The Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks secured dominant victories to advance to the knockout stage of the NBA Cup, finishing the group stage with clean sweeps.
However, the reigning NBA champions, the Boston Celtics, were eliminated despite a solid group stage record.
The Knicks cruised to a 121-106 win over the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden, finishing unbeaten in East Group A and earning home-court advantage in the quarter-finals.
Karl-Anthony Towns led the way with 23 points and 15 rebounds, while Josh Hart delivered a triple-double with 11 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists.
Despite the loss, the Magic clinched the East wild card spot over the Celtics on points differential, as both teams finished with a 3-1 record.
The Bucks also dominated their group, defeating the Detroit Pistons 128-107 to complete a perfect run in East Group B.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, the two-time NBA MVP, posted 28 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists, while Damian Lillard contributed 27 points.
The Bucks, who hit 23 three-pointers in the victory, will host the Orlando Magic in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.
In other action, Luka Dončić’s 37-point performance helped the Dallas Mavericks overcome a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 121-116, securing the West wild card spot.
They will face the Oklahoma City Thunder, who clinched West Group B with a 133-106 victory over the Phoenix Suns. The Suns had previously suffered a loss to the Thunder but secured a solid 104-93 win over the San Antonio Spurs.
The Knicks will host the Atlanta Hawks, winners of East Group C, in the next round.
Despite a final-game loss to the Sacramento Kings, the Houston Rockets will also advance to the quarter-finals, alongside the Golden State Warriors, who triumphed despite a loss to the Denver Nuggets.
The quarter-final winners will move on to the semi-finals in Las Vegas on December 14, with the final scheduled for December 17.
In other results from Tuesday’s games, the LA Clippers defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 127-105, the Cleveland Cavaliers thrashed the Washington Wizards 118-87, and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Charlotte Hornets 110-104.
The Toronto Raptors also triumphed, defeating the Indiana Pacers 122-111.
