Key highlights from November 29, 2024, Emirates NBA Cup action, including close matchups and shocking eliminations.
Here’s the NBA Daily Recap for November 29, 2024, where we saw crucial games for qualification in the knockout round of the in-season tournament. From the Cavaliers’ shocking exit in the group stage to Cunningham’s impressive comeback, let’s revisit the key highlights from the action on Friday night.
Atlanta Hawks became the first team to qualify for the NBA Cup knockouts as they eliminated Cavaliers 117-101. The honeymoon period is over for the Caves, as they lost the third game out of the last five. Trae Young scored 21 points and 11 assists and Jalen Johnson had 17 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for Atlanta. Darius Garland paced Cleveland with 29 points while Evan Mobley chipped in 24 points, including seven dunks.
Ja Morant’s 27 points and seven assists guided the Memphis Grizzlies to their first NBA Cup win in franchise history. Jaren Jackson Jr. chipped in 23 points and eight rebounds for the Grizzlies, while Santi Aldama added 20 points. CJ McCollum led the Injury-riddled New Orleans Pelicans with 30 points. Dejounte Murray and Trey Murphy added 21 points apiece. With seven straight defeats, the Pelicans now fell to 4-16.
Franz Wagner scored 21 of his 29 points in the first half to help Orlando Magic beat the Brooklyn Nets 123-100. Caldwell-Pope had 19 points, and Jalen Suggs and Carter Jr contributed 12 points apiece. Shake Milton led the Brooklyn Nets with 22 points off the bench. Keon Johnson scored 15 off the bench and Cam Johnson had 14 points for the Nets, who halted their three-game winning streak and fell to 1-3 in the NBA Cup.
Minnesota Timberwolves snapped a four-game losing streak with a close win over the LA Clippers, courtesy of Anthony Edwards’ 21 points on seven-for-21 shooting. Nickeil Alexander-Walker chipped in 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Julius Randle scored 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Wolves. James Harden paced the Clippers with 20 points and 11 assists, while Ivica Zubac added 16 points and 13 rebounds. Both teams are long shots to reach the knockouts of the NBA Cup 2024.
Boston Celtics extended their winning run to seven games with a convincing win over the Chicago Bulls, who failed to qualify for the quarterfinals. Jayson Tatum highlighted a 35-point performance with 14 rebounds. Payton Pritchard added a season-high 29 points off the bench, including a crucial 11-point streak in the fourth quarter. Nikola Vucevic paced Chicago with a season-best 32 points and 11 rebounds. Zach LaVine chipped in 29 points, hitting four three-pointers to become Chicago’s all-time leader in made threes.
Also Read: Derrick White Injury Update: Boston Celtics star exits game against Bulls with foot injury
Bam Adebayo scored a triple-double with 14 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds to guide Miami to a win over the Toronto Raptors. Jimmy Butler chipped in 26 points, and Tyler Herro added 23 for the Heat. Scottie Barnes also had a triple-double for Toronto with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. RJ Barrett paced the Raptors with 25 points and Jakob Poeltl finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds. The Raptors had a 12-0 to take a 79-77 edge. However, Miami pulled off a comeback with a 19-2 run to take a 96-81 lead and never trailed again. Despite the win, Miami Heat has been knocked out from NBA Cup.
Cade Cunningham scored 24 points and 11 rebounds on his comeback to help the Detroit Pistons beat the Indiana Pacers 130-106. Jaden Ivey added 23 points, while Malik Beasley contributed 22 as the Pistons improved to 3-0 in the NBA Cup. Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 21 points, and Tyrese Haliburton added 19 points and five assists. With a 10-point lead at the half break, the Pistons carried the momentum to secure their fifth win on the road. On the flip side, Pacers have been eliminated from NBA Cup after 0-3 record in group play.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander highlighted a 36-point performance to help the Thunder secure a crucial NBA Cup win over the Lakers, who faced elimination from the in-season tournament. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 points in the final quarter, and it was the fifth instance in the last six games where he hit at least 30 points. Jalen Williams chipped in 19 points, and Isaiah Hartenstein contributed 11 points with 18 rebounds. Dalton Knecht led the Lakers with 20 points, including five 3-pointers. D’Angelo Russell chipped in 17 points off the bench.
Portland Trail Blazers snatched the crucial win against the Sacramento Kings to stay alive in the NBA Cup. Deandre Ayton scored 26 points and nine rebounds while Anfernee Simons added 21 points. Deni Avdija contributed 20 points and nine rebounds for the Blazers. Dalano Banton chipped in 17 off the bench. Malik Monk paced the Kings with 29 points off the bench. De’Aaron Fox poured in 22 points, and Domantas Sabonis had 21. Blazers are now 2-1 in the group and they can still qualify.
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