Browsing: Cup

• 

  Dave McMenaminDec 9, 2025, 04:29 PM ET

  Close

  • Lakers and NBA reporter for ESPN.
  • Covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14, the Cavaliers from 2014-18 for ESPN.com and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart was cleared to practice Tuesday after being sidelined with a back issue for the past two weeks, giving L.A. a defensive boost heading into Wednesday’s NBA Cup quarterfinals matchup with the San Antonio Spurs.

“Back’s feeling good,” Smart said. “Felt good in practice today. So we did some tests, passed the tests. We’re going to give it a shot tomorrow. See how it feels.”

Smart, 31, missed the Lakers’ last six games with what the team termed a left lumbar muscle strain.

The former Defensive Player of the Year is averaging 9.3 points, 2.9 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.8 steals for L.A. this season after signing as a free agent in the summer.

Meanwhile, the Lakers prepared at practice Tuesday for the potential return of the 7-5 center dynamo, Victor Wembanyama, to San Antonio’s lineup. Wembanyama, who is averaging 26.2 points, 12.9 rebounds and 3.6 blocks, has missed the Spurs’ last 11 games with a left calf strain.

Editor’s Picks

• 
• 

1 Related

“I’ll be doing as much as I can, but it’s a game plan where the whole team has to guard him,” Lakers center Deandre Ayton said of Wembanyama. “Just shut him down and make everything uncomfortable for him and that’s what we’ve been working on … just really just leaving the focus on him on the defensive end and making our defense create our offense in transition.”

L.A. beat San Antonio 118-116 on Nov. 5, and Wembanyama was held relatively in check, finishing with 19 points on 5-for-14 shooting, 8 rebounds and 5 turnovers while fouling out.

Since that game, the Spurs have gotten former All-Star De’Aaron Fox back in the lineup and have gone 10-5 over their last 15, with Fox averaging 24.3 points and 6.5 assists.

“He is obviously a very dynamic guard,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said of Fox. “You got to do a good job of containing drives. And it’s not just him. Their guards. [Stephon] Castle … obviously when [Devin] Vassell gets going off of dribble handoffs and putting not only pressure on the rim, but just his jump shooting, they’re good movers. … They have good movers on their team and so it’s going to be a challenge. And Fox is, he is one of the best guards in the league.”

After going 4-0 in the group stage of the NBA Cup, Wednesday’s game is do-or-die. Win, and your team advances to Las Vegas for the semifinals Saturday and a chance at the $530,000 cash prize per player in the championship game. Lose, and your team is out and each player takes home $53,000.

“I’m just happy for the fans,” Ayton said of the challenge the Cup presents. “Fans get to see a different part of the NBA, like it’s a March Madness type of vibe, and they come to see us play and we put on a show.”

And as for L.A.’s chances of capturing its second NBA Cup title in the three years of its existence? Said Ayton: “Seeing where we are in the season, why not us?”

Source link

The first half of the NBA Cup’s quarterfinal matchups are now in the books, and both the Orlando Magic and New York Knicks are headed to Las Vegas.

Both the Magic and the Knicks won their respective games on Tuesday night, and will now square off in the semifinals in Las Vegas later this week.

Advertisement

That leads to a substantial raise, too. Each full-time player on the Magic and Knicks rosters earned a $106,187 paycheck via a pay scale that escalates with each subsequent round of the NBA Cup. The championship-winning players will earn $530,933, a nice payday by any account and a substantial raise for anyone playing on the league minimum $1.366 million salary.

Desmond Bane continues to ascend from slow start with Magic

The Miami Heat seized early control Tuesday night with a 15-0 lead over the Magic in their quarterfinal matchup to tip off the NBA Cup action.

But as tends to be the case with double-digit leads in the NBA, the advantage was not safe. Sparked by Desmond Bane, the Magic rallied to take their first lead of the game at 47-46 before halftime. By the fourth quarter, they were in full control of a 117-108 victory.

Advertisement

After scoring two first-quarter points, Bane finished with 37 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. The former Memphis sharpshooter had his best shooting night since joining the Magic this season while shooting 14 of 24 from the floor and 6 of 9 from 3.

Bane sparked Orlando’s second-quarter rally with 10 points as the Magic outscored the Heat 39-27 in the stanza. And he helped keep the Heat at bay after halftime with four 3-pointers on five attempts.

Following a rocky start to his Magic career, Tuesday’s performance marked Bane’s third 37-point effort in his past six games.

The Magic have needed the production from Bane amid injuries to their veteran stars. All-Star Paolo Banchero previously missed 10 games with a groin strain. He was back for a third straight game Tuesday night with 18 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. But star forward Franz Wagner missed the first game of what’s projected as a multiweek absence with a high-ankle sprain.

Advertisement

Despite the injuries, the Magic are off to a 15-10 start that was good for fourth place in the East at the conclusion of Tuesday’s game and are now in position to win the NBA Cup. They’ll need continued strong play from Bane to maintain their pace.

Jalen Brunson, Knicks roll to win

The second game of the night wasnâ€t anywhere near as close as the first. The Toronto Raptors struggled to put up much of a fight.

The Knicks rolled to a dominant 117-101 win over the Raptors to secure their spot in the semifinals. Theyâ€ve now made it to the semifinal round of the NBA Cup for the first time after falling short in the quarterfinals in the first two years of its existence.

Advertisement

Though the Raptors came out of the gate fine, they shut down in the second quarter on Tuesday night. The Knicks surged ahead to a 17-point lead at the break of their contest at Scotiabank Arena after they held Toronto to just 13 points as a group in the second quarter. A Jamal Shead 3-pointer in the final minute before halftime was the only shot in the period that the Raptors made from outside of the restricted area. Toronto had almost nothing going.

Jalen Brunson, on the other hand, was just about perfect offensively. He dropped 26 points in the first half alone and shot 10-of-12 from the field.

