NBA Cup 2024: Latest Standings, Bracket Predictions After November 27 Group Play
November 27, 2024NBA Cup 2024: Latest Standings, Bracket Predictions After November 27 Group Play
Another team clinched a spot in the NBA Cup knockout round on Tuesday night.
The Houston Rockets secured the West Group A crown to join the Golden State Warriors as group winners out of the Western Conference.
Far more clarity will come from the other four groups after Friday's and Tuesday's group-stage games.
The biggest competition comes from West Group B, where the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder are still alive to advance.
Phoenix's win over the Lakers on Tuesday shifted the dynamic of the group and helped OKC's path to the final eight.
The three group winners in each conference and the best second-place team from each conference advance to the quarterfinals.
East Group A
1. Orlando (2-0; +37)
2. New York (2-0; +14)
3. Philadelphia (1-2; -9)
4. Brooklyn (1-2; -16)
5. Charlotte (0-2; -26)
No East Group A games took place on Tuesday.
The Orlando Magic and New York Knicks are expected to move to 3-0 on Friday with wins against the Brooklyn Nets and Charlotte Hornets.
Both teams need to run up the score on the Nets and Hornets in order to have the best point differential in the fight to be the best second-place team in the East.
One of those teams will be relegated to the second-place race after their December 3 meeting at Madison Square Garden.
Prediction: 1. New York, 2. Orlando, 3. Philadelphia, 4. Brooklyn, 5. Charlotte
East Group B
1. Milwaukee (3-0; +29)
2. Detroit (2-0; +6)
3. Miami (1-2; +8)
4. Toronto (0-2; -18)
5. Indiana (0-2; -25)
Milwaukee gained control of East Group B thanks to its road win in Miami without Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Bucks fended off a fourth-quarter comeback attempt from Jimmy Butler and Co. to move to 3-0 in group play.
Milwaukee hasn't clinched anything in the group yet because it still has to play the Detroit Pistons on December 3.
Detroit can join the Bucks at 3-0 with a Friday win over the Indiana Pacers.
The Toronto Raptors were eliminated from knockout-round contention with Milwaukee's win on Tuesday.
Prediction: 1. Milwaukee, 2. Detroit, 3. Miami, 4. Toronto, 5. Indiana
East Group C
1. Chicago (2-1; +15)
2. Atlanta (2-1; -1)
3. Boston (2-1; +14)
4. Cleveland (1-1; +15)
5. Washington (0-3; -43)
The Bulls moved into first place in East Group C with their emphatic win over the Wizards.
Chicago is one of three teams tied at 2-1, but it may not be there long since its final group-stage game comes against the Boston Celtics.
Boston is currently behind the Atlanta Hawks on the head-to-head tiebreaker. Atlanta upset Boston in the first group game for both sides.
The Hawks host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday afternoon, while the Celtics visit the Bulls on Friday night.
Cleveland still has a Tuesday game against Washington to play, so it will know exactly what it has to do to claim either first place, or the top second-place spot in the East.
Boston beat Cleveland, so it will win the group based on that result if it gets past the Bulls.
Prediction: 1. Boston, 2. Cleveland, 3. Atlanta, 4. Chicago, 5. Washington
West Group A
1. Houston (3-0; +55)
2. Los Angeles Clippers (1-1; -5)
3. Portland (1-1; -14)
4. Minnesota (1-2; -16)
5. Sacramento (0-2; -20)
The Rockets clinched a spot in the knockout round with their overtime road win against the Wolves.
Houston took down the Los Angeles Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers and Wolves to move clear of everyone in West Group A.
The Rockets have one group-stage game left against the Sacramento Kings that will affect their seeding in the knockout round.
All of the other teams will attempt to get back into the fight to be the top second-place team in the West, but it may be difficult to compete with the Lakers and Mavericks.
The Clippers visit the Wolves and the Kings hit the road to face the Blazers in Friday's West Group A games.
Prediction: 1. Houston, 2. LA Clippers, 3. Sacramento, 4. Portland, 5. Minnesota
West Group B
1. Phoenix (2-1; +19)
2. Los Angeles Lakers (2-1; -16)
3. San Antonio (2-1; +14)
4. Oklahoma City (1-1; +10)
5. Utah (0-3; -27)
The Suns shook up the complexion of West Group B with their win over the Lakers.
Phoenix took control of the group thanks to the head-to-head result. It can clinch a spot in the knockout round with a win over the Spurs on Tuesday.
The 27-point loss put the Lakers at a huge disadvantage in comparison to the Mavs in the race for the best second-place team in the West.
The Lakers need to blow out the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday to have any chance of catching the Mavs.
However, the Thunder have even more motivation in hand to beat the Lakers on Friday since they can win the group.
OKC already beat Phoenix and it has a +10 point differential that can be added to from wins over the Lakers and Jazz.
Phoenix will be stuck fighting for the top second-place spot if OKC wins out.
Prediction: 1. OKC, 2. Phoenix, 3. LA Lakers, 4. San Antonio, 5. Utah
West Group C
1. Golden State (3-0; +12)
2. Dallas (2-1; +41)
3. New Orleans (1-2; -38)
4. Denver (1-2; +2)
5. Memphis (0-2; -17)
All eyes in the West will be on Dallas' Tuesday clash with Memphis.
The Mavericks probably have to improve on their +41 point differential to ensure they are safe to go through as the top second-place team in the West.
Golden State already clinched the West Group C crown at 3-0, so Dallas' only avenue to the knockout round is through a blowout win over Memphis and a superior point differential.
The Warriors finish up group play against Denver on Tuesday. Already eliminated New Orleans visits Memphis on Friday to conclude its group play.
Prediction: 1. Golden State, 2. Dallas, 3. New Orleans, 4. Denver, 5. Memphis