Dwight Howard didn’t drop a hot take. He dropped a question. And NBA Fans turned it into a full-on roast session.
“So what count more the ‘bubble’ ring or a nba cup ring [thinking emoji],” Howard asked on X, opening the door for opinions that came in fast and unfiltered.

So what count more the “bubble” ring or a nba cup ring 🤔
— Dwight Howard (@DwightHoward) December 17, 2025
One reply stole the show immediately. “Ring I just won on NBA 2k on the hardest dificulity..” @Mozzie30 joked, setting the tone for how seriously many NBA Fans are taking the NBA Cup idea.
Others were more direct. @MegaTJP didn’t hesitate. “Oooof Bubble. Ring is a ring. Ain’t no way I’m celebrating regular season wins in November-December with a trophy and confetti. Silliest thing I’ve ever heard of ngl.”
That comment echoed a common feeling among NBA Fans who still see the Cup as forced hype.
The bubble title, for all the jokes it still gets, came with a playoff run, pressure games, and a Finals stage. The NBA Cup, on the other hand, is still finding its place. To many NBA Fans, it feels like a dressed-up regular-season stretch rather than something earned over months.
This debate isn’t just about trophies. It’s about meaning. American sports culture is built around one final prize, and anything outside of that struggles to land. NBA Fans aren’t rejecting competition, but they want stakes that feel real.
Howard’s question worked because it exposed that gap. The replies weren’t split. They leaned heavily toward tradition, even if that tradition came inside a bubble.
And within hours, another post showed just how far the NBA Cup still has to go.
NBA Fans React To Quiet Scenes Outside MSG After Knicks’ NBA Cup Win
If the NBA Cup needed a moment to win over NBA Fans, the scenes outside Madison Square Garden didn’t help.
A post from @tripleMwassup claimed, “OUTSIDE OF MSG IS ABSOLUTELY GOING INSANE AFTER THE KNICKS WIN THE NBA CUP [fire emoji],” paired with a clip that showed the opposite. The street looked calm, quiet, and very much like a normal night in New York.

OUTSIDE OF MSG IS ABSOLUTELY GOING INSANE AFTER THE KNICKS WIN THE NBA CUP 🔥🔥🙌🏽🙌🏽 pic.twitter.com/R989anLLMX
— TRIPLE M 🇩🇴 (@tripleMwassup) December 17, 2025
NBA Fans noticed immediately.
“Is this suggesting that nobody cares about the made up whatever cup? [laughing emoji],” @PollSter_Mike1 replied, putting words to what the video already showed. @DivvyBet went even shorter. “No one cares about the made up in season tournament.”
This reaction ties directly back to Dwight Howard’s question. NBA Fans are consistent here. The Cup still feels artificial. In soccer, mid-season tournaments are normal and even demanded by fans worldwide. In the NBA, the idea is still foreign.
There’s also context that NBA Fans can’t ignore. The Knicks haven’t won a championship since 1973. It’s been so long that winning anything might feel unfamiliar. Celebrations usually come from decades of habit, and New York hasn’t had that muscle memory in a while.
The NBA Cup may grow over time. Right now, NBA Fans are telling the league the same thing in different ways. A trophy alone doesn’t create meaning. That part still has to be earned.

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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
