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Six NBA Cup Quarterfinal Spots Up For Grabs On Friday

November 27th, 2025 at 11:54am CST by Luke Adams

After the NBA takes Thanksgiving off on Thursday, the final group stage games of this year’s NBA Cup take place on Friday, with 22 teams in action (eight teams have already wrapped up their four-game schedules).

Although 49 of the 60 group stage contests have been played so far, we still only know two of the eight clubs that will advance to the knockout round of the in-season tournament — the Raptors have clinched Eastern Conference Group A, while the Lakers have locked up Western Conference Group B.

That leaves six quarterfinal spots up for grabs on Friday, with 12 teams still in the running for them. Here’s a breakdown of how those 12 teams can qualify for the knockout round:

(Note: The first two tiebreakers for teams with the same records are head-to-head results and point differential).

Eastern Conference Group A

Although Toronto has secured its spot atop this group, the Cavaliers (2-1 record, +33 point differential) remain in the hunt for the East’s wild card berth. The Cavs will play in Atlanta on Friday and would be pretty well positioned for that wild card spot if they can pick up a win — especially if they blow out the Hawks in the process and their point differential continues to grow.

Eastern Conference Group B

The Magic (3-0, +61) will visit the Pistons (2-1, +24) on Friday, with the winner of that game claiming Group B. Wild card hopefuls from other Eastern Conference groups will be rooting for Orlando, since the Magic would still be in great shape for a wild card spot with a loss in Detroit — as long as they don’t lose by a ton.

Eastern Conference Group C

Three teams are still alive in Group C, with the Knicks (2-1, +26) and Bucks (2-1, +13) both vying to become the first team to make the quarterfinals in three consecutive NBA Cups. The Heat (3-1, +49) currently sit atop the group though and would win it if Milwaukee beats New York on Friday, since the Heat hold the tiebreaker over the Bucks. The Knicks beat the Heat earlier in group play, however, so a win over Milwaukee would give New York the top spot in Group C.
While the Bucks technically still have a path to the East’s wild card spot, their modest point differential will make it an uphill battle. Milwaukee would need a win in New York and might need both Cleveland and Detroit to lose too.

Western Conference Group A

The Thunder (3-0, +71) will host the Suns (3-0, +35) on Friday, with the winner of that game clinching West Group A. Given the two teams’ strong point differentials, it’s very possible the loser of this game will be the West’s wild card team, though a lopsided loss would hurt Phoenix’s chances. That +71 mark gives Oklahoma City far more breathing room, so it would be a shock if the defending champs don’t advance.

Western Conference Group B

The Lakers have clinched this group, but the Grizzlies (2-1, +9) and Clippers (2-1, -15) haven’t been eliminated from wild card contention yet. They’ll face one another in L.A. on Friday and the winner will finish group play with a 3-1 record. Still, that team could be hard-pressed to surpass the loser of the OKC/Phoenix showdown in overall point differential, so it’s very possible neither the Grizzlies nor the Clippers advance.

Western Conference Group C

The equation is simple in West Group C, where the Spurs (2-1, +23) are visiting the Nuggets (2-1, +26) with the group crown on the line. The winner of that game will make the quarterfinals, while the loser will be eliminated.

Stephen Curry Expected To Miss Multiple Games With Quad Injury

November 27th, 2025 at 10:46am CST by Luke Adams

10:46 am: The Warriors expect Curry will miss about a week “or a little more,” sources tell Slater and Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). The sense is that Curry has avoided a serious injury, but his return will depend on how the quad responds to treatment, Charania adds.

Based on that timeline, Curry figures to miss Saturday’s game vs. New Orleans and Tuesday’s matchup with Oklahoma City, but should have a chance to return during a three-game road trip that begins next Thursday in Philadelphia.

7:52 am: After checking out of Wednesday’s game vs. Houston and limping to the locker room with 35 seconds remaining, Warriors star Stephen Curry has received an initial diagnosis of a right quad contusion, writes ESPN’s Anthony Slater.

