The Cleveland Cavaliers, the team with the best record in the Eastern Conference, will not have a chance to win the NBA Cup. They have been eliminated from contention. The defending champion Boston Celtics might not advance to the quarterfinals either, and the Oklahoma City Thunder, atop the Western Conference, may be left out, too.
However, the 11-11 Atlanta Hawks advanced to the quarterfinals, and the 11-9 San Antonio Spurs, 9-13 Detroit Pistons and 10-9 Milwaukee Bucks are in position to advance, too. Even the 8-13 Portland Trail Blazers have a chance to advance as the wild card from the West, though the Blazers need help from other teams.
That is in part what the NBA wanted with the in-season tournament: to create another prize especially one that might not necessarily be won by the best team in the league – as was the case last season when the Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA Cup.
Here’s what to know about the final day of group play Tuesday in the NBA Cup:
East Group A
The winner of New York-Orlando, both 3-0 in group play, wins the group and advances to the quarterfinals, and the Magic can also advance as the wild card on point differential based on results from other East games. The Magic have an East-best plus-60 point differential, so they’re in good position to advance with a loss. The Knicks are eliminated with a loss because even at 3-1, they are assured to lose a tiebreaker against Boston.
East Group B
The winner of Milwaukee-Detroit, also both 3-0 in group play, finishes first in the group and advances, and the loser also has a chance to advance as a wild card on point differential, depending on the outcome of Magic-Knicks and the margin of victory if the Knicks win. The Bucks are plus-29, and the Pistons are plus-28 in point differential.
East Group C
The Atlanta Hawks (3-1 in NBA Cup play) clinched the group via head-to-head tiebreaker against Boston, which also finished 3-1. The Celtics, plus-23 in point differential, have a chance to qualify for the quarterfinals as a wild card. Their best chance: The Magic beat the Knicks and the margin in the Bucks-Pistons game is at least six points in a Bucks victory and at least seven points in a Piston victory.
West Group A
The Houston Rockets have clinched the group and can finish 4-0 with a victory against the Sacramento Kings. Portland has an outside chance, but it’s going to take multiple favorable outcomes for the Blazers to advance as a wild card. First, they need to beat the Los Angeles Clippers and they need to do so by a significant margin because they are minus-5 in point differential. If the Clippers win, they also have a remote chance to advance.
West Group B
This is the most interesting group to watch Tuesday: San Antonio, Oklahoma City and Phoenix, all 2-1, have a shot to win the group. If the Spurs beat the Suns, the Spurs (plus-14 in point differential) win the group. If the Thunder beat Utah, and the Spurs lose to the Suns, the Thunder (plus-18 in point differential) win the group. The Suns (plus-19 in point differential) can with the group with a victory against the Spurs and a Thunder loss. If one of those teams finishes 3-1 but doesn’t win the group, it still has a chance to qualify for the quarterfinals as a wild card. But it will need to win big to overcome Dallas in point differential if the Mavericks beat the Memphis Grizzlies.
West Group C
Golden State has won the group and can finish 4-0 with a victory at Denver. Dallas (2-1) is in the driver’s seat for the wild card with its plus-41 point differential. The Mavericks finish group play against Memphis at home, and they will be closely watching the results of the West Group B games with an eye on the margin of their game against the Grizzlies. A win puts the Mavs in great position to advance, and a loss puts them in a tougher spot. The Nuggets and Grizzlies can also advance with victories and with tiebreakers that work in their favor.
Tuesday’s NBA Cup games, with times, TV info
Milwaukee at Detroit, 7 p.m. ET, League Pass
Washington at Cleveland, 7 p.m. ET, League Pass
Philadelphia at Charlotte, 7 p.m. ET, League Pass
Indiana at Toronto, 7:30 p.m. ET, League Pass
Orlando at New York, 7:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Utah at Oklahoma City, 8 p.m. ET, League Pass
Memphis at Dallas, 8:30 p.m. ET, League Pass
San Antonio at Phoenix, 9 p.m. ET, League Pass
Houston at Sacramento, 10 p.m. ET, League Pass
Golden State at Denver, 10 p.m. ET, TNT
Portland at Los Angeles Clippers, 10:30 p.m., League Pass
What are the NBA Cup standings?
Here are the NBA Cup standings headed into Tuesday’s games:
When are the NBA Cup knockout round games?
Here is the knockout round schedule:
Quarterfinals: Dec. 10 and Dec. 11 in home markets
Semifinals: Dec. 14, 4:30 p.m. ET, TNT and 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC in Las Vegas
Final: Dec. 17, 8:30 p.m., ABC in Las Vegas
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