The group stage is over. The knockout stage is almost ready to begin. So, how did everyone do during November’s portion of the NBA In-Season Tournament?
Let’s break it down, group by group. We’ll start with the western conference.
In group A, the Los Angeles Lakers were the group winner, 1 of 4 group winners who were victorious in all 4 of their games. They defeated the Phoenix Suns on Nov. 10th (122-119), the Memphis Grizzlies on Nov. 14th (134-107), the Portland Trail Blazers on Nov. 17th (107-95), & the Utah Jazz on Nov. 21st (131-99). The Suns were 3-1. After losing to the Lakers, they defeated the Jazz on Nov. 17th (131-128), the Trail Blazers on Nov. 21st (120-107), & the Grizzlies on Nov. 24th (110-89).
The Jazz were 2-2. They defeated the Grizzlies on Nov. 10th (127-121) & the Trail Blazers on Nov. 14th (115-99). Then, they lost to the Suns & the Lakers. The Trail Blazers were 1-3. They defeated the Grizzlies on Nov. 3rd (115-113 in overtime), then lost to the Jazz, Lakers, & Suns. The Grizzlies were 0-4, 1 of 5 teams who were winless. They lost to the Trail Blazers, then the Jazz, then the Lakers, then the Suns.
In group B, the New Orleans Pelicans were the group winner, with a 3-1 record. They lost to the Houston Rockets on Nov. 10th (104-101). Then, they defeated the Dallas Mavericks on Nov. 14th (131-110), the (defending NBA Champion) Denver Nuggets on Nov. 17th (115-110), & the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 24th (116-106).
The Rockets, Mavericks, & Nuggets all finished 2-2. After defeating the Pelicans, the Rockets lost to the Clippers on Nov. 17th (106-100), defeated the Nuggets on Nov. 24th (105-86), & lost to the Mavericks on Nov. 28th (121-115). The Mavericks lost to the Nuggets on Nov. 3rd (125-114), defeated the Clippers on Nov. 10th (144-126), lost to the Pelicans, & defeated the Rockets. The Nuggets defeated the Mavericks, then the Clippers on Nov. 14th (111-108), before losing to the Pelicans & Rockets. The Clippers were 1-3, making this the only group where every team won a game. They lost to the Clippers & Nuggets, defeated the Rockets, & lost to the Pelicans.
In group C, the Sacramento Kings were the group winner, going undefeated in all 4 of their games. They defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder on Nov. 10th (105-98), the San Antonio Spurs on Nov. 17th (129-120), the Minnesota Timberwolves on Nov. 24th (124-111), & the Golden State Warriors on Nov. 28th (124-123). The Timberwolves were 3-1. They defeated the Spurs on Nov. 10th (117-110) & the Warriors on Nov. 14th (104-101).
After losing to the Kings, they defeated the Thunder on Nov. 28th (106-103). The Warriors were 2-2. They defeated the Thunder on Nov. 3rd (141-139), lost to the Timberwolves, defeated the Spurs on Nov. 24th (118-112), & lost to the Kings. The Thunder were 1-3. They lost to the Warriors & Kings, then defeated the Spurs on Nov. 14th (123-87) & lost to the Timberwolves. The Spurs were 0-4. they lost to the Timberwolves, Thunder, Kings, & Warriors.
In the western conference knockout bracket, the Lakers earned the #1 seed, since their point differential was better than the Kings (Lakers had +74; Kings had +30). They would host the wild card team, the Suns…who had a better point differential than the Timberwolves (Suns had +34; Timberwolves had 0). That match would take place on Tuesday, while the #2 seed Kings will play the #3 seed Pelicans, tomorrow. Now, let’s look at the eastern conference.
In group A, the Indiana Pacers were the group winner, ending the stage with a perfect record. They defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers on Nov. 3rd (121-116), the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 14h (132-126), the Atlanta Hawks on Nov. 21st (157-152), & the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 24th (136-113). The Cavaliers were 3-1. After losing to the Pacers, they defeated the Pistons on Nov. 17th (108-100), the 76ers on Nov. 21st (122-119), & the Hawks on Nov. 28th (128-105).
The 76ers were 2-2. They defeated the Pistons on Nov. 10th (114-106), lost to the Pacers, defeated the Hawks on Nov. 17th (126-116), & lost to the Cavaliers. The Hawks were 1-3. They defeated the Pistons on Nov. 14th (126-120), then lost to the 76ers, Pacers, & Cavaliers. The Pistons were 0-4. They lost to the 76ers, Hawks, Cavaliers, & Pacers.
In group B, the Milwaukee Bucks were the group winner, having a flawless 4-0 record. They defeated the New York Knicks on Nov. 3rd (110-105), the Charlotte Hornets on Nov. 17th (130-99), the Washington Wizards on Nov. 24th (131-128), & the Miami Heat on Nov. 28th (131-124). The Knicks were 3-1. After losing to the Bucks, they defeated the Wizards on Nov. 17th (120-99), the Heat on Nov. 24th (100-98), & the Hornets on Nov. 28th (115-91). The Heat were 2-2.
They defeated the Wizards on Nov. 3rd (121-114) & the Hornets on Nov. 14th (111-105), before losing to the Knicks & the Bucks. The Hornets were 1-3. They defeated the Wizards on Nov. 10th (124-117), then lost to the Heat, Bucks, & Knicks. The Wizards were 0-4. They lost to the Heat, Hornets, Knicks, & Bucks.
In group C, the Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic, & Brooklyn Nets were all 3-1, but the Celtics had the best point differential (Celtics had +27; Magic had +22; Nets had +20), so they were the group winner. The Celtics defeated the Nets on Nov. 10th (121-107) & the Toronto Raptors on Nov. 17th (108-105).
They lost to the Magic on Nov. 24th (113-96), then defeated the Chicago Bulls on Nov. 28th (124-97). The Magic lost to the Nets on Nov. 14th (124-104), then defeated the Bulls on Nov. 17th (103-97), the Raptors on Nov. 21st (126-107), & the Celtics. The Nets defeated the Bulls on Nov. 3rd (109-107), then lost to the Celtics. After defeating the Magic, they defeated the Raptors on Nov. 28th (115-103). The Raptors were 1-3. They lost to the Celtics & Magic. Then, defeated the Bulls on Nov. 24th (121-108), before losing to the Nets. The Bulls were 0-4. They lost to the Nets, Magic, Raptors, & Celtics.
In the eastern conference bracket, the Bucks earned the #1 seed, since their point differential was better than the Pacers (Bucks had +46; Pacers had +39). They would host the wild card team, the Knicks…who had the best point differential between all 3-1 teams (Knicks had +42; Cavaliers had +29; Magic; Nets). That match would take place on Tuesday, while the #2 seed Pacers will play the #3 seed Celtics, tomorrow.
