Ticket punched.
KAT and the Knicks clinched their spot in Saturday’s Emirates NBA Cup Semifinals, where they’ll face a familiar foe.
Which teams out West will join them?
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
Brunson Burner: Jalen Brunson sparks another Knicks clinic to oust Toronto
Bane Time: Desmond Bane catches fire in the 2nd half to rally Orlando past Miami
East Semis Set: Knicks & Magic ride big changes into Vegas for East Semifinals
Suns at Thunder: OKC eyes 16th straight win and 24-1 start, while Phoenix seeks payback
Spurs at Lakers: LeBron & Luka lead L.A.’s pursuit of a second Cup, Spurs look to take next step
BUT FIRST … ⏰
Saturday’s Emirates NBA Cup Semifinals in Las Vegas are halfway set, with two more tickets up for grabs tonight on Prime, as the Suns visit the Thunder (7:30 ET | Tap to Watch), before the Lakers host the Spurs (10 ET | Tap to Watch).
The NBA Cup champion will be crowned in Vegas following the Semifinals and Championship on Dec. 13 and 16, respectively. And you can be there to witness it live – secure your tickets now!
Court Drop: The Vegas floor is set. Check out the custom court design for the Semifinals and Championship.
1. SURGING KNICKS OUTPACE RAPTORS TO REACH SEMIFINALS
Only one team has reached the NBA Cup Quarterfinals in all three years of the event – the Knicks.
Yet New York had never turned those trips into a Semifinals berth.
Until now.
Knicks 117, Raptors 101: Jalen Brunson (35 pts, 4 ast) poured in 20 in the 1st quarter, dueling with Brandon Ingram (31 pts, 6 reb, 6 ast), whose early 17 points helped Toronto build a 39-35 lead in the opening frame.
But it was all New York from there, as the Knicks seized control with a 34-13 2nd quarter and never looked back, reaching the Cup Semifinals for the first time. | Recap
All-Out Attack: After posting an NBA-best 128 ppg in Group Play, New York wasted no time attacking a Toronto defense that allowed just 100.8 ppg across its first four Cup games – the fewest of any team.
- The Spark: It started with Brunson, who went 4-of-6 from deep in the opening frame en route to 26 1st-half points – his most in any half this season
- The Flame: He finished 13-of-19 from the field with six 3s for his 87th 30-piece as a Knick – tying Richie Guerin for 3rd-most in franchise history
- The Heart: Josh Hart was also lights out, sinking his first seven shots, while stuffing the stat sheet (21 pts, 6 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl, 8-11 FG)
- The Hustle: Karl-Anthony Towns was a menace on the glass (14 pts, 16 reb, 2 blk), pushing his season double-double total to 17 – trailing only Nikola Jokić for the most in the NBA
- The Damage: Mikal Bridges (15) and OG Anunoby (13) rounded out New York’s starting 5, which combined for 98 points – just three less than Toronto’s entire team
Surging: The Knicks have now won eight of their last nine games, ascending to 2nd in the East with a 17-7 record – their best start since 2012-13.
But right now, it’s all about the Cup – 24 seconds at a time.
- “Winning every possession,” said Hart on the key to advancing. “If you do that, you’ll get to the end goal … but we’ve got to make sure we take care of what’s in front of us.”
2. BANE BOOSTS MAGIC PAST HEAT, BOOKING TRIP TO VEGAS
Nine days ago, Desmond Bane’s 18-point 4th quarter against Chicago prompted Magic coach Jamahl Mosley to sum up exactly why Orlando traded for him last summer.
- “He’s a winner. He’s going to find a way to win no matter what,” said Mosley postgame.
- “His toughness. His ability to make plays down the stretch – that’s who we’ve asked him to be, and that’s who he is.”
On Tuesday, with a trip to Saturday’s Cup Semifinals on the line, Bane backed it up.
Magic 117, Heat 108: Miami opened on a 15-0 run, taking a 30-17 lead into the 2nd quarter, with Bane sitting at 2 points.
