Lakers, Bucks, Heat Could Clinch NBA Cup Spots

Seven knockout spots remain as the 2025 NBA Cup reaches its last group nights. Toronto already locked East Group A, while Indiana, Utah and New Orleans are eliminated. Key scenarios: a Bucks‑Heat winner (with a Knicks loss) can clinch East Group C; the Lakers can clinch West Group B by beating the Clippers Tuesday (the Clips would need that win plus a Grizzlies loss); Portland can clinch West Group C by beating San Antonio. Quarterfinals begin Dec. 9–10, with semis and the final in Las Vegas mid‑December. Merlin sees these games as the Cup’s hinge nights — sudden urgency, rivalries and single results will bend the bracket. Teams that seize the moment earn rest and momentum; those who stumble risk an early exit before the bright lights in Vegas.