Boston, Milwaukee, New York, Phoenix and New Orleans qualified for the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup, a newly created mid-season tournament, at the end of the group stage which ended Tuesday.
The Los Angeles Lakers and the Indiana Pacers had already validated their qualification for the quarters last week.
Boston won Tuesday against Chicago (124-97) with 30 points from Jaylen Brown and 21 points from Jayson Tatum, enough to finish at the top of Group C after a three-way tie with Orlando and Brooklyn, eliminated.
In these meetings, which also count for the regular season, Milwaukee was able to count on its star duo Giannis Antetokounmpo (33 points) and Damian Lillard (32 points) to get rid of Miami (131-124) and finish undefeated in Group B .
“Mission accomplished,” said Khris Middleton for the Bucks, who started the game leading 15-2, before letting the Heat come back, despite the absence of their leader Jimmy Butler (ankle).
17 points, 16 rebounds for Rudy Gobert
Without playing, New Orleans and Phoenix took advantage of the evening results to invite themselves to the next level, the quarterfinals, which will take place Monday and Tuesday next week.
The matches will be played in a dry match and the winners will travel to Las Vegas to play a final-4, with the semi-finals on Thursday December 7 then the final on Saturday December 9.
In Cleveland, fullback Donovan Mitchell accumulated 40 points and 11 rebounds to counter Atlanta (128-105).
In the clash at the top of the Western Conference, the Minnesota Timberwolves successfully defended their place at the top of the standings against Oklahoma City (106-103), with a great contribution from French pivot Rudy Gobert (17 points, 16 rebounds).
But neither team managed to qualify for the quarters of the NBA Cup, a new tournament created by the league to boost an interminable regular season with 82 team matches between October and April before the play-offs.
Tonight’s results :Cleveland-Atlanta 128-105Miami-Milwaukee 124-131New York-Charlotte 115-91Brooklyn-Toronto 115-103Boston-Chicago 124-97Dallas-Houston 121-115Sacramento-Golden State 124-123Minnesota-Okla home City 106-103