Then, he went to work. With Franz Wagner out (ankle), the Magic’s newest star went off, dropping 35 points over the next three quarters – including 15 in the 4th – as Orlando rallied past its in-state rival to punch its ticket to Vegas. | Recap
Turnaround Takeover: After scoring five points against Miami on Friday, Bane finished with a game-high 37 last night, going 6-of-9 from deep while adding six boards and five dimes.
- Magic 37: It’s Bane’s third 37-point game in his last six outings and the 4th-most points by a player in an NBA Cup Knockout Round game
- T-Mac Territory: It’s the first time he’s recorded three 35+ point games over a six-game span, making him the first Magic player to do so since Tracy McGrady in 2004
And he saved his best for last. Trailing by one at the break, Bane poured in 25 points in the 2nd half, including 9 straight to open the 4th – nailing a triple, converting a tough and-1, then splashing another trey to ignite the Kia Center, as the Magic rolled the rest of the way.
- Who He Is: Bane finished 14-of-24 from the field, and his 15 points in the final frame marked his 2nd-highest scoring quarter of the season – trailing only his 18-point 4th last week against Chicago
- “Winning time,” said Bane on the late takeover. “That’s all I care about, is winning.”
- More Shine: Jalen Suggs (20 pts) and Paolo Banchero (18 pts, 7 reb) led five more Magic in double figures, while Norman Powell (21 pts, 7 reb) and Tyler Herro (20 pts, 7 reb) powered Miami
Up Next: Familiar foes collide as Orlando faces New York in Saturday’s first Semifinal (5:30 ET, Prime), with the winner advancing to Tuesday’s Championship.
3. EAST SEMIFINALISTS EMBRACE CHANGE FOR GAINS
Saturday’s East Semifinal features two teams turning 2024 Cup Quarterfinal exits into 2025 Semifinal berths.
Orlando and New York made some of the biggest moves in the East this offseason, addressing earlier-than-intended 2025 Playoffs exits.
The Magic leaned into their win-now window, acquiring Desmond Bane, who matched his season-high in scoring when it mattered most in last night’s Knockout stakes.
The Knicks doubled down on their championship aspirations, hiring Mike Brown as coach with an offensive turn that’s netted the most points through 24 games (2,893) in franchise history, fueling their 17-7 start.
Now these change-embracing contenders both sit top-4 in the East, colliding in a Cup Semifinal pitting Orlando’s top-5 defense against New York’s rolling, top-3 offense – marking their fourth meeting this season.
- 3-Point Revolution: The Knicks have made the 4th-most 3s per game (15.4) this season, rocketing up from 24th last year (12.6), the biggest jump of any team
- Close-Knit: New York can stretch the floor while also embracing its physicality through handoffs, as seen above against Toronto ⬆️. NY is tied for the 3rd-most points per game from handoffs
- Speaking Of Physical … The Knicks make 12.3 shots per game on drives, matching the Magic for 3rd-most in the NBA
After the Heat hit their first seven shots last night on the way to an 18-2 open, Orlando’s defense locked in, earning a Defensive Rating (101.3) in the final three quarters — which is lower than OKC’s the league-best 104.1 mark — to stifle the 3rd-highest scoring offense.
- Orlando Island: Watch above as the Magic defense works to keep Miami in 1-on-1 matchups, limiting 3-point attempts at a league-leading rate (32.0) and tying for second-fewest opponent made threes (11.5)
- Team Turnaround: Since Nov. 10, the Magic rank 3rd in DefRtg (109.6), making strides by limiting second-chance points (9.9 per game)
Round 4: Orlando has held New York to 111.3 ppg in their previous three outings this season, winning the first two. But the Knicks claimed the most recent matchup, a 106-100 win on Sunday.
Who will take Part 4 on Saturday, with a trip to the Emirates NBA Cup Championship on the line?
4. SUNS AT THUNDER: OKC EYES HISTORY, PHOENIX SEEKS REVENGE
The Thunder know this stage well.
Last year, they got all the way to the Cup Championship — the very cusp of in-season glory. But the Bucks ultimately stopped them short.
That loss wasn’t a setback. It proved to be merely a launchpad.
Tonight (7:30 ET, Prime), a new run begins for the Thunder against the Suns at Paycom Center in the Cup Quarterfinals. Since that defeat nearly one year ago, Oklahoma City is 71-10 in the regular season, defending NBA champs and the hottest team in the league right now.