Curry will undergo an MRI to confirm whether that diagnosis is accurate and to determine the severity of the injury.

The two-time MVP was in clear pain after a pair of fourth-quarter collisions, Slater notes. Curry was knocked to the floor while defending Amen Thompson with 3:24 left in the game (video link via NBA.com), then ended up on the court again less than a minute later when he drove to the basket and was called for an offensive foul (video link).

Head coach Steve Kerr told reporters after the game that he was relieved the injury was to Curry’s quad rather than “an ankle or a knee,” but he admitted that it would present a challenge for the Warriors if their leading scorer has to sit out at all. And according to Nick Friedell of The Athletic, the sense in the locker room was that the injury will likely cost Curry at least a couple games.

“If Steph has to miss [time]?” Kerr said, per Slater. “It obviously changes everything — our rotations, how we’re playing, who we are playing through. We’ll see.”

Curry was one of two guards who exited Wednesday’s game early due to an injury. The Warriors announced during the second half that Gary Payton II, who played five minutes in the first two quarters, wouldn’t return to action due to a sprained left ankle.

The Rockets ended up pulling out a 104-100 victory, with the Warriors falling to .500 (10-10) as a result of a fourth loss in their past five games. Veterans Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green expressed frustration in their post-game media sessions with the way the team has been playing, especially on defense.

“We don’t box out,” Butler said (Twitter video link via Slater). “We don’t go with the scouting report. We let anybody do whatever they want — open shots, get into the paint, free throws. It’s just sad. … A lot of our hustle is dictated upon our offense. When we’re making shots, oh man, we’re celebrating, we’re cheering, doing all of those things. When we’re not or when the game’s not going our way, we put our head down and we mope and then we don’t box out, we don’t get back, we foul. We do all the bad things.”

When informed of Butler’s criticism of the defense, Green interjected to reply, “Our defense is s–t,” despite the fact that the Warriors technically rank in the top 10 in defensive rating.

“It’s not necessarily the numbers,” Green said (Twitter video link). “How do you feel when you out there? It’s just letdown after letdown. It’s bigger than the numbers. Defense is about demeanor. If there’s letdown, it kills your demeanor, it kills your bravado. Then you’re just a soft team.

“… It requires individuals – all of us as individuals – to take on your challenge,” Green continued. “If you take on your challenge, then we can make the team thing work. The only way the team’s going to work is if we take on individual challenges. We are individually – I know everybody likes to twist words – I said WE are individually f—ing awful.”

Wizards’ Kispert To Miss Time With Thumb Fracture

November 27th, 2025 at 10:24am CST by Luke Adams

Wizards sharpshooter Corey Kispert has been diagnosed with a fracture to the tip of his right thumb, the team announced today (via Twitter). Kispert will be treated “conservatively” and his recovery timeline will be updated as appropriate, the Wizards added.

Kispert won’t require surgery to repair the fracture, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link), who notes that this type of injury typically requires about three weeks of recovery time.

Kispert sustained the injury in the third quarter of the Wizards’ 132-113 win over Atlanta on Tuesday. It appeared to occur when Hawks defender Nickeil Alexander-Walker attempted to knock the ball away from Kispert as he was making a pass to Khris Middleton. Kispert immediately reacted by shaking out his right hand (video link via NBA.com) and checked out of the game shortly after that.

After coming off the bench in all 61 of his outings last season, Kispert has started two of 17 games for the Wizards this season, but he’s is averaging a career-low 19.9 minutes per contest. The 26-year-old continues to shoot the ball well in his limited role, averaging 8.9 points per game with a 50.5% field goal percentage and a 40.3% mark on three-point tries.

With both Kispert and rookie guard Tre Johnson (left hip flexor strain) sidelined, third-year swingman Cam Whitmore and rookie Will Riley are among the top candidates for increased roles on the wing, tweets Robbins.

Jonathan Kuminga Aiming To Return Saturday

November 27th, 2025 at 10:07am CST by Luke Adams

After scrimmaging with the Warriors‘ G League team on Wednesday, forward Jonathan Kuminga is targeting Saturday’s home game against the Pelicans for his return to action, he tells Anthony Slater of ESPN.

