After taking Thanksgiving off, the NBA returns with a full-day Black Friday feast. Two-thirds of the league can be in motion because the resumes with 10 video games, starting with Knicks-Hornets at 12 p.m. ET and stretching during a tasty Thunder-Lakers matchup within the 10 p.m. ET nightcap.
This is a have a look at what’s at stake in , in addition to the lay of the land in every of the six teams because the tourney presses on:
There are two extra nights of Group Play, which concludes on Tuesday, Dec. 3, with the highest eight groups within the East and West — the winners of Teams A, B and C, plus two “wild cards” (the group from every convention with the most effective file in group-play video games that completed second in its group) — advancing to the single-elimination knockout rounds.
Due to the small variety of video games, tiebreakers will probably come into play (even for the wild card), with the advancing group being determined by:
(1) head-to-head file in group play;
(2) non-overtime level differential in group play;
(3) complete non-overtime factors in group play;
(4) 2023-24 regular-season file;
… and, lastly, if all of that fails to interrupt the tie:
(5) a random drawing.
The 4 quarterfinal video games can be performed Tuesday, Dec. 10, and Wednesday, Dec. 11.
The 4 winners will advance to Las Vegas, the place the semifinals can be held on Saturday, Dec. 14. The championship sport for the NBA Cup will happen on Tuesday, Dec. 17, at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC. It will likely be the one sport in the complete match that gained’t additionally depend towards the collaborating groups’ regular-season data or their gamers’ statistics.
The groups that don’t make it to Las Vegas gained’t simply be chilling at dwelling, although. Throughout the knockout rounds, on the times the place no NBA Cup video games are scheduled — Dec. 12, 13, 15 and 16 — the 22 groups who didn’t qualify for the knockouts will every play two regular-season video games. The 4 groups that lose within the quarterfinals will every play one regular-season sport in opposition to each other, too.
This is the place issues stand in group play:
We’re now as much as 4 groups eradicated.
The Pelicans had been first out, after dropping to the they path in West Group C by a margin that provides them the West’s worst level differential. The Wizards’ Tuesday loss to the Bulls dropped them to 0-3, and thus out of rivalry, in East Group C. Ditto for the Jazz, whose Tuesday loss to Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs ousted them from West Group B.
And regardless of not even enjoying on Tuesday, the Raptors discovered themselves by advantage of the Bucks’ win over the Warmth, which ensured that Toronto couldn’t end increased than third place in East Group B. Knocked out on an evening off. Robust break, Raps.
The Warriors had been the primary group to , successful West Group C.
The Rockets joined them on Tuesday, knocking off the Timberwolves in additional time behind large video games from Alperen Şengün and Fred VanVleet to enhance to 3-0 with a West-leading +49 level differential, and win West Group A.
The Bucks improved to 3-0 by outlasting the Warmth in Miami, with out famous person ahead Giannis Antetokounmpo. They haven’t clinched East Group B; the Pistons are 2-0, that means the winner of the head-to-head assembly between Milwaukee and Detroit on Dec. 3 will wind up atop the group. Even when Cade Cunningham and Co. win out, although, the Bucks — at the moment with a +29 level differential, second-best within the East behind the Group A-leading Magic — look to be in sturdy place for a wild-card berth.
Additionally undefeated to date: The Knicks, at 2-0 in East Group A, with a head-to-head sport in opposition to the Magic on faucet at Madison Sq. Backyard to wrap up group play on Dec. 3.
With simply 4 groups eradicated and two groups superior, meaning there are 24 groups nonetheless technically alive for a knockout-round spot.
The 4 aforementioned undefeateds — Magic, Knicks, Bucks, Pistons — are in the most effective form. The Mavericks didn’t win West Group C, however at 2-1 with a +41 level differential, they’re nonetheless very a lot alive for the wild card.
Every convention’s Group B options three 2-1 groups — the Bulls, Hawks and Celtics within the East; the Suns, Lakers and Spurs within the West — plus one 1-1 group that ranks among the many NBA’s greatest to date this season (the Cavaliers and Thunder, respectively).