- What’s In A Number?: The final score of the 2024 Cup Championship was 97-81 — a 16-point loss. Now, OKC is playing for a franchise-record 16th consecutive victory
- Rarefied Air: Only one team in the 80-year history of the Association has started 24-1: the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, whom the Thunder are one win away from joining
- Century Mark: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (career-high 32.8 ppg) has been the catalyst, and continues inching toward 100 straight games of 20 or more points, sitting at 95
Winning games has been his team’s bread and butter. That’s what they’ve done week after week and month after month.
They’ll need three more to add an NBA Cup to their quickly overflowing trophy case.
- Wins On Wins: The Thunder’s 72 regular-season victories since losing the Cup Championship on Dec. 17 are the most in the NBA in that span. The next closest teams? The Cavs and Celtics with 55 wins
- Breathing Room: The Thunder’s average point differential in that span is a comfortable 14.1, while stifling play on the defensive end has held opponents to 108.7 ppg
- Shai Sizzles: Also during the last 81 games, Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at will, posting 33.5 ppg on an efficient 53.3 FG%
Phoenix will look to accomplish what only one team has this season. It could hand OKC its first loss since Nov. 5, and knock the defending NBA champions out of Cup contention.
Dillon Brooks’ on-ball tenacity and high basketball IQ have only helped the Suns toughen up their defense. With him at forward, they played the Thunder close, 123-119, in their last meeting.
- “This is what Dillon does. He plays extremely hard, every single night, and he works extremely hard on his game,” said Suns coach Jordan Ott. “He’s the ultimate competitor.”
- Loving Limelight: Devin Booker (groin) remains day-to-day, but Collin Gillespie has been ready to step up. The guard is averaging career-highs of 13.6 ppg and 4.8 apg
5. SPURS AT LAKERS: TOP SCORERS & SURGING SQUADS COLLIDE
Two of the top-3 highest scorers in NBA Cup history collide tonight.
Spurs at Lakers (10 ET, Prime): Luka Dončić puts his all-time high 32.6 points per Cup game up against De’Aaron Fox’s third-best 31.6 Cup scoring average in this Quarterfinals finale.
The Lakers and Spurs have been top-5 mainstays thus far in the West standings, with each overcoming significant injury time for their transcendent superstars.
L.A.’s star trio shot through Group B undefeated, as the first West team to advance, while San Antonio’s youth movement survived a loaded Group C by defeating Denver in the Group Play finale.
- Luka Leading: Dončić enters tonight with eight straight 30+ point outings, a streak shared with only four other Lakers: Shaq, Kobe, Jerry West and Elgin Baylor
- Up To Speed: LeBron James is returning to his All-NBA form, with a season-high 29 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists in Sunday’s clutch victory in Philly
- “It never gets old… That arena, that excitement,” LeBron said of Sunday’s winning feeling. “That’s the one thing you won’t be able to get back when you’re done playing.”
- X Factor: Breakout sensation Austin Reaves is averaging 30.3 pts on 60.7% shooting in 2025 Cup games, and is currently on pace to become the first undrafted player to average 25/5/5 in a season
The Spurs will lean on their gelling, growing backcourt in Fox, Dylan Harper and a healthy Stephon Castle to counter L.A.’s firepower and continue covering for an injured Victor Wembanyama (calf).
- The Future Is Here: In his first action since Nov. 16, Castle (hip) looked sharp on Monday (18 pts, 5 reb 5 ast), while Harper hit the game-winner in his highest-scoring outing yet (22 pts, 6 ast)
- In Good Hands: Fox has led the Spurs to an 8-3 record with Wemby sidelined, including a 5-0 mark in clutch games for the 2023-24 Clutch Player of the Year
- “Big stakes game – in LA – It [doesn’t] get better than that,” Castle said of the Quarterfinal matchup
- “Excited to go out there and try to win it all,” Harper said.
The Lakers survived the only matchup between the two thus far this season, 118-116, thanks to Luka’s 35 points, 13 assists, 9 rebounds and 5 steals, on a night when Wemby (19 pts, 8 reb) fouled out late.
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