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Donald Duck Steals Show as Knicks Go Disney

The New York Knicks' Christmas clash with the San Antonio Spurs got the Disney treatment on Wednesday.

Geoff Magliocchetti

Dec 26, 2015; Anaheim, CA, USA; Donald Duck at press conference prior to the 102nd Rose Bowl at the Disney California Adventure Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Dec 26, 2015; Anaheim, CA, USA; Donald Duck at press conference prior to the 102nd Rose Bowl at the Disney California Adventure Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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The New York Knicks' latest win had them literally going to Disney World.

The Knicks were the subject of the latest alternate broadcast commissioned by ESPN for its younger or more casual viewers, as Wednesday's Christmas clash with the San Antonio Spurs was rendered in animated form in a special known as "Dunk the Halls," featuring characters from the Mickey Mouse franchise owned by the Worldwide Leader's parent company, The Walt Disney Company.

The special, available on ESPN2 and Disney+ while the traditional broadcast aired on ABC and ESPN, featured Mickey and friends Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, and more starring in humorous holiday vignettes while an animated version of the Knicks-Spurs game played out on a digital rendering of Main Street USA at the entrance of Walt Disney World in Florida. Knicks radio analyst Monica McNutt, in fact, was on the call alongside Daisy Duck, who landed an exclusive with NBA commissioner Adam Silver prior to tip-off.

Such characters also stepped in for the animated players during certain points of the game, creating unique highlights on the NBA's special holiday.

Wednesday's game, of course, was particularly notable for Mikal Bridges' metropolitan breakout, as the first-year New Yorker scored 41 points in the Knicks' 117-114 triumph. Those who watched "Dunk the Halls," however, instead saw Donald Duck torch the animated Spurs, as the cantankerous sailor stepped in for the former Wildcat at several points.

With the animated characters synched to the movement and motion of reality, Donald perhaps became an idol among Knick fans when he "imitated" Bridges' popular three-point celebration after sinking a crucial triple toward the end of the third quarter.

It's assumed one hardly would need motivation to rep the Knicks on Christmas, but the pixelated New Yorkers had their share and then some, as Mickey himself motivated Wednesday's hosts in reality by channeling his inner Kevin Garnett. The famed rodent, however, indirectly betrayed the Knicks, as he played the role of Spurs guard Chris Paul on "Dunk the Halls."

What Karl-Anthony Towns has brought to the Knicks this season has been legitimate and serious but the former Minnesota Timbewolf was part of an extremely Goofy movie on Wednesday, as his virtual self briefly became the comical dog at several point ... much to the embarassment of Victor Wembanyama's animated counterpart.

The Walt Disney Company has routinely showcased its properties to sports fans via alternate broadcasts on ESPN. A recent Monday Night Football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys ventured to Springfield, as animated equivalents did battle in view of "The Simpsons." ESPN previously aired an NBA broadcast that featured the participation of superheroes from Marvel Comics entries while MLB has ventured to a galaxy far, far away on Star Wars Day.

Ironically enough, the Knicks do venture to the Magic Kingdom for their next game, as they'll open a three-game road trip to close the year in Orlando on Friday (7 p.m. ET, MSG).

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Geoff Magliocchetti
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI

Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks

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