That was just a hole that the Raptors never recovered from. The Knicks maintained a 15-point lead entering the final period, and then cruised to the 16-point win. Brunson finished with 35 points with six 3-pointers. Josh Hart added 21 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 14 points and 17 rebounds. The Knicks have now won eight of their last nine, and hold a 17-7 record.

Brandon Ingram led the Raptors with 31 points and seven assists. Shead had 18 points, and Scottie Barnes dropped 13 points points. The loss, their fourth straight, moved the Raptors to 15-11 on the season.

Advertisement

Though the Knicks have been great on their home floor — they hold a 13-1 record at Madison Square Garden this season — Tuesday night was probably the best theyâ€ve played on the road so far this year. If they can transition that out west in the coming days, theyâ€ll be a tough to beat.

Source link

The 2025 Emirates NBA Cup quarterfinals kick off Tuesday after group play concluded Nov. 28. Four matchups will decide who punches a ticket to the semifinals in Las Vegas on Saturday.

First, the Miami Heat visit the Orlando Magic before the Toronto Raptors host the New York Knicks. The winner of each game will represent the East. The Western Conference matchups are on Wednesday, when the 23-1 Oklahoma City Thunder will host the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers will host the San Antonio Spurs.

The Magic will have to advance without star Franz Wagner, who left Sunday’s game because of a high ankle sprain. The good news for the Magic, though, is that Paolo Banchero is back from a groin injury he suffered on Nov. 12. In the West, Luka Doncic is back for the Lakers after missing two games for the birth of his daughter. And while LeBron James saw his 1,297-game streak come to an end on Thursday, he and the Lakers have the chance to become the first two-time NBA Cup champions.

Can anyone stop the Thunder in the West? And will Wagner’s injury dash Orlando’s hopes of reaching Las Vegas? Our NBA Insiders answer the biggest questions ahead of the quarterfinal matchups.

Eastern Conference

How will Franz Wagner’s injury affect the Magic against the Heat and moving forward?

Orlando was finally whole — for a game.

The Magic waited 23 days for star Paolo Banchero’s return from a groin strain on Friday. Less than 48 hours later, Franz Wagner sustained a left high ankle sprain, dramatically changing Tuesday’s NBA Cup quarterfinal. Though the Magic received the best news possible on Wagner’s injury — an MRI showed no structural damage, sources told ESPN — Orlando will face its in-state rival without its steadiest player. Wagner is averaging 22.7 points, a career-high 6.1 rebounds and has improved his 3-point shooting from 29.5% last season to 36.0%, a big reason the Magic were able to go 7-3 without Banchero.

Instead of being able to work his way back, Banchero will need to shoulder the offensive load immediately, supplemented with scoring and outside shooting from Desmond Bane and Jalen Suggs. Anthony Black has already played a major role this season, and his versatility will be vital for the Magic to survive without Wagner for potentially the next two to four weeks. Wagner had 32 points in Friday’s 106-105 win over Miami, while the returning Banchero added nine points on only eight shots in 20 minutes. After 16 points on 11 shots across 24 minutes in Sunday’s loss to the Knicks, Banchero’s offense is slowly trending up ahead of the Cup quarters.

Though Orlando will be without one of its top scorers, Miami guard Tyler Herro (toe) is probable and Davion Mitchell (groin) is expected to play. The Heat have lost four of their past five games, but Herro’s potential return and Wagner’s injury could provide the boost Miami needs to reach Vegas. — Ohm Youngmisuk

play

1:12

Miami Heat vs. Orlando Magic: Game Highlights

Miami Heat vs. Orlando Magic: Game Highlights

Did the Knicks bring their scorching offense, and will Karl-Anthony Towns be part of it?

New York’s offense has been a machine through the team’s first 23 games — third in the NBA in efficiency and fourth in made 3-pointers per game. The Knicks are also running into the Raptors at just the right time, as Toronto has dropped five of its past six games after a torrid 13-1 stretch that vaulted them up the conference standings. To make matters worse, the Raptors will be without forward RJ Barrett, who the team announced is sidelined at least another week because of a knee sprain.

But for the Knicks, there’s only one problem: This NBA Cup quarterfinal is in Toronto. The Knicks morph into a league average offense away from Madison Square Garden (just 3-6 on the road).

New York might also be without big man Towns, who is questionable because of a calf injury that held him out of Sunday’s win. Getting OG Anunoby back — the two-way force played 23 minutes Sunday against the Magic after sitting out nine games because of a hamstring strain — doesn’t quite feel as good if Towns’ injury turns into more than a one-game respite.

Towns hasn’t had the greatest season to date. All of his offensive numbers are down from last season, his first in New York after being traded by the Minnesota Timberwolves on the eve of training camp. Perhaps it’s the adjustment to new coach Mike Brown’s offense, in which Towns is getting the ball in different spots, and others are being featured more prominently as playmakers, such as forward Mikal Bridges. — Vincent Goodwill

Road to the semifinals

Miami and Orlando played a Cup quarterfinal preview just last week, with the Magic sneaking out a 106-105 victory at home in Banchero’s first game back from injury. (The Magic also beat the Heat at home on opening night.)

Both Florida teams were scorching last week but have since cooled off: Orlando went on a 9-2 run before dropping two of its past three games, while Miami followed a six-game win streak with a 1-4 stretch.

Toronto is also stumbling into the Cup quarterfinals, having lost five of its past six games after a nine-game winning streak. But the Knicks are playing their best basketball of the season, entering the week on a 7-1 run — granted, with the aid of a favorable schedule. Five of the Knicks’ past seven wins have come against teams with losing records; the only exceptions are Orlando and Toronto, which the Knicks blew out 116-94 on Nov. 30.

These two East quarterfinals are also potential playoff previews. The conference’s jumbled standings are likely to shift many times between now and the end of the regular season, but projections from ESPN’s Basketball Power Index now peg Orlando as Miami’s most likely first-round opponent, and New York as Toronto’s most likely foe. — Zach Kram

Western Conference

Will the Thunder ever lose again?

