By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
With five tickets to the Quarterfinals available on the last day of pool play in the 2025 Emirates NBA Cup, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic led the Milwaukee Bucks and Dallas Mavericks to the next round.
Behind a late rally, the Mavs overpowered the Memphis Grizzlies, 121-116, in American Airlines Center and clinched the wild card of the Western Conference on Tuesday.
“I like this Cup. I used to play it in Spain. So, it was really fun out there,” mentioned the Slovenian sensation after scoring a game-high 37 points, including eight in the fourth quarter.
Doncic ended up with 11/22 field goals, including five three-pointers. He added 12 rebounds, four steals, four assists, and one block over 40 minutes.
For the Grizzlies, falling shy in the hunt for the wild card, Spanish Santi Aldama went for 15 points with 7/8 from the field alongside eight rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block.
“Money”
Dealing with an illness and right patella tendinopathy, the Freak piled up 28 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and one block, fueling a win, 128-107, for the Bucks against the Detroit Pistons in Little Ceasars Arena to clinch the top seed of Group B of the Eastern Conference.
Giannis finished with 10/11 from the field after making his first ten attempts. “I made my first ten shots? Damn. Wow,” he reacted, “Money. No, I’m joking.”
“I’ve realized that for me to be effective and still help my team win games, I have to switch my game a little bit,” continued the Greek international, “I know I’m effective in the paint and I make plays for myself or my teammates, but you take a lot of beating. Now I like my body, and how I am feeling. We played back-to-back and I feel great. I feel like I haven’t been touched which is incredible.”
Knicks, Magic, and Thunder
Besides the Mavericks and the Bucks, the New York Knicks and Orlando Magic advanced to the Quarterfinals of the NBA Cup following a direct collision in the Madison Square Garden. The Knicks prevailed, 121-106, and won Group A of the Eastern Conference. The Magic instead earned the wild card of the East.
On the winning end, British O.G. Anunoby put in 18 points with 7/10 field goals. For the visitors, German Franz Wagner combined a game-high 30 points with six assists, three steals, and three rebounds. His brother Moritz Wagner posted a 20-point, 12-rebound double-double. Fellow German import, Tristan da Silva replaced Georgian Goga Bitadze (right ankle sprain) in the starting lineup and chipped in eight points.
Topping Group B of the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder clinched a berth in the Quarterfinals as well. Blowing out the previously eliminated Utah Jazz, 133-106, in Paycom Center did the trick.
Emirates NBA Cup final standings
East: Group A
1. New York Knicks 4-0
2. Orlando Magic 3-1
3. Philadelphia 76ers 2-2
4. Brooklyn Nets 1-3
5. Charlotte Hornets 0-4
East: Group B
1. Milwaukee Bucks 4-0
2. Detroit Pistons 3-1
3. Miami Heat 2-2
4. Toronto Raptors 1-3
5. Indiana Pacers 0-4
East: Group C
1. Atlanta Hawks 3-1
2. Boston Celtics 3-1
3. Cleveland Cavaliers 2-2
4. Chicago Bulls 2-2
5. Washington Wizards 0-4
West: Group A
1. Houston Rockets 3-1
2. Los Angeles Clippers 2-2
3. Minnesota Timberwolves 2-2
4. Portland Trail Blazers 2-2
5. Sacramento Kings 1-3
West: Group B
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 3-1
2. Phoenix Suns 3-1
3. Los Angeles Lakers 2-2
4. San Antonio Spurs 2-2
5. Utah Jazz 0-4
West: Group C
1. Golden State Warriors 3-1
2. Dallas Mavericks 3-1
3. Denver Nuggets 2-2
4. Memphis Grizzlies 1-3
5. New Orleans Pelicans 1-3
-The top teams from each group and the best-placed second seeds in both conferences advance to the Quarterfinals
Quarterfinals (10-11/12)
Milwaukee Bucks – Orlando Magic
New York Knicks – Atlanta Hawks
Oklahoma City Thunder – Dallas Mavericks
Houston Rockets – Golden State Warriors
The Quarterfinals will be hosted by the best-ranked teams of the groups stage, Bucks, Knicks, Thunder and Rockets, but the Semifinals on December 14 and the Final on December 17 will be played in Las Vegas.