The Clippers and Path Blazers each sit at 1-1, and are nonetheless theoretically alive for a wild-card spot. Each have unfavorable level differentials, although, which provides them a really powerful street amid so many different one-loss groups. For both to have any likelihood of becoming a member of Houston in popping out of West Group A, they’ll probably must win their last two video games, and accomplish that by snug margins … which may make their head-to-head matchup on the ultimate day of group play significantly spicy.
The groups at the moment at 1-2 or 0-2 — the 76ers, Nets, Hornets, Warmth, Pacers, Timberwolves, Kings, Nuggets and Grizzlies? Nicely, they’re going to wish numerous assist.
1. Orlando Magic (2-0)
Remaining schedule: at Nets, at Knicks
Key tiebreaker: +37 level differential (23 factors forward of New York)
2. New York Knicks (2-0)
3. Philadelphia 76ers (1-2)
4. Brooklyn Nets (1-2)
5. Charlotte Hornets (0-2)
1. Milwaukee Bucks (3-0)
2. Detroit Pistons (2-0)
Remaining schedule: at Pacers, vs. Bucks
Maintain head-to-head tiebreaker over Warmth
3. Miami Warmth (1-2)
4. Toronto Raptors (0-2)
5. Indiana Pacers (0-2)
1. Chicago Bulls (2-1)
Remaining schedule: vs. Celtics
Maintain head-to-head tiebreaker over Hawks
+15 level differential (one level forward of Boston)
Win Group C with win AND Cavaliers loss to Hawks
2. Atlanta Hawks (2-1)
Remaining schedule: vs. Cavaliers
-1 level differential, however maintain head-to-head tiebreaker over Celtics
Win Group C with win AND Bulls loss to Celtics
3. Boston Celtics (2-1)
Remaining schedule: at Bulls
Maintain head-to-head tiebreaker over Cavaliers
Win Group C with win AND Hawks loss to Cavaliers
4. Cleveland Cavaliers (1-1)
Remaining schedule: at Hawks, vs. Wizards
Maintain head-to-head tiebreaker over Bulls
Win Group C with wins over Hawks and Wizards AND Celtics loss to Hawks
5. Washington Wizards (0-3)
1. Houston Rockets (3-0)
2. Portland Path Blazers (1-1)
3. LA Clippers (1-1)
4. Minnesota Timberwolves (1-2)
5. Sacramento Kings (0-2)
1. Phoenix Suns (2-1)
Remaining schedule: vs. Spurs
Maintain head-to-head tiebreaker over Lakers
+19 level differential
Win Group B with win AND Thunder loss
2. Los Angeles Lakers (2-1)
Remaining schedule: vs. Thunder
-16 level differential, however maintain head-to-head tiebreaker over Spurs
Win Group B with win AND Suns loss
3. San Antonio Spurs (2-1)
Remaining schedule: at Suns
Maintain head-to-head tiebreaker over Thunder
+14 level differential
Win Group B with win AND Lakers loss
4. Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder (1-1)
Remaining schedule: at Lakers, vs. Jazz
Maintain head-to-head tiebreaker over Suns
Win Group B with wins over Lakers and Jazz AND Spurs loss
5. Utah Jazz (0-3)
1. Golden State Warriors (3-0)
2. Dallas Mavericks (2-1)
3. New Orleans Pelicans (1-2)
4. Denver Nuggets (1-2)
5. Memphis Grizzlies (0-2)
Knicks at Hornets, midday (NBA TV)
Cavaliers at Hawks, 2:30 p.m. (NBA TV)
Pelicans at Grizzlies, 5 p.m. (NBA TV)
Magic at Nets, 7:30 p.m.
Clippers at Timberwolves, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Pistons at Pacers, 8 p.m.
Raptors at Warmth, 8 p.m.
Celtics at Bulls, 8 p.m.
Thunder at Lakers, 10 p.m. (ESPN)
Kings at Path Blazers, 10 p.m.
