Key highlights from December 03, 2024, NBA Cup action, including toe-to-toe matchups and surprising elimination.
Here’s the NBA Daily Recap for December 3, 2024, where we witnessed an exciting action from the final day of NBA Cup Group play. From a comeback win of the Dallas Mavericks to heartbreak of the Pistons, let’s revisit the key highlights from the action on Tuesday night.
Philadelphia 76ers overcame Charlotte Hornets to win the second straight game for the first time this season. Tyrese Maxey chipped in eight of his 21 points in the final 30 seconds, while Paul George added 29 points for the Sixers. Jared McCain had 17 points off the bench, and Kelly Oubre finished with 14 points.
Brandon Miller led the Hornets with 34 points, while Nick Richards scored 22 points and 14 rebounds. Rookie Tidjane Salaun also recorded his first double-double. Charlotte finished its homestand 0-5 and fell to 6-15 in the East.
Giannis Antetokounmpo highlighted a 28-point performance, and Damian Lillard had 27 to guide the Milwaukee Bucks to the NBA Cup quarterfinals. Bucks won their seventh straight game with a 4-0 record in East Group B.
Cade Cunningham scored 23 points for the Pistons, who faced elimination with a 3-1 record. Gary Trent Jr. scored 16 points, while Bobby Portis and Taurean Prince had 14 apiece. Bucks had a 78-59 lead at the half-break and the Pistons failed to reduce the deficit till the end.
The Cavaliers handed the 15th straight loss to the Washington Wizards after a 118-87 win in the NBA Cup. Donovan Mitchell finished with 19 points, and Evan Mobley scored 19 points and 10 rebounds. Sam Merrill and Georges Niang contributed 14 points apiece.
It was the largest win for the Caves this season, and they improved their best record 19-3. Valanciunas, Jordan Poole and rookie Bub Carrington scored 13 points each for the Wizards.
Josh Hart dropped a triple-double with 11 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists to help New Your Knicks reach the NBA Cup quarterfinals with a 4-0 record. Anthony Towns had 23 points and 15 rebounds. Jalen Brunson chipped in 21 points, while Miles McBride and OG Anunoby each added 18 points.
The Knicks had a 71-51 lead at the half-break but the Magic reduced the deficit to 15, so they qualify for the knockouts via tiebreaker. Franz Wagner scored 30 points and Moritz Wagner chipped in 20 off the bench for the Magic, but still, they ended their six-game winning streak.
Last season’s runner-ups, the Indiana Pacers, ended their NBA Cup campaign with a 0-4 record following a 122-111 loss to the Raptors. Scottie Barnes added a career-high 35 points, and RJ Barrett scored 29 for Toronto to win third time in four games.
Jakob Poeltl contributed 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Ochai Agbaji poured in 13 points for the Raptors. Tyrese Haliburton scored a team-high 30 points for the Pacers, who extended their road losing streak to seven. Bennedict Mathurin added 17 points, Myles Turner had 16 and Obi Toppin scored 15.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander celebrated the Western Conference Player of the Month award with 26 points, seven assists and six rebounds and helped the Thunder to cross the line against the Utah Jazz. Jalen Williams scored 28 points, Isaiah Joe had 19 points and fellow reserve Aaron Wiggins chipped in 16 for Oklahoma City, who won the group 3-1 after the Spurs’ defeat to the Suns.
Collin Sexton added 17 points while Walker Kessler and John Collins chipped in 15 apiece for the Jazz, who dropped their fifth straight game.
Also Read: NBA Cup 2024 Quarterfinals – Teams, Schedule, Time, Livestream and more
The clutch-time comeback helped the Dallas Mavericks overcome the Memphis Grizzlies in the crucial NBA Cup encounter. Luka Doncic scored 37 points and added 12 rebounds to change the fortune. Spencer Dinwiddie and P.J. Washington Jr. hit clutch 3-pointers in the final two minutes as the Mavericks reduced the 15-point deficit.
Washington scored 18 points, Dereck Lively II added 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Dinwiddie chipped in 16 for the Mavericks, who earned the West wild-card spot. Ja Morant added a season-high 31 points, including 15 in the fourth, but still, Dallas halted the Grizzlies’ six-game winning streak.
Phoenix Suns helped Thunder to qualify as the group winner as they defeated San Antonio Spurs 104-93. Despite Devin Booker’s 29 points, Phoenix failed to earn a wild-card spot into the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Booker crossed 15,000 career points with his first basket of the night.
Kevin Durant’s injury didn’t harm the Suns, as Tyus Jones scored 16 points, and Royce O’Neale and Bradley Beal added ten each. Devin Vassell paced the Spurs with 25 points off the bench and Stephon Castle chipped in 16. Suns ended their homestand 3-3 but improved to 12-8.
Sacramento Kings denied Houston Rockets the top seed in the NBA Cup quarterfinals with a surprise win. Domantas Sabonis scored 27 points, and De’Aaron Fox added 22 points for the Kings, who finished with 1-3 in the group play. Malik Monk had 17 points and a career-high 12 assists, and DeMar DeRozan poured in 16.
Jalen Green added 28 points for the Rockets, who already qualified for the knockout round. Alperen Sengun scored 24 points and Tari Eason had 16 points and 12 rebounds off the bench.
Steve Kerr’s Warriors dropped their sixth straight game with a 119-115 defeat against the Denver Nuggets. Golden State assured their quarterfinals berth last week and finished with a 3-1 in the respective group. Steph Curry led the Warriors with 24 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds but was 4 for 15 on 3-pointers.
Denver’s Nikola Jokic scored 38 points, 10 rebounds and five steals to snap a two-game losing home streak. Michael Porter Jr. contributed 22 points and Aaron Gordon had 15 points and nine rebounds for the Nuggets. The Warriors allowed Denver to take control when they had a 104-94 lead in the fourth, courtesy of a pair of free throws by Gordon with 48 seconds to play.
Los Angeles Clippers didn’t allow the Trail Blazers to think about the wild-card spot for a single quarter with a 22-point win in the final game of NBA Cup group play. Norman Powell scored 30 points, and James Harden recorded 23 points to guide the Clippers to finish 2-2 with the Blazers in Group A.
Clippers were 19 of 37 from 3-point range to a season-high in points. DeAndre Ayton led Portland with 16 points while Shaedon Sharpe and Deni Avdija had 15 points apiece.
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