NBA Cup group play is wrapping up. Friday’s 11-game slate started with 12 teams battling for six spots in the tournament’s knockout rounds, beginning with the Magic securing a berth in the knockout round.
As the East’s NBA Cup group play subsides, let’s go game by game to examine each result from Friday’s slate as the West groups begin their matchups:
New York Knicks 118, Milwaukee Bucks 107
The Knicks faced multiple double-digit deficits and had one of their own shrink, but they were able to pull out a gritty win against the Bucks in Giannis Antetokounmpo’s return.
Jalen Brunson did whatever he wanted against Milwaukee through the first three quarters, scoring 31 points in that span. It forced the Bucks to blitz him in the fourth quarter, but his teammates made just enough shots to close out Milwaukee’s late push.
New York will stop in Toronto for the quarterfinals before a potential trip to Las Vegas for the semifinals and finals. This is important because the Knicks will travel more than any other team in the NBA this season if they make it to Las Vegas. New York spent a week in Abu Dhabi for the preseason. The two cross-country flights required if it makes it to Las Vegas are separate from the west coast road trips still on the schedule.
Something to monitor in the second half of the season. — James Edwards III, Knicks beat writer
Orlando Magic 112, Detroit Pistons 109
Contentious contests have become the norm between the Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons, and Friday’s NBA Cup matchup was no different as the Magic outlasted the Pistons to win 112-109 and clinch East Group B. Desmond Bane dropped a team-high 37 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal to lead Orlando. In addition to clinching, the Magic handed the Pistons their first back-to-back losses of the season.
Cade Cunningham paced Detroit with his second triple-double of the year, finishing with 39 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists. Missed free throws and allowing offensive rebounds led to the Pistons’ demise down the stretch. — Hunter Patterson, Pistons beat writer
WAGIC WIN🪄
East Group B Champs!! pic.twitter.com/1kQ4hWG6Oh
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) November 29, 2025
Desmond Bane at DET:
37 PTS
8 REB
13-25 FG
11-12 FT pic.twitter.com/Rx01n562o1
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) November 29, 2025
Atlanta Hawks 130, Cleveland Cavaliers 123
Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson talked before the game about pre-game worries, and not so much about the scoring margin. In retrospect, that seems wise. The Cavs had scenarios where winning by 16 or more would help them advance in the NBA Cup, but they ended up not winning at all in Atlanta. Cleveland fell 130-123 to the Hawks thanks to a rash of turnovers (17) and uncharacteristically poor transition defense (36 Atlanta fastbreak points).
Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson, making a push for an All-Star bid, punished the Cavs with 29 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists for his second triple-double of the season, while guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 28.
Cleveland got 42 from star guard Donovan Mitchell but precious little from the supporting cast. Forward De’Andre Hunter, in his first game back in Atlanta since being dealt to Cleveland by the Hawks there at the February trade deadline, scored 15, including a huge dunk on Mo Gueye that ended in a shoving match between the two.
The Cavs were also hurt by a late jump ball when the game was tied with 1:24 left and the game tied at 123, when Atlanta’s 6-8 Onyeka Okongwu unexpectedly out-tipped Cleveland’s 7-foot Jarrett Allen to secure possession for Atlanta. Zaccharie Rishacer hit a 3 on the Hawks’ possession, and after Alexander-Walker followed with a triple of his own on the next Atlanta trip, the outcome was all but assured. — John Hollinger, senior NBA writer
This story will be updated.