When the NBA instituted the in-season tournament, providing a focus for fans in the midst of a long season, there was at least some hope that players and coaches would treat it with the same reverence. It didn’t hurt that two of the biggest stars, Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James, led their teams to titles in the first two years of the tournament.

But the Knicks have been a team for years that didn’t need any additional motivation. To them, there was no reason to treat a game in November or December any differently from the way they might treat Game 7 of the NBA Finals (if they could only get there again).

For five seasons, the Knicks' players heard the mantra “everything matters.” Jalen Brunson has a line of clothing emblazoned with “the magic is in the work.”

So after Mike Br

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