NBA Cup roundup: Bucks, Thunder move on as top seeds

The second annual in-season tournament resumed Tuesday with 11 games as group play came to a close. For an explanation on how the tourney works, tap here.

To see what happened during Friday's action, tap here.

Tuesday's results

• 76ers 110-104 Hornets
• Wizards 87-118 Cavaliers
• Bucks 128-107 Pistons
• Magic 106-121 Knicks
• Pacers 111-122 Raptors
• Jazz 106-133 Thunder
• Grizzlies 116-121 Mavericks
• Spurs 93-104 Suns
• Warriors 115-119 Nuggets
• Rockets 111-120 Kings
• Blazers 105-127 Clippers

Check out our NBA scores page for box score recaps for each game, and the NBA Cup tab on our NBA standings page for group standings.

Top performers

Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks): The Bucks capped off a dominant group stage sweep with a blowout win over the Detroit Pistons thanks in no small part to Antetokounmpo. The Greek Freak scored "just" 28 points but was an absolute menace around the paint, missing just one of 11 shots - all but two of which were from inside 15 feet. Add in eight assists, seven rebounds, and a block, and Antetokounmpo has the Bucks looking dangerous again with seven straight wins.

Scottie Barnes (Raptors): Goggles Scottie continues to impress. The 23-year-old dropped a career-high 35 points in Toronto's win over the Pacers. This is the second time he's scored over 30 points since returning from a right orbital bone fracture in mid-November. Barnes also added nine assists and six rebounds, becoming the first Raptors player to post these numbers - while shooting at least 60% - since Vince Carter in 2004, per StatMuse.

Luka Doncic (Mavericks): Doncic led Dallas to an improbable fourth-quarter comeback win against the Grizzlies, tallying 37 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and four steals in the victory. This is the fourth time the Slovenian has had at least 35 points, 10 rebounds, and four steals in a game, more than every other Mavericks player combined.

Highlight of the night

Mavs big man Dereck Lively II returned from a knee injury to finish this Doncic lob in style. The second-year pro put Jaren Jackson Jr, the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, on a poster with a ferocious two-handed slam.

Tweet of the night

We all need that one friend who isn't afraid to tell it like it is, but bonus points if they do it in a crowded professional locker room in the vicinity of several journalists.

Stat of the night

While Antetokounmpo was unstoppable inside the perimeter, the rest of the Bucks were lethal outside of it. Milwaukee converted on a season-high 23 triples in their win over Detroit to secure its passage to the knockout stage. It's a simple marker but one as strong as any that Doc Rivers' squad has turned the corner after a brutal start to the year.

What's next

As group winners, the Bucks, Knicks, and Hawks will be joined in the quarterfinals by the Magic, whose blowout loss to New York was just within the margins to send them through in the wild-card spot above the Celtics. Milwaukee will host Orlando in the first quarterfinal at 7 p.m. ET on Dec. 10, while Atlanta will travel to Madison Square Garden to face New York on Dec. 11, also at 7 pm ET.

In the West, the Thunder, Rockets, and Warriors finished as the top three group winners, in that order. Oklahoma City will host the Mavericks, who secured the conference's wild card, at 9:30 p.m. ET on Dec. 10 following Magic-Bucks. Golden State will meet the Rockets in Houston at the same time on Dec. 11, following the conclusion of the Hawks-Knicks clash.

The four winners then head to Las Vegas for the semifinals Dec. 14 in hopes of earning a spot in the Dec. 17 final at T-Mobile Arena.

Tap the NBA Cup tab on our NBA standings page for the latest group standings.