Kuminga has missed the past seven contests due to what the Warriors have referred to on their injury report as bilateral knee tendonitis. Initial reporting on Kuminga’s injury suggested it wasn’t considered significant and he was viewed as day-to-day, but he has remained on the shelf for over two weeks due to some lingering soreness.

Kuminga started Golden State’s first 12 games of the season and played well enough during the first week in October to earn a vote of confidence from head coach Steve Kerr, who declared that the fifth-year forward had earned a permanent spot in the starting lineup. However, with the Warriors struggling and Kuminga’s production less consistent during the first half of November, he was moved to the second unit for his last healthy game, on November 12, in San Antonio.

While it remains to be seen what Kuminga’s role will look like upon his return, the Warriors are in need of some scoring punch, as star guard Stephen Curry exited Wednesday’s loss to Houston due to a quad contusion and could end up missing a little time as a result of that injury.

Even with Curry available, the Warriors haven’t exactly been piling up points. They rank 22nd in the NBA with a 113.2 offensive rating, and all eight teams below Golden State on that list are at least five games below .500.

And-Ones: Kaminsky, 2026 Draft, Gambling Cases, More

November 27th, 2025 at 9:11am CST by Luke Adams

Longtime NBA big man Frank Kaminsky is in advanced negotiations with the Japanese team Alvark Tokyo and is nearing a deal, reports Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com.

Kaminsky, the ninth overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft, has appeared in 413 total regular season games for Charlotte, Phoenix, Atlanta, and Houston, but has been out of the league since the 2022/23 season, outside of a brief stint with the Suns in training camp in 2024.

In his eight years in the NBA, Kaminsky averaged 8.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 19.8 minutes per game, with a .430/.349/.746 shooting line. Last season, the seven-foot forward/center made 25 appearances for the Raptors 905 in the G League, averaging 13.4 PPG, 5.9 RPG, and 4.1 APG on .486/.351/.735 shooting.

As Urbonas notes, Alvark Tokyo is a perennial playoff team in Japan’s top basketball league (the B.League), but is off to a slow start this season due to injuries. The team currently has a 10-8 record and wouldn’t make the playoffs if the season ended today.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Kansas guard Darryn Peterson is the No. 1 pick in the latest mock draft from Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, with Duke’s Cameron Boozer coming in at No. 2 and BYU’s AJ Dybantsa at No. 3. While all three players look like elite prospects, Wasserman suggests that Dybantsa’s decision-making and three-point shooting are a couple reasons why some scouts may prefer Peterson and/or Boozer. UNC’s Caleb Wilson and Tennessee’s Nate Ament round out Wasserman’s top five, in that order.
Joe Vardon and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic take a closer look at the key individuals involved in the two federal gambling cases that have resulted in the arrests of Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and Heat guard Terry Rozier, while ESPN’s Brian Windhorst explores what we know about former NBA player and coach Damon Jones, one of the three people indicted in both cases.
ESPN’s NBA insiders identify the key questions facing 16 of the NBA’s top teams – eight in each conference – and consider whether those clubs can answer those questions and become (or remain) legitimate contenders this season.

Pacific Notes: Allen, Dunn, Kuminga, Melton, LeBron

November 26th, 2025 at 11:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

Suns guard Grayson Allen is missing his sixth straight game tonight with a right quad contusion, but the team is hoping he can return this weekend, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter link). Phoenix plays at Oklahoma City Friday night, then returns home to face Denver on Saturday, so it’s possible Allen could be cleared for at least one of those games.

“Thought it was day-to-day,” coach Jordan Ott said in Wednesday’s pregame press conference. “It’s dragged on a little bit. It was just not your average quad contusion. He got a good one, but he’s still making progress. The goal is to continue to assess, see the progress that he makes day-to-day and get him out there this weekend.”

