NBA
Can the Lakers still qualify to the knockout round of the NBA Cup 2024?
LeBron James and Co won the inaugural NBA Cup in 2023 but do they have any hope of defending their title this year?
LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers won the inaugural edition of the NBA Cup in 2023 but we already know ahead of the final day of group-stage action on Tuesday (December 3) that they won’t be defending their title this year.
Which teams qualify for the 2024 NBA Cup quarterfinals?
As well as the six group winners, one second-placed team from each conference will also qualify for the last eight. The Lakers, however, have no hope of falling into either category having already completed their NBA Cup campaign.
The Lakers' 2024 NBA Cup hopes dead
While 22 teams still have one group game left to play, the Californians are one of eight who have already completed their four matchups in the competition’s initial phase. Opening victories over the San Antonio Spurs (120-115) and the Utah Jazz (124-118) offered hope of progression to the quarterfinals, but back-to-back defeats to the Phoenix Suns (100-127) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (93-101) means it’s already all over for LeBron and Co.
With two wins and two defeats in West Group B, the Lakers are currently in fourth place out of five, behind the Spurs, the Thunder and the Suns. Either Phoenix or San Antonio, who face off on Tuesday, will get to 3-1, while even if Phoenix and Oklahoma both lose their final games to finish 2-2, the will finish ahead of JJ Redick’s because of their head-to-head victories.
The Lakers can therefore do no better than third in West Group B, which will only happen in the Spurs lose to the Suns.
Which teams have qualified for the 2024 NBA Cup quarterfinals?
The Atlanta Hawks (East Group C), the Houston Rockets (West Group A) and the Golden State Warriors (West Group C) cannot be overtaken as group winners and, as a result, are already assured of their places in the knockout stage. But the identities of the other five qualifiers is still unknown and will be decided in the 11 games plated on Tuesday.
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