That’s a bit hyperbolic, but Oklahoma City is a juggernaut of historical proportions. The Thunder, despite ranking second leaguewide in games missed because of injury, are the third team in NBA history to win at least 23 of their first 24 games, joining the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors and 1969-70 New York Knicks. Oklahoma City has an average point differential of plus-16.1 points, which is on pace to shatter its own record of plus-12.9 set last season. The Thunder have won 15 straight games since their lone loss of the season, which occurred in Portland on Nov. 5, when the Trail Blazers rallied from a 22-point deficit to beat an Oklahoma City squad that was without several core players on the second night of a back-to-back.

Phoenix gave OKC as much of a scare as any opponent since that loss, slicing a 15-point deficit to one in the final minutes of the Nov. 28 Cup group stage finale at Paycom Center. Then Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 10 of his game-high 37 points in the final 2:40.

It’s an accomplishment just to make the reigning MVP play in the fourth quarter this season, something Gilgeous-Alexander has done only 11 times. But keeping it close only brings out the best in the Thunder, whose plus-41.4 net rating in clutch situations (score within five points in the final five minutes or overtime) is by far the best in the league. — Tim MacMahon

play

2:06

SGA leads Thunder to 19-1 record with 37-point game

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tallies 37 points and 8 assists in the Thunder’s win over the Suns.

Can the Spurs handle Luka Doncic and the Lakers without Victor Wembanyama?

It’s possible, but it won’t be easy. Despite San Antonio playing with a healthy Wembanyama, Doncic lit up the Spurs’ defense for a near triple-double with Stephon Castle taking on most of the responsibility of guarding him. Despite the Lakers finishing on a 21-0 run, San Antonio still had a chance to tie the score with 0.2 seconds left — but Julian Champagnie missed two free throws. Second-chance scoring figured prominently in the first matchup between the teams, with Los Angeles outscoring San Antonio 28-11 in that department.

Lakers big man Deandre Ayton shot 9-of-13 for 22 points and pulled down 10 rebounds while Wembanyama spent most of the game in foul trouble before eventually fouling out. The Frenchman isn’t expected to participate in this matchup as he recovers from a strained calf. Veteran big man Luke Kornet, who averaged 2.1 blocks with a game-saving swat on Dec. 3 at Orlando, probably will anchor San Antonio’s defense. Kornet, a free agent addition who has helped the Spurs post a 7-2 record without Wembanyama, flat-out battles in the paint and should fare well against Ayton.

San Antonio probably won’t have any more answers for Doncic and could have to choose between allowing him to either score or facilitate. That’s a task made even more difficult with LeBron James, who was sidelined during the teams’ first matchup, back in the lineup. — Michael C. Wright

Road to the semifinals

After losing the 2024 NBA Cup finals to the Milwaukee Bucks, the Thunder are the clear favorites this time amid a 23-1 start to the season.

We could see playoff previews in the West bracket. ESPN BPI projections currently show Phoenix as the Thunder’s most likely first-round opponent and suggest either the Lakers or Spurs as plausible second-round matchups.

Although a Suns win would be a huge upset, the semifinal in Vegas could provide the Thunder a greater challenge. The Lakers would be the de facto home team on a neutral court, and the Spurs’ breakthrough campaign led by a budding superstar is reminiscent of where Oklahoma City was two years ago.

The Lakers did hand the Thunder their largest loss during the 2024-25 regular season, winning 126-99 in Oklahoma City in April behind 30 points from Doncic. The Thunder responded with a comfortable win over L.A. two days later, but Doncic’s size and skill has always made him a difficult matchup for Oklahoma City (and everybody else).

A Spurs-Thunder matchup would potentially renew the rivalry between Chet Holmgren and Wembanyama, which dates to the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup final, if the latter is back from the left calf strain that has kept him out since Nov. 17. Because of injuries, the two skilled young centers have met only once since their rookie seasons. Wembanyama struggled in that game, scoring six points on 1-of-5 shooting in October 2024. — Kevin Pelton

Source link

Welcome back to the world’s most accurate power rankings, where this week we will place the eight NBA Cup quarterfinalists into so perfect an order they barely even have to play the tournament to sort it out.

That is right: We ranked the eight teams remaining in the NBA Cup field from from least likely to most likely to win the single-elimination extravaganza. Bet accordingly, or don’t. I can’t guarantee winnings.

Advertisement

What I can guarantee is that these are the best damn NBA Cup quarterfinal power rankings around …

How they got here: PHX 118, UTA 96 • PHX 114, MIN 113 • PHX 112, SAC 100 • OKC 123, PHX 119

NBA Cup quarterfinal: at Oklahoma City (-15.5) on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET, Prime Video)

The Suns are playing better than anyone anticipated, hovering above .500, holding firm to a play-in tournament berth in the crowded Western Conference through the season’s first quarter. They are 3-4 in their last seven games, playing more like the team we imagined them to be, with a -4.7 net rating.

Advertisement

Devin Booker missed their last two games, including a blowout loss to the Houston Rockets, with a strained groin. While he is scheduled for reevaluation before Wednesday’s Cup quarterfinal game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Booker is unlikely to return in time to help punch Phoenix’s ticket to Vegas.

The Thunder, then, will host the wavering Booker-less Suns, and since every team but the Portland Trail Blazers has befallen the same fate against the defending champions, I’m not in love with the Suns’ odds.

The Suns will likely be without Devin Booker in the NBA Cup quarterfinals. (Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images)

(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / Reuters)

How they got here: TOR 112, CLE 101 • TOR 109, ATL 97 • TOR 140, WAS 110 • TOR 97, IND 95

Advertisement

NBA Cup quarterfinal: vs. New York (-4.5) on Tuesday (8:30 p.m. ET, Prime Video)

As Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković said, suggesting his team needs a kick in the you-know-what at the campaign’s quarter-point, “I’m demanding more urgency from the whole team. I’m demanding more scrappiness. When we do that … weâ€re a completely different team, and we can compete with anybody.”

