What happened: Jalen Brunson interacted with the Philadelphia crowd during pregame warmups on Friday night. The point guard took the floor ahead of East Group B play in the Emirates NBA Cup.

Why it matters: Brunson enters the tournament as the reigning Emirates NBA Cup Most Valuable Player. New York begins its title defense in Philadelphia with point differential serving as a key tiebreaker throughout group play.

What to watch: Tournament group play continues through November across the league.