Three weeks into the NBA Cup, the field is beginning to take shape, and Friday night only sharpened the picture.
The most lopsided result came in San Antonio, where the Warriors were buried early without Steph Curry and never recovered. The Spurs jumped ahead 18-0 just a few minutes into the first quarter and rolled to a 123-85 win. That result helped push Victor Wembanyama and San Antonio into a comfortable position for the No. 1 seed in the West, with the Spurs’ NBA Cup point differential now tied with Boston for the league lead at +53.
The other blowouts were just as decisive. Memphis handled the struggling Pelicans 142-111, while Portland kept its momentum going with a 120-107 win over the Kings.
The night’s tightest battle came in Los Angeles, where the Clippers and Thunder traded punches all the way down the stretch. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in 40 points, but Brook Lopez delivered late for the Clippers, who held on for a 113-112 upset over Oklahoma City.
“This is March? Nay, this is the Cup.”
With four NBA Cup nights still left on the calendar, the projected eight-team knockout bracket would look like this if the group stage ended now.
In the East, Boston is still sitting in the top spot despite not playing Friday. The Celtics remain the projected No. 1 seed thanks to a +53 point differential.
Miami, meanwhile, has started 2-0 in Cup play even though Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Heat have had a slow start overall this season. The Heat still have games left against the 76ers and Knicks.
The Magic moved into the No. 3 seed in East Group A after their eight-point win over the Bucks, and the Pistons would slip in as the wild card at 1-0.
Out West, San Antonio leads the way after its dominant night against Golden State. The Wolves, Mavericks and Nuggets would complete the projected field.
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Now the conversation has shifted toward a more realistic kind of fix, with analysts pointing to Michael Porter Jr. as a possible answer to the teams perimeter-scoring problem. For a roster that already proved it can win at a high level, the appeal is obvious, but the bigger question is whether Detroit can turn that kind of buzz into a deal that actually changes the shape of its offense. [Read more 🡒]
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Jalen Durens Return Puts Pistons Frontcourt Roles In Flux
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Paul Reed is slated to slide back into a backup center role, while John Collins should settle back at power forward, restoring a more natural alignment for the group. Tolu Smiths minutes are also expected to shrink as Duren and Reed reclaim the primary center duties, leaving the Pistons with a frontcourt that suddenly has more bodies and a lot more decisions to make. [Read more 🡒]