[Devine: Breaking down the East quarterfinal matchups]

That has been, for the most part, true, as Toronto has held its own in the Eastern Conference, seizing a home playoff seed through the season’s first 25 games. Like the Suns, the Raptors have struggled of late, losing five of their last six games, playing more like the team we envisioned, and like Phoenix, Toronto has been missing a key contributor to its rotation, as RJ Barrett (knee) has missed his last eight games.

Advertisement

Statistically, the Raptors have been about as good with Barrett on the court (+2.7 points per 100 possessions) as they have been without him (+2.5), which jibes with what we have seen from them — and what they have said — over their recent rough patch. I think this is a team that needs everyone, and, as Rajaković said, needs everyone pulling in the same direction, away from the lottery, to stay competitive.

How they got here: MIA 126, CHA 108 • NYK 140, MIA 132 • MIA 143, CHI 107 • MIA 106, MIL 103

NBA Cup quarterfinal: at Orlando (+2.5) on Tuesday (6 p.m. ET, Prime Video)

The Heat play faster than everyone else, mostly without screens, driving and cutting and rotating and spacing, and this brand of ball has led to significant improvements on the offensive end, where they rank 13th after falling into the bottom 10 last season. The arrival of Norman Powell has helped in that regard.

Advertisement

“You have to learn how to be in the best shape of your life, really,” Jaime Jaquez told The Athletic of the requirements necessary to play inside of their new system. “You just have to be really well-conditioned.”

Apparently they are. In addition to their freshly learned offensive responsibilities, the Heat are playing the same stout defense they did last season, ranking in the top 10 on that end. The resulting net rating (+3.5) has been good for a 14-10 record and the last guaranteed playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.

There is some question about how well their style travels. They are 4-7 on the road, including a pair of losses in Orlando, where they will travel for Tuesday’s Cup quarterfinal. It might be easier for the Heat to run teams out of the gym when they are in Miami, where South Beach serves as a visitor’s distraction.

How they got here: ORL 123, BOS 110 • ORL 105, BOS 98 • ORL 144, PHI 103 • ORL 112, DET 109

Advertisement

NBA Cup quarterfinal: vs. Miami (-2.5) on Tuesday (6 p.m. ET, Prime Video)

The Magic were humming in the absence of an injured Paolo Banchero, got the former No. 1 overall pick back and then lost Franz Wagner to what appeared to be a severe injury. It is frustrating beyond words.

“You never want to see anybody go down, but that hurt my heart watching him hit the floor,” said Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley. “I’m just praying everything is going to be OK with him. You just don’t like to see that happen to anyone, especially [Franz], who tries to do everything the right way at all times.”

The official diagnosis for Wagner: A high left ankle sprain. It looked worse. Scratch him from the NBA Cup moving forward. “His return will depend on how he responds to treatment,” the Magic’s statement said.

Advertisement

Orlando is +1.3 points per 100 meaningful possessions this season when Wagner is on the floor without Banchero, and they are -6.3 points per 100 non-garbage possessions when the reverse is true, according to Cleaning the Glass. That does not bode well for their chances against Miami, but something tells me Banchero learned from watching Wagner in his absence, and the Magic have enough to get the job done.

How they got here: SAS 121, HOU 110 • GSW 109, SAS 108 • SAS 115, POR 102 • SAS 139, DEN 136

NBA Cup quarterfinal: at Los Angeles (-4.5) on Wednesday (10:05 p.m. ET, Prime Video)

Advertisement

Really, the Spurs have yet to show us what they are fully capable of, vacillating between the absences of De’Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama, plus a few other injuries. Still, they are 16-7, squarely in the hunt for a guaranteed playoff seed, and owners of a healthy +3.8 net rating, both good for fifth in the West.

“We’re having a good year right now, and we still haven’t had our whole team,” said Stephon Castle, a Rookie of the Year. “It’s a blessing and a curse at the same time. Guys are getting more comfortable and more shots when guys are out. Obviously we want the whole team together to get to our full potential.”

That may be possible on Wednesday, when Wembanyama is scheduled to travel to Los Angeles a few weeks removed from straining his left calf. His availability for the Cup quarterfinal remains uncertain.

Nobody but the Thunder has a better defense than when Wembanyama is on the floor for San Antonio, and that defensive rating falls to a bottom-10 figure when he is off the court. The offense has hummed along at a top-10 pace in Wembanyama’s absence, but they will need their full complement of defenders — with a healthy 7-foot-5 alien in the middle — in order to send the Lakers packing.

Advertisement

How they got here: LAL 117, MEM 112 • LAL 118, NOP 104 • LAL 135, LAC 118 • LAL 129, DAL 119

NBA Cup quarterfinal: vs. San Antonio (+4.5) on Wednesday (10:05 p.m. ET, Prime Video)

Luka DonÄić, Austin Reaves and LeBron James form the most dangerous offensive trio in the game, especially since James looked more like himself with a 29-point performance Sunday.

“Just at 40 years old, I mean, it just takes a while for my body to kind of get back into a rhythm,†James said upon returning to his All-Star form. “And so it felt good tonight to kind of feel like myself a little bit, being able to run and jump and cut and catch my second wind a lot faster tonight. Hopefully that stays.â€

Advertisement

Hopefully that stays. A forever mantra in L.A., where James will turn 41 years old later this month. Because, as long as he is on the floor, James provides the Lakers with a third offensive option who could command a double team, and there are not enough defenders to put two on DonÄić, Reaves and James.

The defense remains a concern, though, as the Lakers rate 21st on that end (116.2 points allowed per 100 possessions). It is hard to imagine them seriously contending for a title with their existing personnel, but at the same time it is hard to imagine anyone slowing each of the Lakers’ three dynamos in a must-win game, because, and this may be oversimplifying it, James and DonÄić know how to pull these games out.

