The 2025 Emirates NBA Cup quarterfinals kick off Tuesday after group play concluded Nov. 28. 4 matchups will resolve who punches a ticket to the semifinals in Las Vegas on Saturday.
First, the Miami Heat go to the Orlando Magic earlier than the Toronto Raptors host the New York Knicks. The winner of every sport will characterize the East. The Western Convention matchups are on Wednesday, when the 23-1 Oklahoma City Thunder will host the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers will host the San Antonio Spurs.
The Magic should advance with out star Franz Wagner, who left Sunday’s sport due to a high ankle sprain. The excellent news for the Magic, although, is that Paolo Banchero is again from a groin injury he suffered on Nov. 12. Within the West, Luka Doncic is again for the Lakers after lacking two video games for the birth of his daughter. And whereas LeBron James noticed his 1,297-game streak come to an finish on Thursday, he and the Lakers have the possibility to change into the primary two-time NBA Cup champions.
Can anybody cease the Thunder within the West? And can Wagner’s harm sprint Orlando’s hopes of reaching Las Vegas? Our NBA Insiders reply the most important questions forward of the quarterfinal matchups.
Japanese Convention
How will Franz Wagner’s harm have an effect on the Magic in opposition to the Warmth and shifting ahead?
Orlando was lastly complete — for a sport.
The Magic waited 23 days for star Paolo Banchero’s return from a groin strain on Friday. Lower than 48 hours later, Franz Wagner sustained a left high ankle sprain, dramatically altering Tuesday’s NBA Cup quarterfinal. Although the Magic acquired the most effective information potential on Wagner’s harm — an MRI confirmed no structural injury, sources advised ESPN — Orlando will face its in-state rival with out its steadiest participant. Wagner is averaging 22.7 factors, a career-high 6.1 rebounds and has improved his 3-point taking pictures from 29.5% final season to 36.0%, a giant cause the Magic had been in a position to go 7-3 with out Banchero.
As a substitute of with the ability to work his means again, Banchero might want to shoulder the offensive load instantly, supplemented with scoring and outdoors taking pictures from Desmond Bane and Jalen Suggs. Anthony Black has already performed a significant function this season, and his versatility can be very important for the Magic to outlive with out Wagner for probably the following two to 4 weeks. Wagner had 32 factors in Friday’s 106-105 win over Miami, whereas the returning Banchero added 9 factors on solely eight photographs in 20 minutes. After 16 factors on 11 photographs throughout 24 minutes in Sunday’s loss to the Knicks, Banchero’s offense is slowly trending up forward of the Cup quarters.
Although Orlando can be with out certainly one of its high scorers, Miami guard Tyler Herro (toe) is possible and Davion Mitchell (groin) is predicted to play. The Warmth have misplaced 4 of their previous 5 video games, however Herro’s potential return and Wagner’s harm might present the enhance Miami wants to succeed in Vegas. — Ohm Youngmisuk
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Miami Warmth vs. Orlando Magic: Recreation Highlights
Miami Warmth vs. Orlando Magic: Recreation Highlights
Did the Knicks carry their scorching offense, and can Karl-Anthony Towns be a part of it?
New York’s offense has been a machine by way of the crew’s first 23 video games — third within the NBA in effectivity and fourth in made 3-pointers per sport. The Knicks are additionally working into the Raptors at simply the suitable time, as Toronto has dropped 5 of its previous six video games after a torrid 13-1 stretch that vaulted them up the convention standings. To make issues worse, the Raptors can be with out ahead RJ Barrett, who the crew introduced is sidelined no less than one other week due to a knee sprain.
However for the Knicks, there’s just one downside: This NBA Cup quarterfinal is in Toronto. The Knicks morph right into a league common offense away from Madison Sq. Backyard (simply 3-6 on the street).
New York may also be with out large man Cities, who’s questionable due to a calf harm that held him out of Sunday’s win. Getting OG Anunoby again — the two-way drive performed 23 minutes Sunday in opposition to the Magic after sitting out 9 video games due to a hamstring strain — would not fairly really feel nearly as good if Cities’ harm turns into greater than a one-game respite.
Cities hasn’t had the best season up to now. All of his offensive numbers are down from final season, his first in New York after being traded by the Minnesota Timberwolves on the eve of coaching camp. Maybe it is the adjustment to new coach Mike Brown’s offense, wherein Cities is getting the ball in numerous spots, and others are being featured extra prominently as playmakers, corresponding to ahead Mikal Bridges. — Vincent Goodwill
Street to the semifinals
Miami and Orlando performed a Cup quarterfinal preview simply final week, with the Magic sneaking out a 106-105 victory at residence in Banchero’s first sport again from harm. (The Magic additionally beat the Warmth at residence on opening evening.)
Each Florida groups had been scorching final week however have since cooled off: Orlando went on a 9-2 run earlier than dropping two of its previous three video games, whereas Miami adopted a six-game win streak with a 1-4 stretch.
