Wednesday’s packed sched around the Associated was notable because it settled the field for the NBA Emirates Cup. Aside from that, the day also saw a team’s struggles continue with another loss.
Here are Wednesday’s notables:
Bucks, Knicks, Mavs Win to Set NBA Emirates Cup Field
The eight teams who will compete for the NBA Emirates Cup championship are now all set thanks to victories by the New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, and Dallas Mavericks.
New York rode a hot first half to cruise past the erstwhile red-hot Orlando Magic, 121-106, at Madison Square Garden. Josh Hart led the way for the Knicks with 11 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists, while Karl-Anthony Towns added 23 points and 15 boards. Jalen Brunson chipped in 21. The Wagner bros—Franz and Moritz—paced the Magic with 30 and 20 points, respectively.
Out at the Little Caesars Arena in Michigan, the Milwaukee Bucks continued their hot streak with a 128-107 triumph over the Detroit Pistons behind a 42-18 second-quarter avalanche. Giannis Antetokounmpo was spectacular once more for the Bucks, finishing with 28 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists on 10-for-11 shooting. Damian Lillard added 27 points and 5 dimes. Cade Cunningham was Detroit’s lone bright spot, contributing 23 points and 6 helpers.
Out West, the Dallas Mavericks erased a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter to outlast the Memphis Grizzlies, 121-116, at American Airlines Center. Luka Doncic played his best game since returning from injury, dropping 37 points and 12 boards. Spencer Dinwiddie added 16 points off the bench, including back-to-back threes to give Dallas the lead for good. Ja Morant had 31 points, 4 assists, and 3 steals for Memphis.
At the end of Wednesday, the NBA Emirates Cup look like this: the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Atlanta Hawks, and Orlando Magic will duke it out in the East. The Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors, and Dallas Mavericks will fight over the West.
Warriors Lose Again as Nuggets Complete Furious Fightback
The Golden State Warriors looked well on their way to snapping a four-game skid as they built a 104-94 lead in the fourth quarter after a 19-4 blitz. Then, the Nuggets uncorked a 25-11 run of their own to overcome the Dubs at Ball Arena.
Nikola Jokic flashed his MVP form once again, delivering 38 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists for the Nuggets. Michael Porter Jr. added 22 points and 7 rebounds, while Aaron Gordon chipped in 15 points and 9 boards. He also made the go-ahead free throws for Denver with 48 seconds remaining.
Steph Curry had 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 11 assists but was just 8-for-23 from the field. Andrew Wiggins, Brandon Podziemski, and Moses Moody added 13 apiece for the Warriors, who played minus Draymond Green.