How they got here: CHI 135, NYK 125 • NYK 140, MIA 132 • NYK 129, CHA 101 • NYK 118, MIL 109

Advertisement

NBA Cup quarterfinal: at Toronto (+4.5) on Tuesday (8:35 p.m. ET, Prime Video)

The Knicks welcomed OG Anunoby back into the fold from a left hamstring strain for a pair of victories against the Magic and Utah Jazz. When he is on the floor with Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, the Knicks are outscoring opponents by 35.6 points per 100 possessions, operating like the league’s best outfit on both ends of the floor, and that is a welcome sign for New York.

Of course, when Towns and center Mitchell Robinson share the floor, the Knicks are also outscoring opponents by 6.1 points per 100 possessions, another healthy number. To have a pair of starting-caliber lineups to choose between is far from the worst problem for Knicks head coach Mike Brown to have.

Either way, the Knicks have lived up to the hype as favorites to emerge from the Eastern Conference. They, too, have defensive concerns, ranking in the middle of the pack on that end, given the limitations of Brunson and Towns, though they have been one of the league’s better defenses at home this season.

Advertisement

“Weâ€ve done a great job of protecting our home court,” said Josh Hart, whose Knicks are 13-1 at Madison Square Garden. “This should be the hardest place to play in the NBA, and we want teams to know that.”

How they got here: OKC 132, SAC 101 • OKC 144, UTA 112 • OKC 113, MIN 105 • OKC 123, PHX 119

NBA Cup quarterfinal: vs. Phoenix (+15.5) on Wednesday (7:35 p.m. ET, Prime Video)

There is a lot of lip service in the NBA, and this certainly sounds like lip service …

“We have a team that over time has formed a belief that youâ€re only as good as you are tonight,” said Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault. “Nothing we have done previous to this has helped us tonight.”

Advertisement

… but it’s not.

Oklahoma City actually believes its mantra. The Thunder wake up each morning in service of performing their jobs, which is to win basketball games, and no previous victory will assure them of the next. So they must give forth a full effort. And their full effort is better than anybody else’s almost every single night.

“Our team has been way more of the same than different,” Daigneault said of his defending champions. “The only difference might be a little more confidence — internal confidence and assuredness. I think the chemistry and continuity help with that. But it feels the same. The same things weâ€ve emphasized.”

There is little else to say about this team, other than that they are apace to be the greatest of all time.

Source link

There’s just a week left in the 2025 Emirates NBA Cup, and by Dec. 16, the players of one NBA team will snag the NBA Cup trophy and find themselves a half a million dollars richer. The annual in-season tournament’s East Quarterfinals, on Tuesday, Dec. 9, feature the New York Knicks vs. Toronto Raptors, their game tips off at 8 p.m. ET on Prime Video. The platform holds exclusive rights to this game and every other NBA Cup playoff game all the way through to the Championship final on Dec. 16.

Also on Tuesday, you can catch the other East Quarterfinal, between the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic, tipping off at 6 p.m. ET. Then, on Wednesday, Dec. 10, the West Quarterfinals will take place with the San Antonio Spurs visiting the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns at the Oklahoma City Thunder. Semifinals and the Championship Final will be held on Dec. 13 and 16 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Advertisement

Find out how to watch the Knicks vs. Raptors NBA Cup quarterfinal and the rest of the tournament now.

How to watch the New York Knicks vs. Toronto Raptors:

Date: Dec. 9, 2025

Time:8:30 p.m. ET

Streaming:Prime Video

What channel do I need to watch the New York Knicks vs. Toronto Raptors?

While many games in the group stage were televised on broadcast TV, this week’s quarterfinal between the New York Knicks and the Toronto Raptors will stream exclusively on Prime Video on Dec. 9 at 8:30 p.m. ET.

How to stream the Knicks vs. Raptors:

You can catch the Knicks vs. Raptors and every other NBA Cup playoff game on Prime Video.

Prime Video will be streaming every playoff game of the 2025 NBA Cup, including this year’s Championship final on Dec. 16.

In addition to offering great coverage of the NBA Cup, you can also tune in to great original shows like Reacher, The Wheel of Time, and Pop Culture Jeopardy. Amazon also offers a free 30-day trial for new members to give the platform a test-drive before committing.

Try it free at Prime Video

2025 NBA Cup schedule:

Below is a list of every remaining playoff game in the 2025 NBA Cup.

Advertisement

All times Eastern

Tuesday, Dec. 9

6 p.m.: Miami Heat vs. Orlando Magic (East Quarterfinal)

8:30 p.m.: New York Knicks vs. Toronto Raptors (East Quarterfinal)

Wednesday, Dec. 10

7:30 p.m.: Phoenix Suns vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (West Quarterfinal)

10 p.m.: San Antonio Spurs vs. Los Angeles Lakers (West Quarterfinal)

Saturday, Dec. 13

5:30 p.m.: East Semifinal, Teams TBD

9 p.m.: West Semifinal, Teams TBD

Tuesday, Dec. 16

8:30 p.m.: Championship Final, Teams TBD

Source link

Twenty-one years ago, Exeter were facing a similar plight, having been taken over by their fans with millions of pounds of debt and a club in what is now the National League.

Back in January 2005, they got a 0-0 draw at Manchester United – Ronaldo, Rooney, Scholes et al – were forced to trek to Exeter for a replay that they won 2-0.

The gate receipts from Old Trafford, coupled with television money from the replay and a sold-out St James Park, helped put a massive dent in the club’s debts of almost £5m and set them on the way to becoming the League One side they are today.

There will be no replay this time around, but the impact January’s game at the Etihad Stadium could make is likely to be similar to that in 2005.

“It’s quite amazing how it’s worked out, to be honest. They say these things go in cycles and perhaps this is a 21-year cycle,” said Harrison.