Allen played an important role in the Suns’ strong start, averaging 18.5 points per game while shooting 46.8% from the field and 44.7% from three-point range. He got hurt in a November 13 game, and team doctors eventually realized the injury was more severe than it first appeared.

“The last couple of days where it’s like, OK, he’s making progress, but he’s not out there with us,” Ott said. “He had swelling. We don’t know exactly how long it was going to take. He’s still in a good place. Just now we’re not practicing, there are so many of these games you don’t seem him out there to go up and down, 5-on-5, but he did his stuff post shootaround today. The goal is to get him out there as fast as possible.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Ott also provided an update on Ryan Dunn, who is missing his third straight game with a sprained right wrist, Rankin adds. The second-year small forward worked on conditioning and ball-handling after the Suns‘ shootaround this morning. “He’s obviously handling the ball a little bit more,” Ott said. “The shooting piece will come when he feels good. That could take a jump at any time.”
Coach Steve Kerr was encouraged after watching Jonathan Kuminga, De’Anthony Melton and Gui Santos scrimmage with the Warriors‘ G League team on Wednesday, writes Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. He said Kuminga “looked good” and is “moving well” as he works his way back from bilateral knee tendonitis. Kerr had a similar review of Melton, who’s recovering from a torn ACL, adding, “The toughest challenge for him will be rhythm.”
LeBron James experienced conditioning issues Sunday in Utah, but he looked more like his normal self as the Lakers defeated the Clippers on Tuesday, per Thuc Nhi Nguyen of The Los Angeles Times. Playing his third game since returning from sciatica, James posted 25 points, six rebounds and six assists in 32 minutes. “It will get better every game,” he responded when asked about his conditioning. “Today was another … testament to that. So great win for us, but I’m starting to feel better and better.”

Knicks Notes: Yabusele, Shamet, Hart, Trade Needs

November 26th, 2025 at 9:49pm CST by Arthur Hill

Guerschon Yabusele doesn’t understand why his weight has become an issue with some Knicks fans, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Yabusele, who signed with New York in free agency over the summer, said he hasn’t put on any pounds since he played for Philadelphia last season.

“About this, because I heard it, and I could if I wanted to talk about it, but I just decided not to,” he said. “People say whatever they want to say. If you guys check with my weight from last year, it’s the same. So last year it wasn’t a problem, why is it a problem this year? And I’m actually less than last year.”

The Knicks list Yabusele at 283 pounds, which makes him among the league’s heaviest players. Bondy notes that some websites had him at 265 pounds last season, which appears to be a mistake because was at 279 pounds in the Sixers’ media guide.

The focus on Yabusele’s weight is likely a result of his decreased production this season. He’s averaging 2.7 points and 2.2 rebounds in 15 games while playing just 10.5 minutes per night. His .349/.276/.500 shooting numbers are also disappointing for a player who was much more productive in his return to the NBA last season.

“I’m not focusing on none of that. I’m just doing my thing,” Yabusele said of the weight complaints. “I feel good and in great shape. So it is what it is.”

There’s more on the Knicks:

Landry Shamet will miss at least four weeks with a right shoulder sprain, but Ian Begley of SNY.tv doesn’t believe he’s in any danger of being waived despite his non-guaranteed contract (Twitter link). Begley points out that teams are obligated to cover the salaries of injured players throughout their recovery process, so there wouldn’t be any financial benefits for the Knicks to part with Shamet. Coach Mike Brown voiced his support for keeping him on the roster, per Steve Popper of Newsday (Twitter link). “That’s something that (team president Leon Rose) and his group will discuss,” Brown told reporters. “But Landry is a really big part of what we’re doing and I’ll give up my salary for him.”
Josh Hart credits Knicks shooting coach Peter Patton for helping him improve his jumper while wearing a splint on his right ring finger, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic states in a mailbag column. Hart revealed that he and Patton “made small tweaks here and there, but we’re just smoothing everything out.”
In the same piece, Edwards acknowledges that depth at center and power forward is an issue for the Knicks, but he believes finding a reliable backup point guard should be a greater priority in trade talks. Edwards speculates that Yabusele, Miles McBride and some of the team’s younger players are most likely to be moved in any deal.

