New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks Advance to NBA Cup Knockout Stage

The Milwaukee Bucks and the New York Knicks secured their places in the NBA Cup knockout stage by achieving undefeated records in their respective groups, while the reigning NBA champions, the Boston Celtics, were eliminated. The Knicks achieved a decisive 121-106 victory over the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden, concluding East Group A without a loss and guaranteeing home-court advantage for the quarter-finals. Karl-Anthony Towns registered 23 points and 15 rebounds, concurrently, Josh Hart delivered a triple-double consisting of 11 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. Despite their loss, the Magic secured the East wild card spot based on a superior points differential compared to the Celtics, who likewise concluded the group stage with a 3-1 record. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard were standout performers for the Bucks in their 128-107 victory against the Detroit Pistons, which led to them clinching East Group B without a defeat. Antetokounmpo, a two-time NBA MVP in 2019 and 2020, contributed 28 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists, while Lillard added 27 points. The Bucks made 23 three-pointers during what was their seventh consecutive win, and they are scheduled to host the Orlando Magic in the quarter-finals on Tuesday. In other results, Luka Doncic’s 37-point effort propelled the Dallas Mavericks to rally from a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit, defeating the Memphis Grizzlies 121-116 and claiming the West wild card position. The Mavericks are set to visit the Oklahoma City Thunder in the subsequent round, following the Thunder’s dominant 133-106 victory over the Utah Jazz, which secured them West Group B ahead of the Phoenix Suns. The Knicks are scheduled to host the Atlanta Hawks, the winners of East Group C over the Celtics, on Wednesday. The Houston Rockets and the Golden State Warriors will compete in the final quarter-final match, having topped their respective groups despite experiencing defeats in their last games against the Sacramento Kings and the Denver Nuggets, respectively. The teams victorious in the quarter-finals will progress to the semi-finals, which are slated for 14 December in Las Vegas, with the championship final taking place three days afterward in the same city. Regarding other matchups on Tuesday, the LA Clippers secured a 127-105 win over the Portland Trail Blazers, the Phoenix Suns overcame the San Antonio Spurs 104-93, and the Cleveland Cavaliers dominated the Washington Wizards with a 118-87 score. The Philadelphia 76ers achieved an away victory against the Charlotte Hornets (110-104), concurrently, the Toronto Raptors defeated the Indiana Pacers 122-111.