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There is only one day of games left in the Group Phase of the 2024 NBA Cup, and it is certainly a big one. Dec. 3 is the last day of group play games before eight teams — six group winners and a wild card team from each conference — advance to the Knockout Stage. While some teams have already been eliminated from contention for the next round, there are still plenty of teams vying for spots and lots of implications for the games on Dec. 3. In this article, we are going to look at all of the clinching scenarios for the teams still mathematically alive for the NBA Cup Trophy.
NBA Cup standings
West Group A
Houston Rockets: 3-0
Portland Trail Blazers: 2-1
Minnesota Timberwolves: 2-2
Los Angeles Clippers: 1-2
Sacramento Kings: 0-3
West Group B
Phoenix Suns: 2-1
Oklahoma City Thunder: 2-1
San Antonio Spurs: 2-1
Los Angeles Lakers: 2-2
Utah Jazz: 0-3
West Group C
Golden State Warriors: 3-0
Dallas Mavericks: 2-1
Denver Nuggets: 1-2
Memphis Grizzlies: 1-2
New Orleans Pelicans: 1-3
East Group A
Orlando Magic: 3-0
New York Knicks: 3-0
Philadelphia 76ers: 1-2
Brooklyn Nets: 1-3
Charlotte Hornets: 0-3
East Group B
Detroit Pistons: 3-0
Milwaukee Bucks: 3-0
Miami Heat: 2-2
Toronto Raptors: 0-3
Indiana Pacers: 0-3
East Group C
Atlanta Hawks: 3-1
Boston Celtics: 3-1
Chicago Bulls: 2-2
Cleveland Cavaliers: 1-2
Washington Wizards: 0-3
Eastern Conference clinching scenarios
The only team guaranteed to be playing in the Knockout Stage is the Atlanta Hawks. Spots are still open for three other teams, and we will know who clinches after the games on Dec. 3. The clinching scenarios are below.
East Group A:
New York Knicks:
- Clinches group with a win against the Magic.
Orlando Magic:
- Clinches group with a win against the Knicks.
- Clinches wild card if they win the tiebreaker over Boston and the loser of the Milwaukee-Detroit game.
- Orlando can't lose by more than 37 points or in overtime.
East Group B:
Detroit Pistons:
- Clinches group with a win against the Bucks.
- Clinches wild card if they win the tiebreaker over Boston and the loser of the New York-Orlando game.
- Detroit can't lose by more than five points or in overtime.
Milwaukee Bucks:
- Clinches group with a win against the Pistons.
- Clinches wild card if they win the tiebreaker over Boston and the loser of the New York-Orlando game.
- Milwaukee can't lose by more than six points or in overtime.
East Group C:
Boston Celtics:
- Clinches wild card if New York loses and if they win the tiebreaker over the loser of Milwaukee-Detroit game.
- Clinches wild card if they win the tiebreaker over Orlando and the loser of the Milwaukee-Detroit game.
- Orlando must lose by 37-plus points in regulation and Detroit must lose by five-plus points or Milwaukee must lose by six-plus points in regulation.
Western Conference clinching scenarios
The Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors have clinched spots for the Knockout stage in the Western Conference, meaning there is still an open spot for the West Group B winner and one wild card spot. A lot more is going into the clinching scenarios out West.
West Group A:
Los Angeles Clippers:
- Clinches wild card if they win in regulation and Oklahoma City loses and Dallas loses and they win the tiebreaker over second-placed teams in West Group's B and C.
- Los Angeles must win by 24-plus points and Denver must win.
Portland Trail Blazers:
- Clinches wild card if they win and Oklahoma City loses and Dallas loses.
- Clinches wild card if they win and they win the tiebreaker over Dallas and second-placed team in West Group B.
- Clinches wild card if they lose in overtime and Oklahoma City loses and Dallas loses and Denver loses and they win the tiebreaker over second-placed teams in West Groups B and C.
West Group B:
Oklahoma City Thunder:
- Clinches wild card if they win and Utah loses and San Antonio loses.
- Clinches wild card if they win and they win the tiebreaker over Portland and Dallas.
- Clinches wild card if Phoenix losses and Portland loses and Dallas loses and they win the tiebreaker over second-placed teams in West Groups A and C.
- Clinches wild card if Portland loses and Dallas loses and they win tiebreaker over San Antonio and the Los Angeles Lakers and over second-placed teams in West Groups A and C.
- To win the tiebreaker, Oklahoma City must lose in overtime if Denver wins or by fewer than 24 points in overtime if Denver loses.
Phoenix Suns:
- Clinches group with a win over San Antonio and an Oklahoma City loss.
- Clinches wild card if they win and Portland loses and Dallas loses.
- Clinches wild card if they win against San Antonio and win the tiebreaker over Portland and Dallas.
San Antonio Spurs:
- Clinches group with win over Phoenix.
- Clinches wild card if Portland loses and Oklahoma City loses and Dallas losses and Denver loses and Sacramento wins tiebreaker over Oklahoma City and the Los Angeles Lakers and second-placed teams in West Groups A and C.
- Sacramento must lose by fewer than 20 points or in overtime.
West Group C:
Dallas Mavericks:
- Clinches wild card if they win and Oklahoma City loses and Portland loses.
- Clinches wild card if they win and they win the tiebreaker over Denver and Memphis and over second-placed team in West Group B.
- Clinches wild card if Oklahoma City loses and Portland loses and Denver wins and they win the tiebreaker over Denver and Dallas and second-placed teams in West Groups A and B.
- Dallas cannot lose by more than 24 points or in overtime.
Denver Nuggets:
- Clinches wild card if they win and Dallas loses and Oklahoma City loses and Portland loses and they win the tiebreaker over Dallas and Memphis and over second-placed teams in West Groups A and B.
- They must win by at least 16 points in regulation.
Memphis Grizzlies:
- Clinches wild card if they win and Oklahoma City loses and Portland loses and Denver loses and they win the tiebreaker over second-placed teams in West Groups A and B.
- Clinches wild card if they win and Oklahoma City loses and Portland loses and they win the tiebreaker over Dallas and Denver and the second-placed teams in West Groups A and B.
- They must win by 24-plus points in regulation.