Central Notes: Pistons, McConnell, Giannis, Porter

November 26th, 2025 at 8:36pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pistons had their 13-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday, dropping a tough 117-114 decision at Boston in NBA Cup play. They fell one game short of setting the longest win streak in franchise history, but players told Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press earlier this week that the streak wasn’t the primary thing on their minds.

“We never talked about it,” Cade Cunningham said. “We wanted to find our way to the top of the league. We’ve seen the bottom of the league before. … We’re excited about the opportunity, but this is just a product of the work. This isn’t what we were going for; we still have bigger things to do.”

At 15-3, the Pistons are still atop the East and have the second-best record in the NBA. Their defense ranked third in the league coming into tonight’s game, and they’re getting contributions from the entire roster. They’ve also gained confidence after going through a historically bad season in 2023/24 and rebounding to make the playoffs last spring.

“We were talked bad about, we were the laughingstocks, and now that the tables have turned, everybody wants to be on this side,” Isaiah Stewart said. “Everybody wants to be on the wagon and everybody wants to say great things about us. That’s a good thing, that’s a good thing. We’re not taking that lightly. All we’re doing is just keeping our heads down and taking it day by day.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

Pacers guard T.J. McConnell has played seven games since returning from a strained hamstring, but he admits that it took a while for him to start feeling good again, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. McConnell missed a big chunk of his normal preparation process after suffering the injury in Indiana’s first preseason contest. “It hasn’t all been positive,” he said. “I’ve never hurt a muscle before, so I think the process getting back has been more difficult than I anticipated just in terms of my wind and my legs. I’m doing everything I can to continue to build that. I think I anticipated some inconsistencies with the flow of the game and my rhythm, but I feel like I’m starting to come into that.”
The Bucks were hoping to have Giannis Antetokounmpo back in time for tonight’s NBA Cup contest in Miami, but the team announced shortly before tip-off that he’s missing a fourth straight game with a low-grade groin strain. He was listed as questionable heading into the game.
The Bucks assigned Kevin Porter Jr. to their G League affiliate as he continues to work his way back from meniscus surgery. The Wisconsin Herd don’t play again until Sunday, so he’ll likely just be practicing with the team, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Northwest Notes: J. Williams, Presti, Wolves, C. Williams

November 26th, 2025 at 7:27pm CST by Arthur Hill

In Wednesday’s pregame press conference, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault offered an update on Jalen Williams‘ progress as he recovers from wrist surgery, writes Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman. There’s still no timetable for Williams to resume playing, but Daigneault said he’s maintaining a positive attitude while working his way through rehab.

“Day-to-day, and he’s doing a great job,” Daigneault said. “There’s so much invisible work that goes into a return to play that you guys don’t get the opportunity to see and we don’t even get the opportunity to see.”

Oklahoma City has remained on top of the league without Williams, carrying a 17-1 record into tonight’s game against Minnesota. The fourth-year forward was a third-team All-NBA and second-team All-Defensive selection last season, but he’s ineligible for any postseason honors this year because he has already missed too many games.

Daigneault said he got a first-hand look at Williams’ rehab efforts when he arrived at the practice facility at 8:15 am Wednesday and saw the 24-year-old doing physical therapy work in preparation for an on-court workout.

“That’s the work you have to put in day after day without the immediate carrot of playing when you’re going through a rehab,” Daigneault added. “But that’s why having guys with the maturity that we have is so important. (Thomas) Sorber has done a great job with that. (Nikola) Topic has done a great job with that. Chet (Holmgren) has done it a couple of different times. (Williams) is doing it just the way we want him to do it.”

