There is a longstanding tradition in the NBA that when a game is decided and there is only one possession left, the game is no longer in contention. What always mattered was winning or losing. However, in the group stage of the NBA Cup, the new competition that has just started, the difference in points has become crucial. There were already decided games that were played until the last moment, which caused some anger. But it was precisely the difference in points that decided a large part of the qualifying games for the new tournament. This Tuesday, on a day full of emotions, with racing computers and simultaneous scores on the screens, the Celtics and the Bucks, among others, qualified for the quarterfinals.
Boston’s team is among those that qualified on points differential, as is the New York Knicks, who were ranked as the best runner-up. The Milwaukee Bucks, on the other hand, are going into the direct playoffs with full victories, as are the Indiana Pacers, who had already qualified last week. These four teams complete the East spots. In the West, where the Lakers are already classified, the Suns are also the best second best based on the difference between points scored and points received. The Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans are also at a crossroads.
The Celtics entered the field this Tuesday with the need to win by at least 22 points over the Bulls, which is what the Orlando Magic got from them after completing their games. And the Boston team pushed the machine from the start in their search for victory at their home, the TD Garden. They posted a partial score of 31-20 in the first quarter; another 38-30 in the second and another 28-18 in the third. Only in the last part of the game did they relax and finished the game with a score of 124-97, which allowed them to finish first in the group by breaking the triple tie of three wins and one loss with the Magic and the Brooklyn Nets broke through. The Celtics made qualifying difficult with their loss to Orlando last Friday, but in the end they managed to salvage the furniture.
Jaylen Brown led his team to victory with 30 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists, well complemented by Jayson Tatum, who contributed 21 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Al Horford has also taken advantage of his starting position in the absence of Kristap Porzingis due to injury. The Dominican scored 16 points in a series of 6 baskets and 8 field goals, along with 9 rebounds and 6 assists. Jrue Holiday and Derrick White each contributed 14 points.
The Milwaukee Bucks traveled to Miami with three group stage wins and a 39-point lead. However, a loss to the Heat left them dependent on what the New York Knicks did. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s team began to dominate in the first quarter, but Miami responded in the second quarter and the game was not decided until the final quarter. The Anteto-Lillard connection has worked wonders. The Greek center had 33 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists, while the American point guard scored 32 points, with 4 rebounds and 9 assists.
With the loss of Jimmy Butler, the undisputed leader of the team, Miami’s team has turned to Bam Adebayo, who showed a great game with 31 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists, but it was not enough to stop the team’s team. Milwaukee, which won at home (124-131).
In the same group, the New York Knicks were in a scoring race to overtake the Bucks barring a three-way tie, or at least be the top runners-up in the three groups in the East. This is what they have achieved. With their 115-91 win against the Charlotte Hornets, they increase their record to three wins and one loss with a record of 42 points. The Cleveland Cavaliers are tied at 3-1, but with a point difference of 29.
Since the Knicks are the best runner-up of the three groups in the East, they have to play against the best, in this case the Milwaukee Bucks, who were already in their group. Curiously, after their outright win, the Los Angeles Lakers will also face the Phoenix Suns in the West after sharing a group stage tie. The other game in the East will be between the Celtics and Pacers on Indiana Court, with a better point differential.
Warriors fall
In addition to the Lakers and the Phoenix Suns, the New Orleans Pelicans have also qualified in the Western Conference and fourth place is at stake. The Houston Rockets missed the chance to qualify by failing this Tuesday in the game against Luka Doncic’s Dallas Mavericks (119-115). The Slovenian showed a sensational performance with 41 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists. With the Rockets’ defeat, the Pelicans, who had already completed their participation with three wins and one defeat, are considered the champions of Group B in the West.
In Group C, the Sacramento Kings persistently defended their lead against the Golden State Warriors. It was enough for them to lose by 11 points or less, but in the first half of the game the San Francisco team managed to escape with more than 20 points and the Kings took a 55-72 lead into halftime. However, the Warriors lost their advantage and were eliminated. The end of the game showed that the NBA Cup is important. Even when they won the game, there was a feeling of defeat among the Warriors because the margin was not enough to qualify. And instead of trying to secure the win, they took risks to increase the lead until they ended up losing (124-123).
With the classification of the Celtics and the Bucks, the only ones among the big favorites excluded from the quarterfinals are the Denver Nuggets, who were eliminated last Friday due to Jamal Murray’s injury. The NBA Cup tournament has surprises in store with its four-day group phase and single-game playoffs.
The quarterfinals will be played on December 4th and 5th, and the crossovers have already been determined. Then there is the semi-final on the 7th and the final on the 9th in Las Vegas.
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