The Milwaukee Bucks have put that 2-8 start in the rearview mirror.
With Tuesday’s 128-107 victory against the Detroit Pistons, the Bucks secured a spot in the NBA Cup quarterfinals with a 4-0 record in Eastern Conference Group B play. They moved to 11-9 overall.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard have found offensive compatibility, the defense has improved and the Bucks have now won nine of their past 10 games, including seven consecutive.
The New York Knicks also advanced to the quarterfinals with a 4-0 record in East Group A play after beating the Orlando Magic 121-106 Tuesday.
Though they fell to 3-1 in group play, the Magic also reached the quarterfinals as the East wild card, beating Boston (also 3-1 in group play) in the point differential tiebreaker. All the Magic had to do was not lose by 37 or more.
It got close.
The Knicks led by 37 with 2:54 left in the third quarter, and the Celtics were rooting for their division rival. The Magic, however, did just enough in the fourth quarter.
The Atlanta Hawks qualified for the quarterfinals last week as the winner of East Group C with a 3-1 record, edging Boston on the head-to-head tiebreaker in group play.
East Group A
Group winner: New York Knicks; Orlando Magic also advance as wild card
The Knicks, who ended Orlando’s six-game winning streak, have been a tad uneven this season as they work newcomers Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges into the lineup. But they found success in Cup play, and All-NBA guard Jalen Brunson led the way with his scoring and passing.
Even without injured All-Star Paolo Banchero, the Magic have continued to win games, and Franz Wagner is a significant part of that. He averaged 30.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 2.3 steals in Orlando’s three Cup victories.
East Group B
Group winner: Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks are one of the hottest teams in the league and moving up the Eastern Conference standings. Antetokounmpo and Lillard each averaged almost 30 points in the three Cup games in which they played, and against Detroit, they combined for 55 points – 28 for Antetokounmpo and 27 for Lillard.
East Group C
Group winner: Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson collected 20.3 points, 11.8 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.0 steals and shot 54.7% from the field in four Cup games.
When are the NBA Cup knockout round games?
Here is the knockout round schedule:
Quarterfinals: Dec. 10 and Dec. 11 in home markets
- Orlando at Milwaukee
- Atlanta at New York
Semifinals: Dec. 14, 4:30 p.m. ET, TNT and 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC in Las Vegas
Final: Dec. 17, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC in Las Vegas