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

Thunder general manager Sam Presti took inspiration from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Robert Caro in building a championship roster, according to Baxter Holmes of ESPN. Caro has written numerous historical works, including an in-depth profile of Lyndon Johnson’s time in the U.S. Senate. “One of my favorite authors, Robert Caro, has a great saying about research, where he says, ‘You have to turn every single page,’ and I really like that relative to what it is that we have to do in order to discover the team,” Presti said. “We have to really understand and go through every iteration to ensure that we’re not shutting off potential pathways that could really help us or get us to another level, whether it’s now or in the future. … I think by turning every page, you give yourself every opportunity.”
After letting games slip away against Sacramento and Phoenix, Timberwolves guard Mike Conley led a team dinner Tuesday night where several issues were discussed, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link). Julius Randle described the gathering as “not optional.”
The Jazz have sent 2024 first-round pick Cody Williams to the G League, the team’s Salt Lake City affiliate announced (via Twitter). Williams’ playing time has been declining lately — he logged just three minutes in Sunday’s game and was a DNP-CD on Monday.

Bulls Notes: Expiring Contracts, Defense, Queen, Essengue, Collins

November 26th, 2025 at 6:16pm CST by Arthur Hill

This season will go a long way toward shaping the future of the Bulls, who could have as many as eight free agents next summer, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times (subscription required). Nikola Vucevic, Zach Collins, Coby White, Kevin Huerter, Ayo Dosunmu, Jevon Carter and Dalen Terry all have expiring contracts, while Chicago holds a $2.4MM team option on Julian Phillips for next season.

According to Cowley, coach Billy Donovan has been emphasizing to his players since training camp that they have a common goal in helping one another have the brightest possible NBA future.

‘‘We’ve got eight guys on expiring contracts,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘They’re all tied together. Their futures and careers are in each other’s hands. You get a player that’s young, that’s in their first or second year, they’re looking down the road and thinking, ‘Fifteen years is forever.’ Vooch is sitting there saying, ‘Hey, this went by like that.’ So I do think that there’s an urgency by Vooch, a mindset, a mentality.’’

Cowley suggests that urgency helps to explain Vucevic’s weekend comments after a one-point win over Washington when he said the team was “very soft” for most of the game. Cowley notes that Vucevic and his family like living in Chicago, and the front office could have interest in re-signing the 35-year-old center if the season goes well. He adds that executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas has displayed loyalty to Donovan and much of the roster, and several players could receive multiyear contracts if the Bulls are able to exceed expectations.

‘‘They have to understand the urgency because they all have something to do with each other’s success and they all have something to do with each other’s future,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘I think the moment you get out of yourself and start thinking, ‘What can I do to help the man next to me? What can I do to help the man on the court?’ that’s when you find out the guys that are really committed.’’

There’s more from Chicago:

The Bulls’ defensive issues have become more apparent during their recent downturn, Cowley states in a separate story. A lack of size and physicality was glaring in games against Washington and New Orleans, and Donovan believes it can only be overcome with a team-wide approach. “For our team, maybe outside Isaac Okoro, we don’t have one guy right now where you can say, ‘This guy is a defensive stopper, this is what this guy hangs his hat on.’ We don’t have that,” he said. “So we have to do it collectively. It’s not one guy’s fault; it’s all of us. It’s the coaches, the players, we all have to do it. We just don’t have the type of guys that you’re going to put on a guy, and he’s going to shut them down.”
The Bulls had serious interest in Pelicans rookie big man Derik Queen with the 12th pick in this year’s draft, Cowley relays in another story. They opted for French forward Noa Essengue, who has spent most of the season in the G League, because they viewed him as a better fit for their up-tempo style. “When the draft actually came, there’s things that happen in that moment,” Donovan explained. “You’ve got five minutes to make that pick. I think (the front office) was looking at Noa as an opportunity long-term — ‘This guy fits the way we would like to play.’ I did not get from the front office or even the scouts that (Queen wasn’t) a fit. (But) I think they thought the way we were playing, Noa, maybe from an upside standpoint, another athletic wing, a long defender, (was) maybe something we needed defensively.”
Collins is expected to begin participating in full-court practices later this week as he moves closer to making his season debut, Cowley adds. The team is hoping to have Collins, who has been sidelined with an injured left hand, back on the court by early December.

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