NBA Cup Quarterfinals: Survival of the Fittest on the Road to Vegas

NBA Cup Knockout Stage: The Road to Vegas Begins

December 8, 2025

The Group Stage is history. The stakes are simple: Win or go home. The Emirates NBA Cup enters the Knockout Round this week, with eight teams vying for a trip to Las Vegas and the mid-season hardware.

However, the headlines heading into the Quarterfinals are dominated by the medical tent and depleted rosters. A wave of injuries has reshaped the bracket, creating massive disparities in the Quarterfinal matchups.

Here is your guide for the NBA Cup Quarterfinals.

Orlando Magic vs. Miami Heat

• Date: Tuesday, Dec. 9

• Venue: Kaseya Center, Miami

• TV: Prime Video

The Battle of Florida has turned into a survival test for Orlando. While superstar Paolo Banchero successfully returned from his groin injury, the Magic suffered a new crushing blow on Sunday: Franz Wagner is OUT indefinitely after suffering a high left ankle sprain against the Knicks.

The Disparity: Offensive Creation. With Wagner sidelined, the offense now falls heavily on Banchero and their blockbuster acquisition, Desmond Bane. Bane, who dropped 37 points back-to-back last week, must now operate as a primary scorer rather than a spacer. Miami (allowing 110.1 PPG) will likely cause troubles for a Magic offense missing one of their key pieces.

Why Watch: Erik Spoelstra vs. Jamahl Mosley. This is a coaching chess match. Can Mosley manufacture points without his "best" playmaker (Wagner) against one of the league's best defensive schemes?

Toronto Raptors vs. New York Knicks

• Date: Tuesday, Dec. 9

• Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York

• TV: Prime Video

The Knicks enter the Knockout Stage breathing a sigh of relief. Defensive ace OG Anunoby is ACTIVE, having returned to the lineup on Friday against Utah. However, the Knicks are dealing with a new issue: key reserve Miles McBride left Sunday's game in a walking boot and is doubtful.

The Stat: Isolation Efficiency. The Raptors have reshaped their offense around the length and scoring versatility of Brandon Ingram (averaging 21.2 PPG). Toronto ranks top-5 in isolation scoring since acquiring him, creating a difficult matchup for New York's wings. With Anunoby back, the Knicks have the bodies to throw at him, but Ingram's ability to shoot over the top is the X-factor.

Why Watch: Jalen Brunson. The Knicks go as their captain goes. Brunson lives for the bright lights of MSG in elimination games. With the Raptors likely to throw multiple long defenders at him, watching Brunson navigate the paint and control the tempo will be a masterclass in point guard play.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns

• Date: Wednesday, Dec. 10

• Venue: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City

• TV: Prime Video

The Thunder (23-1) look like the prohibitive favorites, but they face their own adversity. Key defenders Luguentz Dort (thigh) and Alex Caruso (quadriceps) are anticipated to be ruled OUT, stripping OKC of their premier perimeter stoppers. They face a Phoenix team that has, again, handed the keys entirely to Devin Booker.

The Mismatch: The Solo Act vs. The Machine. The Suns are asking Devin Booker to play hero ball every night. He is averaging 25.0 PPG this season, carrying a massive load. He faces an OKC defense that, despite missing Dort and Caruso, still boasts the league's best rating. The X-factor is Dillon Brooks. The Suns brought him in to instill toughness, and he will have the primary assignment on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. If Brooks can get under Shai's skin and muddy the game up, the Suns have a puncher's chance. If not, OKC's depth wins by 20.

Why Watch: The Villain Role. Dillon Brooks lives for these moments. Watching him engage in physical and verbal warfare with MVP frontrunner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (32.8 PPG) will be pure entertainment. Expect technical fouls, intense trash talk, and Booker trying to hit tough shots over double teams to keep Phoenix alive.

San Antonio Spurs vs. Los Angeles Lakers

• Date: Wednesday, Dec. 10

• Venue: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles

• TV: Prime Video

The marquee matchup of the week features the league's best offense hosting the ultimate defensive anomaly. The Lakers are finally healthy with LeBron James expected to be ACTIVE, but the drama centers on the visitors: Victor Wembanyama, who has been OUT for the last week with a calf strain, has been upgraded to questionable and may make his return for this elimination game.

The Key Factor: Rust vs. Rhythm. If Wembanyama plays, he changes the entire geometry of the court. He averages a league-leading 3.6 blocks per game in the 2025-26 season. However, returning from a lower-body injury against Luka Dončić is a brutal test. If Wemby is a step slow, Luka will punish him in the pick-and-roll. If he is 100%, the Lakers' paint attack hits a 7-foot-4 wall.

Why Watch: The "Alien" Factor. The Spurs are massive underdogs without him. With him, they are the only team capable of completely shutting off the rim against the Lakers. The pre-game warmups will be just as tense as the game itself as we await his final status.