LeBron James tries to drop in a layup, but Bradley Beal is right there for the rejection. (0:19)
Open Extended Reactions
Which teams are close to advancing to the NBA Cup quarterfinals? Tuesday’s slate of games gave clarity to a few teams on their odds of making the knockout round.
The Houston Rockets (3-0) will move on as West Group A winners after defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves in an 117-110 overtime thriller. The Rockets are the second team to book their spot for the quarterfinals after the Golden State Warriors won West Group C last week.
In West Group B, the Phoenix Suns dominated the Los Angeles Lakers 127-100 in a blowout win that could have potential implications since point differential in NBA Cup games serves as the first tiebreaker (after head-to-head record in group play). In the group’s other game, the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Utah Jazz to set up a pivotal clash with the Suns next week.
Earlier Tuesday, the Milwaukee Bucks held off the Miami Heat 106-103 to remain undefeated in East Group B. Meanwhile, the Washington Wizards were officially eliminated from the tournament after losing to the Chicago Bulls 127-108 in an East Group C game.
Here’s what’s at stake in each of the six groups, as well as where each of them stand overall:
East Group A
There were no games Tuesday but there are two clear leaders, with the Orlando Magic and New York Knicks tied atop the group at 2-0.
The group picks back up Friday when Orlando visits the Brooklyn Nets and New York visits the Charlotte Hornets. The group’s other team, the Philadelphia 76ers, have slim hopes of advancing.
The group winner will be decided next week, when Orlando visits New York, with the loser needing a wild-card spot.
East Group B
With the Milwaukee Bucks’ win over the Miami Heat on Tuesday, the group winner will be decided when the Bucks visit the Detroit Pistons on Dec. 3.
The Toronto Raptors are officially eliminated and the Indiana Pacers have a slim shot at advancing.
East Group C
The Chicago Bulls eliminated the Washington Wizards on Tuesday, but there won’t be much clarity until Friday’s games, when the Boston Celtics are in Chicago and the Atlanta Hawks host the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Chicago’s win on Tuesday means the Bulls, Cavs and Hawks could potentially win the group, depending on how those two Friday games shake out.
West Group A
The Houston Rockets are through as group winners after the overtime win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The LA Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers — both of which were off Tuesday night — are still in the mix, while the Sacramento Kings are probably out.
West Group B
The Los Angeles Lakers put themselves in a precarious position after losing big against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. The Lakers are now 2-1 in the group, with one game left against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday.
The San Antonio Spurs beat the Utah Jazz (who are now eliminated), which gives them a chance to advance if they can follow it up with another win against Phoenix next week.
West Group C
Golden State already has clinched Group C, and the New Orleans Pelicans have been eliminated. With a plus-41 point differential, the Dallas Mavericks have a strong chance of advancing as the West wild card if they can win their final group game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Dec. 3. The Denver Nuggets, who host the Warriors on Dec. 3, have a slim chance of advancing.
Jump to a section:
Takeaways | Schedule | FAQ
TAKEAWAYS FROM TUESDAY’S GAMES
Suns wallop Lakers to create wide-open race
With Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant back in the lineup, the Phoenix Suns looked like championship contenders in a 127-100 blowout of the reeling Los Angeles Lakers, outscoring the Lakers 36-18 in the third quarter and never looking back. Phoenix’s Big Three of Beal, Durant and Devin Booker combined for 72 points on 29-of-49 shooting.
The Suns moved into a three-way tie with the Lakers — who suffered their first loss in two seasons of NBA Cup play after winning the inaugural tournament — and San Antonio Spurs (winners over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday) atop Group B. With the Oklahoma City Thunder also in the mix, this is the most wide-open group with four of the five teams having one loss. — Kevin Pelton
Rockets’ win over Wolves helps out Mavs
The Houston Rockets clinched the West Group A title by withstanding a Minnesota Timberwolves’ rally and rolling in overtime to pull out a 117-111 road win.
Houston center Alperen Sengun’s fingerprints were all over the victory. He recorded his seventh career triple-double — and third this season — with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists.
He also had quite a memorable celebration after hitting a spinning jump hook over four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert with 54 seconds left. Sengun strutted toward midcourt and threw down an emphatic