another reason to beat the Magic. During his post-game interview in the locker room, he told reporters that he did not want the Orlando Magic’s Instagram account to post their viral meme with the Knicks in it.
In this Knicks Video clip, Hart can be seen saying,
“It was so important because I didn’t want to see Orlando Magic put us on TikTok with their song with some cows dancing, which is a banger.”
“No, but obviously we knew it was gonna be a big game…We had to come out with confidence and energy. Remembering to play our brand of basketball,” he added, before attempting a rendition of the Orlando Magic banger. “It was good for us to go out there and have a game to build confidence and not hear, ‘Orlando Magic, Orlando Magic.’ Boy, that’s a banger! Whoever made that song is really going places.”
The song Hart is referring to is a remix created by an artist called Ayo The Producer. Its lyrics are ‘Orlando Magic’ and it has a catchy beat in the background. The team’s social media account picks a viral internet video with dancing in it and replaces the audio with the Orlando Magic song.
The Magic are having an excellent campaign this year, giving their social media team a lot of chances to post videos with this viral song.
Battle for playoff spots in the East
While the Boston Celtics are the runaway leaders in the East, the rest of the teams vying for a playoff spot are engaged in a tight race. The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Milwaukee Bucks are battling for the second spot in the standings, while the Knicks, Magic, Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, and the Indiana Pacers are battling for the final three automatic qualification spots.
The Cavs and the Bucks have 41 wins, but the latter has played a game more and is third in the standings. The Knicks with 37 wins occupy the fourth spot in the standings. However, the Pacers, who are eighth in the table, have 35 wins. The difference between the fourth and the eighth team in the Eastern Conference standings is only two games, indicating how critical each game is in the quest for a playoff spot.
Two losses on the trot can send a team tumbling down from home-court advantage to the play-in tournament. With the regular season entering its stretch, expect intense games and daily changes in the standings until the final day.
