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NBA Cup Quarterfinals Picture: Black Friday Showdown
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After taking Thanksgiving off, Black Friday will feature 11 games, all of them part of teh NBA Cup. Only three teams have clinched spots in the quarterfinals, with five more spots left to claim in the games that will be held December 9 and 10. The winner of those games will advance to the semifinals in Las Vegas on December 13, with the championship on December 16.
Here is what is left to determine on the final night of group play.A reminder: Head-to-head results are the tiebreaker within a group, while point differential is the first tiebreaker when considering each conference’s wild card – the best non-group winner – after record.
Eastern Conference
In Group A, the Toronto Raptors (4-0, +55) have clinched the group. The Raptors will be the top seed if the Orlando Magic (2-2,-23) win against the Washington Wizards. If the Wizards (1-3, -39) win, they will advance as the second team from the group. The Magic hold the tiebreaker over the Wizards due to a head-to-head win.
Group B is still wide open. The milwaukee Bucks (3-1, +44) and New York Knicks (3-1, +34) are both vying for the top spot. The Bucks will win the group with a victory over the Miami Heat. The Knicks will win the group if they defeat the Charlotte Hornets and the Bucks lose to the Heat. If both the Bucks and Knicks win, the Bucks will win the group due to the point differential tiebreaker. The Heat (2-2, -14) can still advance with a win against the Bucks, but would need the Hornets (1-3, -44) to lose to the Knicks.
Group C is also undecided. The Boston Celtics (3-1, +61) have clinched a quarterfinals spot, but the group winner is still up for grabs. The Celtics will win the group with a win against the Orlando Magic.The Indiana Pacers (2-2, +18) can win the group if they defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Celtics lose to the Magic. The Cavaliers (2-2, +10) can also win the group with a win over the Pacers and a Celtics loss. The Philadelphia 76ers (1-3, -33) are eliminated from contention.
Western Conference
In Group A, the Los Angeles Lakers (4-0, +68) have secured a quarterfinals berth. The Phoenix Suns (2-2, -24) and Memphis Grizzlies (2-2, -28) will battle for the second spot. The Suns hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Grizzlies,meaning a win against the Utah Jazz will guarantee their advancement. The Grizzlies must defeat the Portland Trail Blazers and hope the Suns lose to the Jazz to advance.
Group B is down to the wire. The Sacramento Kings (3-1, +35) and Golden State Warriors (3-1, +28) are tied for the lead. the Kings will win the group with a victory over the minnesota Timberwolves. The Warriors will win the group if they defeat the Detroit Pistons and the kings lose to the Timberwolves. The Timberwolves (2-2, -10) can still advance with a win against the Kings, but would need the Pistons (1-3, -44) to lose to the Warriors.
Group C sees the New Orleans Pelicans (3-1, +41) already locked in. The Houston Rockets (2-2,+12) and Denver Nuggets (2-2,+8) will fight for the second spot.The Rockets will advance with a win against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Nuggets need to defeat the Dallas Mavericks and hope the Clippers beat the Rockets to secure their spot.
Key Takeaways
- only three teams have clinched NBA Cup quarterfinal spots: Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers.
- Head-to-head results are the primary tiebreaker within a group.
- Point differential is the first tiebreaker for the wild card spot (best non-group winner).
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