The Oklahoma City Thunder secured the top seed in the Western Conference of the NBA Cup on Tuesday, thanks to a dominant 27-point victory over the Utah Jazz.
This win, which had the highest point differential in the Cup’s deciding games, helped the Thunder break a three-way tie with the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets. Although the Thunder didn’t intentionally run up the score, their large margin of victory, combined with the Warriors and Rockets both losing, ensured they earned the No. 1 spot in the West heading into the knockout stages.
The point differential rule, which became pivotal in deciding the final standings, was a key factor for teams vying for quarterfinal spots. The Thunder’s 133-106 win over Utah moved them ahead of Golden State and Houston, setting up a quarterfinal matchup against Dallas.
In the Eastern Conference, the Milwaukee Bucks clinched the No. 1 overall seed with a 128-107 win over the Detroit Pistons, finishing their group stage undefeated at 4-0. The Bucks will host the Orlando Magic in the quarterfinals, despite Milwaukee’s rocky start to the season. Meanwhile, the New York Knicks, also undefeated in their group, will face the Atlanta Hawks in the East quarterfinals.
The Orlando Magic almost squandered their chance to advance, losing 121-106 to the Knicks but managing to stay in the mix by losing by fewer than 36 points. Other notable games included the Dallas Mavericks rallying from a 15-point deficit to beat the Memphis Grizzlies and the Phoenix Suns defeating the San Antonio Spurs, eliminating the latter from the Cup.
As the tournament heads into the quarterfinals next week, all games count toward regular-season standings, except for the championship. Players advancing to the knockout stages are also eligible for pool money, with the winning team set to receive a significant payout. The NBA Cup, still in its second year, has proven to be an exciting and competitive addition to the season, although the outcome hasn’t always translated to postseason success.
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