“We’ve done some quick workings out, and of course we don’t know what the gate price will be yet, we have no idea what the attendance will be and we don’t know if it’s on TV as well.

“But I’d assume something maybe around £250,000 upwards, but that’s a very early guess I think.

“It’s very important. We won on Saturday and when you take the second-round prize money and the third-round losing money into account, which is what we could guarantee, that was worth about £100,000 to us.

“So on top of that, this is really going to give us a boost getting through this season and planning for next season.”

Source link

We have reached the NBA Cup quarterfinals, the eight-team knockout round — now things get serious. Especially for the players on those teams, because the money is now very real.

“I think half a million dollars is still a good amount of money to be able to motivate you to want to win games,” the Lakers’ Jake LaRavia told NBC Sports recently.

Advertisement

Here is everything you need to know about the NBA Cup quarterfinals matchups on Tuesday and Wednesday, and what happens from there.

Whatâ€s the NBA Cup 2025 format?

This is the one thing that has remained largely the same through the three years of the NBA Cup. First, all 30 teams were drawn into one of the six five-team groups (three East groups and three West groups). Each team plays the other teams in its group once — four games total — and those games count double as both regular-season and NBA Cup games.

The six group winners plus a wild card from each conference advance to the quarterfinals, where we are now. Those teams are placed in an eight-team knockout bracket (East vs. East, West vs. West, until the Finals). Starting with Tuesday’s games, they are single-elimination.

Advertisement

What are the quarterfinals matchups?

Eastern Conference

Dec. 9 (on Amazon Prime)

Miami Heat at Orlando Magic

Game Analysis: After a slow start to their season, Orlando found its footing just as the NBA Cup got rolling. Not only did the Magic sweep into the quarterfinals, but it also comes in hot, having gone 7-3 in their last 10 with a top-10 offense and defense over that stretch. However, the Magic will enter the game without their best player this season, Franz Wagner, who suffered a high ankle sprain on Sunday.

Miami has been one of the great surprises of the season, with Erik Spoelstra flipping the Heat offense on its head, putting in an up-tempo, fast-decision offense that shuns picks in favor of isolation attacks. The good news is that the Heat are basically healthy for this game, with Norman Powell and Tyler Herro ready to go. The bad news is they come in cold having dropped three in a row, and in the past couple of weeks their defense and offense have fallen off.

Advertisement

New York Knicks at Toronto Raptors

Game Analysis: Watch the tempo of this game to get a clue how it is going. Toronto wants to run — it starts more of its possessions in transition than any team in the league, and it’s got the athletes who can finish in space with Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley. Toronto relies on a pressure defense to fuel its transition offense, but when forced into the half-court, it banks on Brandon Ingram and his midrange game to power things (Toronto as a team loves the midrange).

The Knicks will run when they get the chance, but this is the team with the league’s sixth-best first-shot half-court offense behind Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. New York comes in red hot, having won 7-of-8.

Western Conference

Dec. 10 (on Amazon Prime)

Advertisement

Phoenix Suns at Oklahoma City Thunder

Game Analysis: Oklahoma City has been a juggernaut so far this season — 23-1 with a 15.9 net rating that is on pace to set an NBA record. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gets the headlines — he appears the early frontrunner to repeat as MVP — and they have Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, but what really drives the Thunder is their league-best defense. OKC’s 104.1 defensive rating is 6.5 points per 100 possessions better than any team in the league.

That said, just more than a week ago the Suns gave the Thunder all they could handle in a 123-119 loss. Phoenix has been one of the great stories of the young season and three people deserve a lot of credit for that. One is coach Jordan Ott, who, in his first season, has given this team an identity — which starts with an aggressive, pressing defense — and has them playing hard every night (something the Suns didn’t do consistently over the past couple of years). The second is Dillon Brooks, who came to Phoenix this summer in the Kevin Durant trade as a defensive stopper and an energy and intensity guy, but is breaking out on offense averaging 22.3 points per game. The other is Devin Booker, who remains one of the best two guards in the game, but his status for this game is questionable.

San Antonio at Los Angeles Lakers

Game Analysis: The big question heading into this one is whether Victor Wembanyama returns to play for the Spurs. He has been practicing with the team, but there is no word from the team (as of this writing), and the reports out of San Antonio make it sound like Wemby may sit this one out, too (Stephon Castle did return Monday night). San Antonio has gone 8-3 with Wembanyama out (calf strain), and in that time, the Spurs have gotten All-Star-level scoring and leadership from De’Aaron Fox, and keep an eye on rookie Dylan Harper, who has been brilliant.

Advertisement

The Lakers have been one of the best teams in the West, led by Luka Doncic playing at an MVP level, Austin Reaves proving he is ready to be a second scoring option, and LeBron James returning and fitting in, doing whatever the team needs to win on a given night. One thing to watch: the Lakers are 8-0 in clutch games this season (within five points in the final five minutes).

When are the NBA Cup quarterfinals, Finals?

Here is the schedule for the quarterfinals and beyond:
Quarterfinals: Dec. 9 and 10
Semifinals: Dec. 13 (Las Vegas)
Championship: Dec. 16 (Las Vegas)

NBA Cup 2025 odds

Here are the odds for the eight teams remaining to win the NBA Cup, via our partners at DraftKings:

Advertisement

Oklahoma City (-120)
New York (+475)
Los Angeles Lakers (+500)
Orlando (+1200)
Miami (+1200)
Toronto (+1400)
San Antonio (+1800)
Phoenix (+9000)

How much money does the champion get?

As the Lakers’ LaRavia said above, the prize money motivates the players — and every roster player in the quarterfinals will get a bonus check out of this. However, they all have their eyes on the big prize.

How big? This is how the payouts break down:

• Each player on the team that wins the championship: $530,933
• Each player on the team that loses in the championship: $212,373
• Each player on a team that loses in the semifinals: $106,187
• Each player on a team that loses in the quarterfinals: $53,093

Advertisement

Who won the 2024 NBA Cup?

