The NBA Emirate Cup knockout stage looks exciting. The teams that made the quarterfinals were the Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rocket, Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic, Milwaukee Bucks, Atlanta Hawks, and New York Knicks. With each team having unique potential, what do we expect from this NBA Cup?
NBA Cup: Oklahoma City Thunder-Dallas Mavericks
These Western Conference teams will face each other to kick off the NBA Cup quarterfinals on December 10. OKC is the first seed in the Western Conference while the Mavericks are the third seed. Since the beginning of the 2024-25 season, these teams faced each other once and the Mavericks came out on top.
OKC defeated the Utah Jazz to clinch their spot in the NBA Cup knockout stage. The team finished 3-1 after playing four games in group B of the Western Conference. Currently, OKC is seventh in offensive rating and first in defensive rating.
The Dallas Mavericks dominated the Memphis Grizzlies to clinch the wild card spot with a points differential advantage over the Phoenix Suns. The Mavs also finished 3-1 after playing four games in Group C of the Western Conference. Currently, they are the Western Conference’s third seed fourth in offensive rating, and tenth in defensive rating.
What to Expect From the Mavs and OKC
The game will be exciting to watch. The last time the Mavs won against the Thunder, the former didn’t have Luka Doncic due to an injury. Also, the Mavs eliminated the Thunder in the 2024 NBA Playoffs. Thus, the OKC would like to return the favor.
Houston Rockets-Golden State Warriors
These teams are the second set that qualified in the Western Conference, both clinching the first seed in their respective groups. They will play each other on December 11. Currently, the Rockets are the second seed in the Western Conference, while the Warriors are the seventh seed.
The Rockets lost their game against the Sacramento Kings, going 3-1 in Group A of the NBA Cup. The team currently ranks 16th in offensive rating and second in defensive rating. The Golden State Warriors lost to the Denver Nuggets, making it the team’s fifth consecutive loss. The Warriors currently rank 10th in offensive rating and fifth in defensive rating.
What To Expect From the Rockets and Warriors
The Warriors are currently struggling after five consecutive losses. However, the team could get themselves going before playing against the Rockets. The Warriors will play a regular game against the Rockets on December 6 before the NBA Cup knockout stage. Thus, this regular game will be an opportunity to gauge how well the Rockets can play against the fury of Stephen Curry.
Milwaukee Bucks-Orlando Magic
The Milwaukee Bucks and Orlando Magic will face each other on December 10. The Bucks are fifth in the Eastern Conference while the Magic are third in the Eastern Conference. The Bucks dominated their NBA Cup group by going 4-0 in four games.
Orlando Magic lost to the New York Knicks but clinched the wildcard position over the Boston Celtics. The Magic team currently ranks 23rd in offensive rating and third in defensive rating. The Bucks currently ranked eighth in offensive rating and 13th in defensive rating.
What To Expect From the Bucks and Magic
The Bucks started the season slowly but came back strong with seven straight wins. Orlando Magic’s competitiveness has been stellar without Paolo Banchero. Franz Wagner stepped up in Banchero’s absence to lead the team’s offense. Yet, stopping the might of Giannis Antetokoumpo and Damian Lillard’s offensive power could be challenging for the Magic. Since the Magic rank third in defensive rating, the NBA Cup should be exciting to watch.
New York Knicks-Atlanta Hawks
These Eastern Conference teams will face each other on December 11. The New York Knicks are fourth seed in the Eastern Conference and the Atlanta Hawks are also the sixth seed. Just like the Bucks, the Knicks dominated their group going 4-0.
The New York Knicks currently rank first in offensive rating and 18th in defensive rating. The Atlanta Hawks currently rank 19th in offensive rating and 20th in defensive rating. Thus, this matchup should be an easy game for the Knicks.
What To Expect From The Knicks and Hawks
What makes this matchup interesting is the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers twice. The Cavaliers have been top-tier this season under Atkinson. Despite the Hawks’ current offensive and defensive rating, the team has a good chance of competing with the New York Knicks.
