The 2025 Emirates NBA Cup moves into single-elimination play this week, with four quarterfinal games deciding who advances to Saturday’s semifinals at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Tuesday – Eastern Conference
Miami Heat at Orlando Magic, 6 p.m. ET (Prime)
Orlando will be without forward Franz Wagner, sidelined two to four weeks by a left high ankle sprain suffered Sunday. Wagner is averaging 22.7 points, a career-best 6.1 rebounds and is shooting 36.0% from three, helping the Magic go 7-3 while Paolo Banchero recovered from a groin strain.
Banchero, who returned Friday, now must shoulder the scoring load alongside Desmond Bane, Jalen Suggs and rookie guard Anthony Black. Wagner scored 32 points in Friday’s 106-105 win over Miami; Banchero had nine in 20 minutes that night and 16 on Sunday against New York.
Miami expects guard Tyler Herro (toe) and Davion Mitchell (groin) to play. The Heat have dropped four of five after a six-game winning streak but could benefit from Wagner’s absence as they try to reach Las Vegas.
New York Knicks at Toronto Raptors, 8:30 p.m. ET (Prime)
New York owns the NBA’s third-highest offensive efficiency and ranks fourth in made threes but has struggled away from Madison Square Garden (3-6). The Knicks visit a Raptors team that has lost five of six after a 13-1 surge and will be without forward RJ Barrett for at least another week because of a knee sprain.
Center Karl-Anthony Towns is questionable for New York with a calf injury that kept him out Sunday. Towns’ numbers are down in his second season with the club while he adjusts to coach Mike Brown’s offense, which increasingly features forward Mikal Bridges. Toronto regained OG Anunoby on Sunday; the two-way wing played 23 minutes after missing nine games with a hamstring strain.
Wednesday – Western Conference
Phoenix Suns at Oklahoma City Thunder, 7:30 p.m. ET (Prime)
Oklahoma City’s 23-1 start places the club alongside the 2015-16 Warriors and 1969-70 Knicks as the only teams to win at least 23 of their first 24 games. The Thunder have captured 15 straight since their lone loss on Nov. 5 in Portland and own a league-leading plus-16.1 point differential, well ahead of last season’s franchise-record plus-12.9.
Phoenix pushed Oklahoma City on Nov. 28, trimming a 15-point deficit to one before reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 10 of his 37 points in the final 2:40. The Thunder’s clutch net rating of plus-41.4 is the best in the NBA.
San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Lakers, 10 p.m. ET (Prime)
The Spurs are 7-2 without rookie star Victor Wembanyama, who remains out with a strained left calf. Veteran center Luke Kornet (2.1 blocks per game) will anchor the paint against Deandre Ayton, who logged 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting and 10 rebounds in the clubs’ first meeting.
That earlier matchup ended with a 21-0 Lakers run and a near triple-double from Luka Doncic, who returns after missing two contests for the birth of his daughter. LeBron James, whose 1,297-game streak ended Thursday, is also back as Los Angeles pursues a second NBA Cup title.
San Antonio must again decide whether to let Doncic score or facilitate — a tougher choice with James in the lineup. Spurs rookie guard Stephon Castle drew the primary defensive assignment in the teams’ first game, which Los Angeles won after Julian Champagnie missed two free throws with 0.2 seconds left.
The winners of each quarterfinal will meet Saturday in Las Vegas, where East and West champions will be determined for a spot in the inaugural NBA Cup final.
Source: ESPN