Milwaukee bounced back from an ugly 2-8 start to the season to find its footing in NBA Cup games and went on a run behind Giannis Antetokounmpo. He lifted them to the Cup Finals against Oklahoma City, where Antetokounmpo had a 26-point triple-double, completely controlling the game on both ends of the court.

How to Watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock

Peacock NBA Mondaywill stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones. Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.

Source link

The non-league club Macclesfield will host the FA Cup holders, ­Crystal ­ Palace, in the third round of the tournament this season, in one of the standout ties of the draw.

Macclesfield, who are 14th in National League North, will face Oliver Glasnerâ€s Palace, fourth in the ­Premier League, in a classic David and Goliath pairing when the fixtures are played on the weekend of 10-11 ­January 2026.

In other eye-catching ties, the fan-owned Exeter of League One will travel to play Manchester City, ­hoping for victory – and at least a decent payday – as they take on the worldâ€s second richest club and their gallery of stars.

Quick GuideFA Cup third-round draw in fullShow

FA Cup third-round draw in full (Premier League teams in bold)

Wolves v Shrewsbury Town

Doncaster Rovers v Southampton

Tottenham v Aston Villa

Port Vale v Fleetwood

Preston North End v Wigan Athletic

Ipswich Town v Blackpool

Wrexham v Nottingham Forest

Charlton Athletic v Chelsea

Manchester City v Exeter City

West Ham v Queens Park Rangers

Sheffield Wednesday v Brentford

Fulham v Middlesbrough

Everton v Sunderland

Liverpool v Barnsley

Burnley v Millwall

Norwich v Walsall

Portsmouth v Arsenal

Derby County v Leeds United

Swansea v West Brom

Salford v Swindon

Boreham Wood v Burton Albion

Grimsby v Weston-super-Mare

Hull City v Blackburn Rovers

Newcastle United v Bournemouth

MK Dons v Oxford United

Cheltenham Town v Leicester City

Cambridge United v Birmingham City

Bristol City v Watford

Stoke City v Coventry

Macclesfield v Crystal Palace

Manchester United v Brighton

Sheffield United v Mansfield Town

All matches will be played around the weekend of 10-11 January 2026.

Photograph: Toby Melville/REUTERS

Thank you for your feedback.

Meanwhile, two clubs with high-profile owners come into contact as Nottingham Forest travel to Wrexhamâ€s STÅK Cae Ras stadium. In the pick of the all-Premier League ties, ­Tottenham will host Aston Villa.

The two other non-league sides in the draw received less gla­morous fixtures than Macclesfield. There is the potential for an all-National League tie, with Boreham Wood set to welcome Brackley if the latter overcome Burton Albion in their second-round tie. ­Weston‑super-Mare of the National League South, who have reached the third round for the first time in their 138-year history, were drawn away against League Two Grimsby, the conquerors of Manchester United in the EFL Cup this season, while Boreham Wood host Burton Albion.

There were a number of other all-Premier League matchups in the 32 fixtures after the draw was completed by Joe Cole and Peter Crouch on TNT Sports.

­Manchester United will host Brighton in a rematch of their semi-final of 2023. Eddie Howeâ€s Newcastle will face his old club Bournemouth. Everton and Sunderland, two teams enjoying strong seasons, will meet at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

skip past newsletter promotion

Sign up to Football Daily

Kick off your evenings with the Guardian’s take on the world of football

Privacy Notice:Newsletters may contain information about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. If you do not have an account, we will create a guest account for you on theguardian.com to send you this newsletter. You can complete full registration at any time. For more information about how we use your data see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

after newsletter promotion

There will be other intriguing Premier League and Championship pairings. Portsmouth will host the Premier League leaders, Arsenal, and Sheffield Wednesday will welcome Brentford. In a throwback to one of the great rivalries of the 1970s, Derby are to face Leeds, while Chelsea travel to Charlton.

Source link

An immediate Leagues Cup, a record-breaking Supporters’ Shield, a strong Club World Cup, and now the coveted MLS Cup.

Expectations will remain high for what lies ahead, but the first half of the Lionel Messi project at Inter Miami has been a resounding sporting success.

Inter Miami’s 3-1 home victory against the Vancouver Whitecaps in this past Saturday’s MLS Cup Final punctuated a stellar first act for Messi in his stateside journey. Changes are coming to the roster and identity of the South Florida side as it continues to try to set the standard in Major League Soccer, but capturing this title ensured that the results on the field matched those off of it.

You may like

“We knew it would be a challenge”

David Beckham launched the franchise in 2020 and signed Lionel Messi in 2023 (Image credit: Getty Images)

“The idea when we arrived here was to take the team to the highest level,” said Messi, who is ranked at no.1 in FourFourTwo’s list of the greatest players of all time, after delivering two assists en route to being voted the final’s MVP.

“We knew it would be a challenge because the team had only existed for a few years… but this year we competed in every competition we played in. Ultimately, we ended up achieving the real objective of winning the MLS Cup.”

INTER MIAMI LIFT THE TROPHY @InterMiamiCF // MLS Cup pres. by Audi pic.twitter.com/IvRrsT5L9dDecember 6, 2025

Messi’s impact had been felt in practically every corner of the organization well before the championship match, but much of the success during the Argentine’s first two-and-a-half years was commercial rather than sporting. The demand for tickets surged to unprecedented levels, jerseys flew off the figurative shelves, and Inter Miami gained a global following.

Yes, there was an immediate increase in performance when Messi and star-studded teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba arrived in summer 2023, but there always remained a sense that the sporting side had not fully caught up to the spectacle.

After all, Inter Miami was — as team co-owner Jorge Mas reemphasized before kickoff on Saturday afternoon — “built to win trophies.” Up to that point, however, Inter Miami had only collected two pieces of significant hardware for its cabinet.

