Brandon Ingram hit a game-winner with 0.6 left vs. Indiana to power Toronto to 4-0 and first place in East Group A.
Before the Emirates NBA Cup quarterfinals begin tonight in the Eastern Conference, we’re here to give fans the best moments between all 30 teams after 60 Group Play games. From game-winners to incredible comebacks to veterans turning back the clock, let’s take a look at the top five games to prepare you for Tuesday’s Knockout Rounds.
10/31: Kawhi Leonard’s game-winning jumper
Kawhi Leonard lifts LA over New Orleans with a game-winning buzzer-beater in Emirates NBA Cup West Group B.
The Los Angeles Clippers and New Orleans Pelicans started their quest for the NBA Cup with a 126-124 thriller in favor of the Clippers. The Pels put up 40 points over the final 12 minutes of play, capped off by Zion Williamson’s (29 points) two clutch free throws to tie things at 124 with 9.6 seconds remaining, but that left plenty of time on the clock for LA to draw something up for their star forward. Kawhi Leonard hit rookie Jeremiah Fears with a mean pump-fake before rising up and burying a deep jumper as time expired. Kawhi finished with 34 points (11-16 FG) and five made 3s to go along with five rebounds, five assists and six steals.
11/14: Stephen Curry erupts for 49 points
Stephen Curry records a season-high 49 points in Emirates NBA Cup Group Play win vs. Spurs.
In mid-November, the Warriors and Spurs met for back-to-back games in San Antonio. During their first matchup on Nov. 12, Steph dropped 46 points in 34 minutes to help Golden State secure a 125-120 win. Two nights later, Curry went nuclear again, this time with a season-high 49 points and nine made 3-pointers across 36 minutes in a 109-108 victory to give the Warriors their first and only win in Group Play. The two-time NBA MVP put up 31 points on 10-for-17 shooting and five made triples in the second half, accounting for half of his team’s 62 points over the final two quarters. With his third 40-piece of the 2025-26 campaign that evening, Curry tied Michael Jordan for the most 40+ point games by a player 30 or older at 44.
11/21: Suns stun Wolves in final minute
Phoenix rallied past Minnesota to win the West Group A matchup.
Despite a staggering 28 total turnovers for Phoenix in their second Emirates NBA Cup outing, the Suns pulled off an unbelievable 114-113 comeback win over Minnesota to improve to 2-0 in West Group A. With Devin Booker (16 points, 10 assists) and Dillon Brooks (22 points) both fouling out down the stretch, Phoenix turned to Collin Gillespie (20 points, 7 boards) and Jordan Goodwin (13 points, 2 steals) to get them across the finish line. The Suns trailed 113-105 with 1:09 remaining, but a late flurry from their two reserves cut the deficit to just one after Goodwin’s layup with 21.4 seconds on the clock. Following Anthony Edwards’ (41 points) two missed free throws with 12.7 seconds left, Gillespie found his way into the lane and drilled a contested go-ahead jumper to seal it.
11/26: Brandon Ingram’s game-winner
Brandon Ingram extended the Raptors' 9-game winning streak with a tiebreaking jumper with 0.6 seconds remaining.
In a dog fight with the Indiana Pacers on the final night of Group Play for Toronto, Ingram beat Pascal Siakam to his spot for a beautiful game-winning bucket with 0.6 ticks left to go. ‘BI’ finished with a game-high 26 points to give the Raptors a clutch 97-95 win to move to 4-0 and first place in East Group A, locking up the No. 2 seed and homecourt advantage versus the New York Knicks tonight in the quarterfinals (8:30 ET, Prime Video). Scottie Barnes added 24 points and 10 rebounds to secure Toronto’s ninth consecutive win at the time.
11/28: Spurs rally back from 18-point deficit
The Spurs defeated the Nuggets, 139-136, to clinch their spot in the NBA Cup Quarterfinals.
With West Group C on the line during the final night of Group Play on Nov. 28, San Antonio stormed back from an 18-point second-half deficit in the Mile High City to defeat the Nuggets 139-136. Devin Vassell (35 points) and Julian Champagnie (25 points) posted season-best efforts to outduel Jamal Murray (37 points), Cameron Johnson (28 points) and Nikola Jokić (21 points, 9 boards, 10 assists) to advance to the Knockout Rounds against the Los Angeles Lakers tomorrow night (10 ET, Prime Video). The Spurs outscored Denver 80-62 over the final two frames on the back of Vassell’s 21 points and perfect 5-for-5 shooting from distance, along with San Antonio going a pristine 23-of-24 at the free throw line and 30-of-32 for the contest.
