2024 NBA Cup roundtable: Greatest surprises and disappointments in group play
We’re formally nearing the top of group play within the 2024 NBA Cup, and the matchups for the knockout spherical will turn out to be a lot clearer within the coming days.
The Golden State Warriors have already claimed their spot within the knockouts after dominating West Group C. The Houston Rockets may even be becoming a member of them after defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves in additional time on Tuesday in West Group A.
And bear in mind, level differential issues on this match, particularly for the Los Angeles Lakers, who entered Tuesday with a plus-12 level differential however at the moment are chasing the Phoenix Suns in West Group B after being blown out by the Suns 127-100. LeBron James and the defending in-season match champions face a troublesome highway again to even making the knockout spherical.
After group play concludes on Dec. 3, the quarterfinals will happen on Dec. 10 and 11 as groups battle it out to assert the second in-season match trophy ever, to not point out $500,000 for every participant.
We requested our NBA insiders to reply a number of the largest questions on this high-stakes match, together with who the group-play MVP is and what’s been the most important shock to this point.
Which group has proved to be the hardest to this point?
Michael Wright: West Group C. There are three groups that entered the week sitting within the prime seven within the Western Convention: the Warriors, Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies. To not point out the defending West champion Dallas Mavericks definitely aren’t a slouch. The Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans have each been decimated by accidents this season, which is why they’ve struggled within the NBA Cup and the common season. The Warriors, nevertheless, are cruising by means of the group after turning into the primary crew to clinch a spot within the NBA Cup knockout spherical, eliminating New Orleans within the course of.
Tim MacMahon: West Group B has lived as much as its expectations. Anticipated to be the hardest group, it options three groups coming off playoff appearances (defending in-season tourney champ Lakers, Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder and Suns) and the San Antonio Spurs, who’re making an enormous leap this season after enhancing the supporting forged round Victor Wembanyama. All 4 of these groups have one loss in NBA Cup motion, so this group’s bid to the knockout stage will go all the way down to the wire.
Dave McMenamin: East Group C. It options the defending champs within the Boston Celtics, the most popular crew within the league within the Cleveland Cavaliers, plus the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks — sub-.500 groups, certain, however not straightforward wins by any means. Plus, all 4 of these groups are robust sufficient to disregard the depressing Washington Wizards, who have been eradicated Tuesday night time by the Bulls.
Ohm Youngmisuk: East Group C has turned out to be a lot more durable than initially anticipated because of Cleveland’s red-hot begin. With the defending champion Celtics in the identical group, East C has the groups with the 2 greatest information within the league. After Tuesday’s slate of video games, nevertheless, Chicago, Atlanta and Boston have been all tied for third, and Friday will clear up which one among these groups makes it nearer to the knockout rounds.
Chris Herring: West Group B. Sure, the Utah Jazz are flat-out dangerous. However the group’s different 4 golf equipment — the Thunder, Suns, Lakers and Spurs — all have successful information and would attain the postseason if the marketing campaign ended right now. And within the case of the Suns, they could be much better than their document, on condition that they have been one of many hottest groups within the league earlier than Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal suffered calf accidents.
Which crew has made the most important shock run?
McMenamin: The Milwaukee Bucks. Milwaukee has been nice in group play, going 3-0 — together with a win in opposition to final season’s East finalist within the Indiana Pacers and a highway win in Miami with out Giannis Antetokounmpo — and has been fairly pedestrian in all its different video games. The Bucks look considerably harking back to final season’s NBA Cup champions, the Lakers.
Youngmisuk: Whereas they’ve performed solely two NBA Cup video games to this point, the Detroit Pistons are a shocking 2-0 within the match coming into Friday’s video games. Sure, the Pistons wanted a uncommon gaffe by Erik Spoelstra calling a timeout when he did not have one to flee with an additional time win over the Miami Warmth. However the truth that the Pistons have a shot on the knockout rounds after successful simply 14 video games a season in the past is spectacular.
Herring: It feels unfair to name them the most important shock, solely as a result of what they’re doing seems so legit. But it surely’s exhausting to go in opposition to the Rockets. From a statistical standpoint, they’re proper on the heels of the Thunder’s historic league-leading protection, which is wildly spectacular. They’ve carved out a legit identification by means of that finish of the ground, they usually might need extra upside, given how dominant they have been after they swap in defensive stud Amen Thompson for scorer Jalen Inexperienced.
