Reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics eliminated from NBA Cup, New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks advance

The New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks secured their spots in the NBA Cup knockout stages on Tuesday, with both teams finishing the group stage unbeaten. Meanwhile, the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics were unexpectedly eliminated.

The Knicks triumphed over the Orlando Magic with a dominant 121-106 win at Madison Square Garden. Karl-Anthony Towns led the way for the Knicks, contributing 23 points and 15 rebounds, while Josh Hart added a triple-double with 11 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. Despite the loss, the Magic still advanced to the quarterfinals after earning the Eastern Conference wildcard, granted to the second-place team with the best record in the group stage. The Celtics, with a worse point differential, were edged out.

The Knicks’ perfect 4-0 record earned them home-court advantage in the quarterfinals, where they will face the Atlanta Hawks, who finished their group stage with a 3-1 record. The matchup is scheduled for December 11. Meanwhile, Orlando, having secured their wildcard spot, will travel to take on the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Bucks clinched their own 4-0 group-stage record with a 128-107 victory over the Detroit Pistons. Giannis Antetokounmpo had a stellar performance, recording 28 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists, while Damian Lillard chipped in with 27 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists. “They put a tournament in front of us, and we want to win it,” said Bucks head coach Doc Rivers. “We said that early on, and we’re 4-0. But we still have a lot of work to do.”

Milwaukee has turned its season around after a slow start, winning 9 of its last 10 games and climbing to fifth in the Eastern Conference standings. The Bucks will now face Orlando in the quarterfinals.

In the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks also advanced. The Thunder defeated the Utah Jazz 133-106, with Jalen Williams contributing 28 points and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander adding 26 points. The Mavericks, led by Luka Doncic’s 37 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists, edged out the Memphis Grizzlies 121-116, securing the West wildcard spot. Doncic’s performance helped propel the Mavericks past Ja Morant and the Grizzlies, ensuring Dallas’ place in the quarterfinals.

The quarterfinal matchups in the West will see the Thunder host the Mavericks, while the Golden State Warriors travel to face the Houston Rockets.

A major storyline in this year’s NBA Cup is the elimination of the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, who were knocked out in the group stage. The NBA Cup is designed to generate excitement during the early portion of the season, drawing in casual fans who may not be as engaged until later in the year. The tournament, in its second season, has delivered plenty of drama with five of the eight quarterfinal spots undecided until Tuesday’s games.

The NBA Cup is structured as a single-elimination knockout tournament. Winners of the quarterfinals will head to Las Vegas for the semifinals on December 14, with the final scheduled for December 17.

Despite the excitement, not all players are fans of the tournament’s structure. Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander called the competition “all too confusing,” adding, “I just win and then we see where we end up.”

NBA Cup Quarterfinals Schedule:

• Tuesday, December 10:
  • Orlando Magic @ Milwaukee Bucks, 7 p.m. ET
  • Dallas Mavericks @ Oklahoma City Thunder, 9:30 p.m. ET
• Wednesday, December 11:
  • Atlanta Hawks @ New York Knicks, 7 p.m. ET
  • Golden State Warriors @ Houston Rockets, 9:30 p.m. ET

Tuesday’s Scores:

• Milwaukee Bucks 128-107 Detroit Pistons
• Washington Wizards 87-118 Cleveland Cavaliers
• Philadelphia 76ers 110-104 Charlotte Hornets
• Indiana Pacers 111-122 Toronto Raptors
• Orlando Magic 106-121 New York Knicks
• Utah Jazz 106-133 Oklahoma City Thunder
• Memphis Grizzlies 116-121 Dallas Mavericks
• San Antonio Spurs 93-104 Phoenix Suns
• Houston Rockets 111-120 Sacramento Kings
• Golden State Warriors 115-119 Denver Nuggets
• Portland Trail Blazers 105-127 Los Angeles Clippers

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