The second week of 2024 NBA Cup group play saw the Boston Celtics hand the Cleveland Cavaliers their first loss of the regular season in a clash between the Eastern Conference's top two teams.
The Cavs entered the game at TD Garden as the fourth team in NBA history to start a season 15-0, but they finally faltered as Celtics held on in a thrilling 120-117 win. Nonetheless, both teams still trail the Atlanta Hawks by one game in the Group C standings after Tuesday's result.
In the East's other game of the night, the Brooklyn Nets outlasted Charlotte Hornets 116-115 to improve to 1-1 in Group A. With two teams in that group at 2-0 (the New York Knicks and the Orlando Magic), the Hornets' chances (0-2) of advancing look slim.
The Western Conference games included the San Antonio Spurs holding off the Oklahoma City Thunder 110-104 in Group B action despite Victor Wembanyama missing his second straight game because of a right knee contusion.
Meanwhile, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers dispatched the Utah Jazz 124-118 to go 2-0 in that group.
Four teams in West Group C were in action earlier in the night. The Dallas Mavericks rolled past the New Orleans Pelicans 132-91, while the Denver Nuggets beat the Memphis Grizzlies 122-110 without Nikola Jokic. The reigning MVP missed his third straight game because of personal reasons.
Here's what stood out from Tuesday's games.
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Top Takeaways from Tuesday's action
Cavs prove mettle despite first loss of season
The Boston Celtics came away with a 120-117 victory, but the Cleveland Cavaliers -- despite seeing their 15-game win streak snapped -- showed they are a team to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference.
Cavs forward Evan Mobley said before the game that he saw this game as a proving ground. Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson said he wanted his team to get "feedback."
Cleveland got plenty. Darius Garland struggled mightily against the league's best defensive backcourt in Derrick White and Jrue Holiday. Donovan Mitchell got his shot off wherever he wanted in the fourth quarter and did his best to nearly lead Cleveland to what would've been a remarkable comeback victory.
Mobley's performance harkened to his strong showing in Game 5 of last season's Eastern Conference semifinals, in which the Celtics eliminated the Cavs despite Mobley's 33 points that night. On Tuesday, Atkinson made an intriguing decision to go with him at center, and away from Jarrett Allen, that could portend future choices.
Both sides were missing players (Kristaps Porzingis for Boston, and a collection of wing players for Cleveland), but all in all, it was a fabulously fun game -- one that puts Boston back in control of East Group C in the NBA Cup standings, and gives us a lot to look forward to for the next time these teams face off. -- Tim Bontemps
CP3 stellar for the short-handed Spurs
Without their top three scorers, the Spurs upset the Thunder in a game that demonstrated the impact Chris Paul could have on a young San Antonio side.
Paul had 14 points, 11 assists and 5 rebounds, but San Antonio looked like a much more organized and focused team compared to nearly any point last season. It was notable effort with Victor Wembanyama sitting out his second straight game because of knee contusion.
The Thunder made a run late, actually outscoring the Spurs in the fourth quarter 27-17, but ultimately came up short. Despite the six-point loss, that late run -- fueled by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 32-point performance -- ensured the Thunder still have a positive point differential (plus-10) in the NBA Cup standings because of their previous 16-point win over Phoenix.
Because of that win over the Suns, Oklahoma City still has a shot at advancing so long as it beats the Lakers and Jazz in its two remaining games. -- Jamal Collier
Knecht hits the Michael Jordan shrug?!
Last year's inaugural NBA Cup champions are the lone unbeaten team in Group B, but the Lakers have the two toughest games remaining in group play: at Phoenix on Nov. 26 and at home vs. Oklahoma City on Nov. 29.
The Jazz made things surprisingly interesting by putting up 43 points in the fourth quarter, but the Lakers held on for a 124-118 win to move to 2-0 in Group B play behind a career-high 37 points (and a rookie-record-tying nine 3-pointers) from Dalton Knecht.
Making his third consecutive start, Knecht had a stretch in the third quarter when he netted a 3-pointer on four consecutive possessions. Knecht punctuated the last two of those makes with shrugs, a la Michael Jordan in the 1992 NBA Finals.