MacMahon: Ime Udoka could be offended that the Rockets are my alternative right here. In spite of everything, he was adamant on media day that Houston would make the playoffs, so Udoka will not contemplate the Rockets’ early NBA Cup success a shock. However did you suppose the Rockets can be essentially the most dominant crew in group play? Houston, which clinched West Group A with Tuesday’s highway additional time win over the Timberwolves, is 3-0 with the perfect level differential (plus-49) within the league.
Wright: The Lakers gained the inaugural NBA Cup final season, so their manufacturing this season has been no shock. The Orlando Magic, New York Knicks and the Rockets have been spectacular, too. However Golden State needs to be the most important shock given the considerably low expectations for the Warriors coming into this season. Loads of folks puzzled whether or not this squad’s time within the solar was lastly over. Clearly, it isn’t. What’s been enjoyable to observe is that this crew’s by-committee method. One night time it is Stephen Curry main the cost, the following it is Buddy Hield or Andrew Wiggins. Golden State’s protection, ranked fourth within the league, is a giant purpose it was the primary crew to punch its ticket to the knockout rounds.
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Dame drops 37 factors with 8 treys in win over Warmth
Damian Lillard posts a double-double with 37 factors and 12 assists because the Bucks hold on to beat the Warmth 106-103.
What’s your championship matchup — and who will win?
Youngmisuk: How a few rematch of the 2022 NBA Finals? The Celtics and Warriors assembly in Vegas wouldn’t solely be enjoyable however would have a tinge of drama. Moreover getting a celebrity matchup of Steph versus Tatum, there’s additionally Tatum in opposition to Steve Kerr. The primary assembly between the 2 on Nov. 6 completed with the Warriors successful in Boston to the sound of the native crowd’s boos. Whereas Golden State has struggled a little bit of late, Curry will not be going to return away from Vegas empty-handed if he has gotten this far.
Herring: I may see the Suns and Bucks making a run to present us a (very different-looking) rematch from the 2021 NBA Finals. Each groups have skilled tough patches early on this season however appear keen to point out that they are worthy of being seen as contenders. Who would not wish to see KD and Devin Booker sq. off with Giannis and Damian Lillard with {hardware} on the road?
Wright: There will not be any scarcity of star energy if the Lakers face off in opposition to the Celtics with LeBron James and Anthony Davis taking over defending champions Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The one concern from this vantage level is the query of whether or not the groups will expend a lot vitality to win the NBA Cup that it impacts their efficiency later within the season within the quest to seize an arguably extra necessary Larry O’Brien Trophy.
MacMahon: How a few rematch of final season’s NBA Finals with the Celtics beating the Mavericks once more? The Celtics reminded us that they are the perfect crew within the league once more after lately ending the Cavaliers’ 15-0 begin. The Mavs have sputtered a bit early within the season, however Dallas is in pole place to get the West’s wild card bid. Luka Doncic hasn’t performed as much as his MVP-candidate requirements but this season, however the odds seem that may change quickly.
McMenamin: We may get a coast-to-coast matchup with the Knicks taking over the Warriors within the NBA Cup remaining. The Warriors have already claimed a spot within the knockout spherical, and the Knicks are tied with the Magic (2-0) in East Group A with a matchup between these two groups coming subsequent Tuesday within the final week of group play.
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Draymond Inexperienced dimes Steph Curry with slick bounce cross
Draymond Inexperienced finds a gap between Pelicans defenders and connects with Steph Curry to pad the Warriors’ lead late.
Which crew with at the very least two losses has been essentially the most disappointing?
MacMahon: The Timberwolves did not reap the benefits of what gave the impression to be a positive group, opening NBA Cup play with an unsightly highway loss to the rebuilding Portland Path Blazers and having any real looking hope of advancing halted with an additional time loss to the Rockets at house. The league definitely would not have minded having ascending celebrity Anthony Edwards to be a part of the Las Vegas festivities, however the Wolves weren’t as much as the duty. Minnesota has been one of many largest disappointments within the first quarter of the common season, as properly, shedding seven of its previous 9 video games to dip beneath .500.
