*By Jimmy Mondal*
After a tumultuous season and a disappointing 5-9 record, the New York Knicks Gaming team was at the bottom the 2K league barrel.
But clutch seems to be the team's middle name ー the Knicks Gaming squad was able to pull off not one, but two miracle runs to qualify for the NBA 2K League playoffs.
By executing a victory in the TICKET tournament and harnessing the power of the fans at New York City's NBA 2K studio, the Knicks emerged the league winners in the last quarter of the finals match.
But now the question becomes: can the team trounce their competitors a second time?
According to Jeff Eisenband, host and analyst at the NBA 2K League, it's unlikely.
"The short answer I can give you, is probably not," he told Cheddar Sports. "There are 21 teams in the league. There were 17 in year one ー these teams are all so even.”
That said, Eisenband also thinks the team has serious talent on its side, including “ four players coming back, losing the NBA \[2K League\] Finals MVP, Nate Kahl, but … iamadamthefirst is one of the prime players in the league, and a lot of people forget about Goofy757, who is probably, in my mind, the best rebounder in the league.”
As for the future of the Knicks team, Eisenband thinks burnout will be a major factor.
"They had dominated the season, but I also think there’s a sense of burnout in that they had a target on their back the whole season."
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know.
Brand consultant Allen Adamson said the companies that don't speak up in the age of social media, are doomed to become irrelevant. That's the bet Nike is making with its new campaign.
Nike's decision to tap Colin Kaepernick as the new face of the 'Just Do It' campaign is inspiring some and offending others. Mashable's Marcus Gilmer joins Cheddar to discuss how the new deal came together.
When the NFL season kicks off Thursday, the league will have a new official pizza partner. Pizza Hut executives Marianna Radley and Artie Starrs announced new deals for fans and what it hopes to get from the partnership.
Nike shares were lower after the company announced it would feature Colin Kaepernick as part of its new ad campaign. #NikeBoycott trended on Twitter as users showed themselves destroying Nike apparel.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know.
Maryann Turcke, the COO of the NFL, is the highest ranking woman in professional sports leadership. She talks to Cheddar about gender inequality in the industry and what she's doing to reach a younger audience that's cutting the cord.
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After criticism from the French tennis federation that her much-loved "catsuit" was disrespectful to the sport, Serena Williams took the court at the U.S. Open in a tutu -- and blew open a conversation long-asked in offices everywhere: just what is "work appropriate attire"? Vanessa Friedman, fashion critic for the New York Times, said it's about time.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know.