It was a standout performance for the Lakers on a night in which James had 26 points and 12 assists and Anthony Davis had 26 and 14. -- Kevin Pelton
Dalton Knecht scores a career-high 37 points and ties an NBA rookie record with nine 3-pointers in the Lakers' win over the Jazz.
2024 Emirates NBA Cup schedule
All times Eastern
Nov. 19
Celtics 120, Cavaliers 117
Nets 116, Hornets 115
Nuggets 122, Grizzlies 110
Mavericks 132, Pelicans 91
Spurs 110, Thunder 110
Lakers 124, Jazz 118
Nov. 22
Nets at 76ers, 7 p.m.
Celtics at Wizards, 7 p.m.
Pacers at Bucks, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Hawks at Bulls, 8 p.m.
Trail Blazers at Rockets, 8 p.m.
Warriors at Pelicans, 8 p.m.
Mavericks at Nuggets, 10 p.m. (ESPN)
Kings at Clippers, 10:30 p.m.
Nov. 26
Bulls at Wizards, 7 p.m.
Bucks at Heat, 7:30 p.m. (TNT)
Rockets at Timberwolves, 8 p.m.
Spurs at Jazz, 9 p.m.
Lakers at Suns, 10 p.m. (TNT)
Nov. 29
Knicks at Hornets, noon (NBA TV)
Cavaliers at Hawks, 2:30 p.m. (NBA TV)
Pelicans at Grizzlies, 5 p.m. (NBA TV)
Clippers at Timberwolves, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Magic at Nets, 7:30 p.m.
Pistons at Pacers, 8 p.m.
Raptors at Heat, 8 p.m.
Celtics at Bulls, 8 p.m.
Kings at Trail Blazers, 10 p.m.
Dec. 3
76ers at Magic, 7 p.m.
Wizards at Cavaliers, 7 p.m.
Bucks at Pistons, 7 p.m.
Magic at Knicks, 7:30 p.m. (TNT)
Pacers at Raptors, 7:30 p.m.
Jazz at Thunder, 8 p.m.
Grizzlies at Mavericks, 8:30 p.m.
Spurs at Suns, 9 p.m.
Warriors at Nuggets, 10 p.m. (TNT)
Rockets at Kings, 10 p.m.
Trail Blazers at Clippers, 10:30 p.m.
Dec. 10 and 11
Quarterfinals
Dec. 14
Semifinals
Dec. 17
Championship
Previous results
Nov. 12
Hawks 117, Celtics 116
Magic 114, Hornets 89
Pistons 123, Heat 121 (OT)
Knicks 111, 76ers 99
Bucks 99, Raptors 85
Suns 120, Jazz 112
Trail Blazers 122, Timberwolves 108
Warriors 120, Mavericks 117
Nov. 15
Heat 124, Pacers 111
Magic 98, 76ers 86
Pistons 99, Raptors 95
Lakers 120, Spurs 115
Hawks 129, Wizards 117
Cavaliers 144, Bulls 126
Pelicans 101, Nuggets 94
Knicks 124, Nets 122
Rockets 125, Clippers 104
Thunder 99, Suns 83
Timberwolves 130, Kings 126 (OT)
Warriors 123, Grizzlies 118
FAQ (by Tim Bontemps)
The NBA unveiled the six groups for the second edition of its in-season tournament -- now called the Emirates NBA Cup. Here's a look at everything you'll need to know about the return of the competition.
What is the format?
NBA commissioner Adam Silver has had a long-standing fascination with European soccer. The idea for having an in-season cup competition within the NBA schedule comes from soccer leagues having both a regular-season title, won by the team with the most points over the full year, and a separate tournament (or, in some leagues, multiple tournaments) that runs concurrently with the league season.
In England, for example, there are the various divisions -- led by the Premier League -- and also the FA Cup competition. But unlike those European leagues, which play their cup competitions outside of their league schedules, the NBA Cup is built into the regular-season slate.