Toronto can also be stumbling into the Cup quarterfinals, having misplaced 5 of its previous six video games after a nine-game successful streak. However the Knicks are taking part in their greatest basketball of the season, getting into the week on a 7-1 run — granted, with the help of a good schedule. 5 of the Knicks’ previous seven wins have come in opposition to groups with dropping data; the one exceptions are Orlando and Toronto, which the Knicks blew out 116-94 on Nov. 30.
These two East quarterfinals are additionally potential playoff previews. The convention’s jumbled standings are prone to shift many occasions between now and the top of the common season, however projections from ESPN’s Basketball Energy Index now peg Orlando as Miami’s most certainly first-round opponent, and New York as Toronto’s most certainly foe. — Zach Kram
Western Convention
Will the Thunder ever lose once more?
That is a bit hyperbolic, however Oklahoma Metropolis is a juggernaut of historic proportions. The Thunder, regardless of rating second leaguewide in video games missed due to harm, are the third crew in NBA historical past to win no less than 23 of their first 24 video games, becoming a member of the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors and 1969-70 New York Knicks. Oklahoma Metropolis has a median level differential of plus-16.1 factors, which is on tempo to shatter its personal document of plus-12.9 set final season. The Thunder have received 15 straight video games since their lone lack of the season, which occurred in Portland on Nov. 5, when the Path Blazers rallied from a 22-point deficit to beat an Oklahoma Metropolis squad that was with out a number of core gamers on the second evening of a back-to-back.
Phoenix gave OKC as a lot of a scare as any opponent since that loss, slicing a 15-point deficit to 1 within the last minutes of the Nov. 28 Cup group stage finale at Paycom Middle. Then Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 10 of his game-high 37 factors within the last 2:40.
It is an accomplishment simply to make the reigning MVP play within the fourth quarter this season, one thing Gilgeous-Alexander has executed solely 11 occasions. However protecting it shut solely brings out the most effective within the Thunder, whose plus-41.4 internet score in clutch conditions (rating inside 5 factors within the last 5 minutes or time beyond regulation) is by far the most effective within the league. — Tim MacMahon
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SGA leads Thunder to 19-1 document with 37-point sport
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tallies 37 factors and eight assists within the Thunder’s win over the Suns.
Can the Spurs deal with Luka Doncic and the Lakers with out Victor Wembanyama?
It is potential, nevertheless it will not be simple. Regardless of San Antonio taking part in with a wholesome Wembanyama, Doncic lit up the Spurs’ protection for a close to triple-double with Stephon Castle taking over many of the accountability of guarding him. Regardless of the Lakers ending on a 21-0 run, San Antonio nonetheless had an opportunity to tie the rating with 0.2 seconds left — however Julian Champagnie missed two free throws. Second-chance scoring figured prominently within the first matchup between the groups, with Los Angeles outscoring San Antonio 28-11 in that division.
Lakers large man Deandre Ayton shot 9-of-13 for 22 factors and pulled down 10 rebounds whereas Wembanyama spent many of the sport in foul bother earlier than ultimately fouling out. The Frenchman is not anticipated to take part on this matchup as he recovers from a strained calf. Veteran large man Luke Kornet, who averaged 2.1 blocks with a game-saving swat on Dec. 3 at Orlando, most likely will anchor San Antonio’s protection. Kornet, a free agent addition who has helped the Spurs submit a 7-2 document with out Wembanyama, flat-out battles within the paint and will fare effectively in opposition to Ayton.
San Antonio most likely will not have any extra solutions for Doncic and will have to decide on between permitting him to both rating or facilitate. That is a process made much more troublesome with LeBron James, who was sidelined through the groups’ first matchup, again within the lineup. — Michael C. Wright
Street to the semifinals
After dropping the 2024 NBA Cup finals to the Milwaukee Bucks, the Thunder are the clear favorites this time amid a 23-1 begin to the season.
We might see playoff previews within the West bracket. ESPN BPI projections at present present Phoenix because the Thunder’s most certainly first-round opponent and counsel both the Lakers or Spurs as believable second-round matchups.
Though a Suns win could be an enormous upset, the semifinal in Vegas might present the Thunder a better problem. The Lakers could be the de facto residence crew on a impartial courtroom, and the Spurs’ breakthrough marketing campaign led by a budding celebrity is harking back to the place Oklahoma Metropolis was two years in the past.
The Lakers did hand the Thunder their largest loss through the 2024-25 common season, successful 126-99 in Oklahoma Metropolis in April behind 30 factors from Doncic. The Thunder responded with a cushty win over L.A. two days later, however Doncic’s dimension and talent has at all times made him a troublesome matchup for Oklahoma Metropolis (and everyone else).
A Spurs-Thunder matchup would probably renew the rivalry between Chet Holmgren and Wembanyama, which dates to the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup final, if the latter is again from the left calf strain that has saved him out since Nov. 17. Due to accidents, the 2 expert younger facilities have met solely as soon as since their rookie seasons. Wembanyama struggled in that sport, scoring six factors on 1-of-5 taking pictures in October 2024. — Kevin Pelton