Herring: It is too quickly within the NBA Cup’s life cycle to know whether or not we must always count on any kind of year-to-year carryover from groups by way of efficiency. Nonetheless, it could’ve been honest to count on extra of the Pacers, who’ve misplaced their first two NBA Cup video games by double digits after making it to final season’s remaining. Even when you throw out their electrical play throughout final season’s match, they have been additionally coming off a visit to the Jap Convention finals.
McMenamin: The Timberwolves. The Wolves beat the Path Blazers by 25 on Nov. 8 in a regular-season recreation, however when it got here to enjoying the Blazers of their group-play opener Nov. 12, they misplaced by a disappointing 14 factors. To not point out their additional time loss to the Rockets on Tuesday, a blow to their West Group A standings. In each the common season and in-season match, they have not come near recapturing the magic from their Western Convention finals run but this season.
Wright: The Nuggets. NBA Cup losses to the depleted Pelicans and Luka Doncic-less Mavericks solely bolster coach Michael Malone’s current harsh phrases for his crew. Malone known as out his squad Monday after it gave up 145 factors in a non-Cup loss to the Knicks at Ball Enviornment. The shocking a part of Malone’s criticism was that he known as for extra vocal management. Let’s not overlook Denver captured an NBA title in 2023 and the core of the crew stays. So, Malone should not really feel the necessity to problem vets akin to three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray (in his eighth season).
Youngmisuk: There are a number of candidates for this, however Minnesota ought to be higher. Sure, the Wolves are nonetheless getting adjusted to the Karl-Anthony Cities-Julius Randle commerce, however shedding to a rebuilding Portland by 14 is disappointing for a crew that has playoff aspirations. For a crew that was one step away from reaching the NBA Finals final postseason, the Wolves ought to be in a a lot better spot this early within the season.
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Jabari Smith Jr. with the huge swat on the rim
Jabari Smith Jr. with the huge swat on the rim
Who’s your group-play MVP?
Wright: The Sacramento Kings’ De’Aaron Fox was on fireplace in his first two video games of group play, averaging 44.5 factors, 7 assists and a couple of steals whereas capturing 58.2% from the ground and 41.2% from deep. However these contests led to losses for a Kings crew nonetheless on the lookout for its first Cup victory and sitting on the backside of West Group A. Nonetheless, Bucks lead guard Damian Lillard’s efficiency in opposition to the Warmth on Tuesday with out Giannis Antetokounmpo sealed the deal for him to take group-play MVP. He has averaged 30.5 factors and 12.5 assists, capturing 52.4% from deep on excessive quantity (10.5 makes an attempt per recreation).
MacMahon: The Magic are solely midway carried out with group play, however Franz Wagner is placing collectively a fairly robust case for this legendary MVP award. Wagner averaged 31.5 factors, 9.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and a couple of.5 steals throughout Orlando’s two NBA Cup wins. It is a part of what’s been an All-Star-caliber marketing campaign for the 22-year-old Wagner, who’s averaging profession highs in scoring (23.4), rebounds (5.5), assists (5.6) and steals (1.8), keying the Magic’s success whereas Paolo Banchero recovers from his indirect damage.
McMenamin: Dillon Brooks. The Rockets are 3-0 with the perfect level differential out of any crew (plus-49) and Brooks has been spectacular to this point. He averaged 23.3 factors in group play on 58.5% capturing (62.5% from 3) and three.3 rebounds per recreation — greater than 10 factors above his season common — whereas his defensive prowess has helped Houston to the No. 2 defensive ranking within the league.
Youngmisuk: Anthony Davis is off to an unimaginable begin. Within the NBA Cup, the Lakers huge man is averaging 30.3 factors, 13.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.3 steals. Whereas the Lakers dropped a disappointing recreation to the Suns by 27, AD nonetheless had 25 factors, 15 rebounds and 4 blocks. He can be a troublesome matchup for anybody if Los Angeles makes it again to Vegas.
Herring: Poor De’Aaron Fox, who’s averaging virtually 45 factors and 7 assists, and will not even sniff the award, given his crew’s 0-2 begin in group play. However how about Orlando’s Franz Wagner? With Paulo Banchero out, he has had an All-Star-caliber marketing campaign, which incorporates averages of 31.5 factors, 9.5 boards and 5.5 assists in 50% capturing in NBA Cup play to this point.