The 30 NBA teams were split into six five-team groups -- three featuring Eastern Conference teams, and three comprising teams from the West -- with each team then playing one game against the other four in their group. The winner of each group, plus the team with the best record among the nongroup winners, will then advance to the knockout rounds.
How will this impact the regular-season schedule and standings?
Typically, the NBA sends out a full 82-game schedule in mid-August. Now, though, the league sends out only 80 games and leaves a gap for roughly a week to fill in later, depending on how the group stage of the NBA Cup plays out.
The teams that reach the NBA Cup's finale will actually play 83 games -- though the championship game won't count toward the standings or any statistical markers. Those that lose in the semifinals will have played their full 82-game schedule and won't need anything added.
The two teams from both the East and West that lose in the quarterfinals will play their 82nd game against one another on one of four dates: Dec. 12, 13, 15 or 16. Meanwhile, the 22 teams that fail to qualify for the knockout rounds will have their final two games scheduled -- one at home and one on the road -- on Dec. 12 or 13 and 15 or 16 against others eliminated in the group stage.
Why does the NBA Cup include regular-season games?
Before its launch, one of the main questions surrounding the in-season tournament was why any team would be incentivized to compete in it. By making every game part of the season -- and, being in-conference, potentially important from a playoff-tiebreaker standpoint -- the NBA ensured teams will be motivated.
If this had been set up like the cup tournaments in European soccer, there would have been nothing stopping NBA teams from opting out, literally or figuratively -- sitting their top players for extra rest.
What teams make up the groups?
To create the groups, the NBA put all 15 teams in each conference into five pots, separated by their finish in last season's standings. Pot 1 included the teams that finished 1-3 in regular-season record, teams 4-6 went into Pot 2, teams 7-9 into Pot 3, teams 10-12 into Pot 4 and teams 13-15 into Pot 5.
As a result, the following groups were drawn:
East A: New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets
East B: Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons
East C: Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards
West A: Minnesota Timberwolves, LA Clippers, Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers
West B: Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz, San Antonio Spurs
West C: Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies
Does one group stand out the most from the others?
Yes, there is an obvious one: West Group C, featuring the Nuggets, Mavericks, Pelicans, Warriors and Grizzlies.
Because of how the draw is performed, Golden State and Memphis, which dealt with a combination of suspensions and injuries, are significantly stronger than you would anticipate teams in the bottom two pots to be.
But in addition to featuring the reigning MVP in Nikola Jokic and Zion Williamson, the group also could offer the first meeting between Klay Thompson and his former team after the guard signed with Dallas following 13 seasons with Golden State.
What do players get for winning?
Last year, the players on the winning team received $500,000 each, while those on the runners-up got $200,000. The losing players of the semifinals each got $100,000, and those ousted in the quarterfinals each got $50,000.
This year, the prizes will be slightly higher because of negotiated raises year over year to keep pace with increases in the salary cap and basketball related income as part of the most recent collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association.
Will anyone earn individual honors for their play in NBA Cup games?
There will be an MVP award, as well as an all-tournament team.
Will this have any impact on the playoffs?
Not beyond the games counting in the regular-season standings (and toward tiebreakers). Though there was debate among league insiders about guaranteeing a playoff berth for winning the tournament, ultimately that idea (or any other to further incentivize teams) was not enacted.
The debate continued after last year's in-season tournament winner, the Lakers, wound up in the play-in tournament, while the runner-up, the Pacers, narrowly avoided landing in it. But, in the end, the only playoff impact comes from the wins and losses accrued throughout the tournament.
Why is it called the Emirates NBA Cup?
The league struck a sponsorship deal with Emirates, the Dubai-based airline, to sponsor the tournament after its initial run. The NBA said last year that it went with the most basic titles for both the tournament and its trophy -- the "in-season tournament" and "NBA Cup" -- as a way to introduce the concept to fans.
However, using such nondescript names had another clear advantage: It gave the league a blank slate in case the tournament and cup became properties it ended up selling to a sponsor, and avoided the complications that could arise by naming them after someone (for example, the late NBA commissioner David Stern, one possibility that had been floated before the tournament was officially unveiled).