How can the Suns advance to the knockout rounds of the NBA Cup?

The Phoenix Suns can make it to the knockout rounds of the NBA Cup, but they need some help on the final day of group play on Tuesday.

Phoenix is ​​2-1 in NBA Cup play and will finish Group B at home against the San Antonio Spurs, who have won five of their last six games under the leadership of Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul.

They do so with Bradley Beal listed as probable after missing last game with a calf injury that resurfaced and with center Jusuf Nurkic out with a hamstring bruise.

Four teams from each conference advance to the knockout rounds, six group winners and two wild cards.

The Suns have a slim chance of winning Group B and perhaps a clearer chance of a Wild Card spot.

Suns scenarios for NBA Cup victory

Win the group

The Suns can only win their group with a win over the Spurs and a loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder and Spurs are also 2-1.

Expecting the Thunder to lose seems far-fetched considering they host the Utah Jazz, who are 4-16 and have lost four games in a row.

Oklahoma City gave Phoenix its only NBA Cup defeat and is therefore in direct comparison.

Earn a Wild Card

The Suns can secure the Wild Card spot in the Western Conference with a win plus losses from the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers.

Or the Suns could prevail with a win and a point-difference tiebreaker against Dallas and Portland, both of which are 2-1.

Dallas is +41 through three games, well ahead of Phoenix at +19 and Portland at -5.

The Mavericks host the Memphis Grizzlies, who are on a six-game winning streak and are 14-7 in third place in the Western Conference this season.

Portland visits the 13-9 Los Angeles Clippers, who it defeated 106-105 on Oct. 30.

Technically, Phoenix could clinch the win with a loss to San Antonio, but would need losses to Dallas, Portland and Oklahoma City by enough points to make up the point differential. This will also be chaotic because there are multiple doubles teams that could enter the battle for point difference if no one goes 3-1 in the wild card race.

Which two West teams will join this @HoustonRockets And @warriors in the knockout rounds of the #EmiratesNBACup?

The following scenarios apply to the last matchday of the group games on Tuesday ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/239PlS8gcM

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) December 2, 2024

The knockout rounds will be single-elimination games, with the semifinals (December 14) and championship (December 17) taking place in Las Vegas.

Every game counts toward a team’s regular season record, except for the title game.

Tuesday’s game between the Suns and Spurs begins at 7:00 p.m. MST on 98.7 and on the Arizona Sports App.

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