The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.

That is what made prevailing over the Whitecaps at Chase Stadium so important for Messi and Inter Miami, as the MLS Cup was the crowning jewel the organization needed to deliver defining proof that the project was working as intended.

“The goal and objective for this team is to raise cups, lift trophies, win titles, and become a global reference point,” Mas said. “I think today we will see a celebration of soccer here at Chase Stadium.”

MESSI & Inter Miami: David Beckham, Jorge Mas talk MLS Cup Final ahead of game v Vancouver Whitecaps – YouTube

Watch On

Saturday ultimately proved a celebration, though it took surviving nervy moments and, naturally, some Messi magic. Javier Mascherano’s men took an early lead via an own goal, but lost control of the game, surrendered an equalizer, and were up against the ropes.

You may like

German legend Thomas Muller and the Whitecaps nearly claimed the lead in the second half during an attacking onslaught, but divine intervention through a stunning double-post play kept the hosts from falling behind.

That set the stage for the 38-year-old Messi, who, despite not being his sharpest or most involved,d still managed to make the difference. Inter Miami’s captain had set up the opener with a neat dribble and well-weighted pass near midfield, and he followed that up with two brilliant through balls that teammates neatly tucked away to ensure they would be MLS champions.

Ecstasy ensued, particularly for Spanish duo Busquets and Alba. The two greats played the last game of their legendary careers on Saturday, but their fairytale exits — in addition to the possible departure of striker Luis Suarez — mark the end of the first half of the Messi era in Miami.

The team’s No. 10 will remain after signing a new contract that runs through 2028 earlier this year, but how the roster around him evolves is not clear. Mas said before the title tussle that there were already verbal agreements in place for Busquets and Alba’s replacements, but did not name names.

TADEO ALLENDE MAKES IT 3-1!! IT’S OVER!!!@InterMiamiCF // MLS Cup pres. by Audi pic.twitter.com/6MxaR6C2NADecember 6, 2025

Inter Miami could opt to pursue more veteran marquee signings from Europe in order to maintain star power, but may instead prioritize younger and more energetic profiles as Messi approaches 40. Regardless of the road taken, the ‘Barcelona Reunion’ chapter has come to a close.

The organization’s ambition is not wavering, however. Inter Miami has already outlined its chief objective for 2026, gunning for continental glory that will coincide with the opening of a new stadium closer to the heart of the city.

“We want more,” Mas said. “Once today is done, tomorrow comes about, the goal then is the Concacaf Champions Cup. The team’s goal next year is winning the Champions. We want to qualify for the Club World Cup in 2029.

“We are ambitious. We are going to continue pushing. I want to continue elevating the league and making us one of the best leagues in the world.”

If winning is not just an ambition but rather an expectation, Inter Miami will need to retool its roster quickly to sustain that standard and build on this successful first act of the Messi project.

The superstar attacker and Inter Miami may have punctuated their transformation by crossing off MLS Cup from the checklist, but the work is not over. Phase 2 is about to begin.

Source link

December 7, 2025

(by Steve Hopkins, photo ITTF)

Tomokazu Harimoto won the first game against Lin Shidong, but with Japan already down 0-6 the result was all but a foregone conclusion.  Shidong dominated the next two games and China claims Gold with an 8-1 score at this rendition of the ITTF Mixed Team World Cup.  The two 3-0 wins for China were Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha (both World No. 1) over Matsushima and Odo in Mixed Doubles and Wang Manyu (World No. 2) over Miwa Harimoto.

There are no surprises in a team event where one squad has World No. 1 and 2 in both male and female singles categories.  China has had absolute dominance across much of our sport, and a team format makes upsets even more unlikely – as its likely three separate upsets would need to occur in one team match for China to fall.  Still, this format will be in play at the next Olympics, and the rest of the world has a few months to make adjustments.

For their part, Japan has clearly emerged as the second best team in the world.  Tomokazu Harimoto was the highest ranked non-Chinese male present and the recent rise of Sora Matsushima (World No. 8) provides Japan with a second strong male player.  Japan’s women are extremely strong and deep (against the non-Chinese table tennis world) with Miwa Harimoto at World No. 6, Mima Ito at World No. 8, and Satsuki Odo at World No. 14.   In the Semifinals today, second-seeded Japan faced off against the third ranked team, Germany.  The Japanese mixed doubles team of Ito and Shinozuka won easily (3-0) over Kaufmann and Franziska.  Miwa Harimoto then edged out Sabine Winter 2-1 to give Japan a 5-1 lead.  Dang Qiu then won the only match for Germany, taking 2 of 3 over Sora Matsushima.  And then Japan closed the door with Matsushima and Togami topping Duda and Qiu.  Japan had an early lead that was never truly challenged.  And, Tomokazu didn’t play – that is, the top male player for Japan was able to rest for the Final.

Looking forward towards the Olympics, expect that China and Japan will be ready – both with strong contingents in both male and female singles and a history of strong doubles play (for an event where there are potentially three doubles sets and only two singles sets per team match).  Its the other teams that will make things interesting.  Can Germany improve its female singles play and its doubles?  Can Korea’s strong doubles play be matched with a few key upsets.  Sweden (who played without Truls Moregard) plays strong doubles and has had big singles upsets – but can their ladies hold their own at this level?  If the French men continue to improve, they could have the strongest non-Chinese men’s team coupled with the Lebrun brothers as an experienced doubles team but they need to giant step on the women’s side.  And interestingly, Romania may have all the firepower they need on the women’s side – but will their fast improving young male players improve quickly enough?

This is an interesting twist on our sport, and while there are some clear advantages to teams with great players (like China, obviously), the focus on doubles could provide some interesting plot twists in 2028 when Los Angeles hosts the next Olympics.

Visit ButterflyOnline.com for the latest table tennis news and results.

Share the post “Mixed Team World Cup: China Tops Japan in Chengdu”

Source link