How the Suns can advance to the NBA Cup knockout rounds

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

Phoenix is 2-1 in NBA Cup games and wraps up Group B action at home against the San Antonio Spurs, winners of five of their last six games led by Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul.

They do so with Bradley Beal listed as probable after missing the last game with a calf injury that cropped back up and with center Jusuf Nurkic out due to a thigh contusion.

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

The Suns have a slim chance to win Group B and perhaps a clearer opportunity for a Wild Card berth.

Suns NBA Cup clinching scenarios

Win the group

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

Counting on a Thunder loss appears to be a long shot considering they host the Utah Jazz, who are 4-16 and have lost four straight games.

Oklahoma City handed Phoenix its lone NBA Cup loss and thus owns the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Earn a Wild Card

The Suns can earn the Western Conference’s Wild Card spot with a win plus losses by the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers.

Or, the Suns could clinch with a win and via point differential tiebreakers over Dallas and Portland, who are both 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 riding a six-game winning streak and sit in third place of the Western Conference at 14-7 this season.

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

Phoenix could technically clinch with a loss to San Antonio but would need defeats taken by Dallas, Portland and Oklahoma City by enough points to command the point differential advantage. That becomes messy also because there are several 1-2 teams that could factor into the point differential battle if nobody in the Wild Card race cracks 3-1.

Which two West teams will join the @HoustonRockets and @warriors in the Knockout Rounds of the #EmiratesNBACup?

The following scenarios are applicable for the final day of Group Play games on Tuesday ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/239PlS8gcM

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) December 2, 2024

The knockout rounds involve single-elimination games with the semifinals (Dec. 14) and championship (Dec. 17) to be played in Las Vegas.

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

Tuesday’s matchup between the Suns and Spurs tips off at 7 p.m. MST on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports app. 

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