NBA Cup 2025: Four must-watch games Friday night that will set the quarterfinals field

By the time the final buzzer sounds on Friday night, we will know the eight teams advancing to the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup, the bracket-style knockout round stage of the tournament.

While we already know a couple of the final eight (the Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Lakers), the final six spots — four division winners plus one wild card in each conference — will be decided on Friday. Here are four must-watch games that will go a long way to determining who advances and starts playing for the size of their bonus check and a trip to Las Vegas.

Orlando at Detroit

The math is pretty simple here: Win and you’re in. Whichever team wins this game advances to the quarterfinals and wins East Group B. If Detroit loses, it would need a lot of help to advance as the wild card. However, if Orlando loses a close game and doesn’t ding its +61 point differential too much, it very likely would advance to the quarterfinals as a wild card.

Milwaukee at New York

If the Knicks win, they advance as the winners of East Group C, but if they lose, they are out. With a New York victory, both teams would be 3-1, but the Knicks would advance because they won the head-to-head matchup. If Milwaukee wins, Miami wins the group at 3-1 (the Heat do not play Friday), and the Knicks are eliminated — and if Milwaukee wins in a blowout, the Bucks become a long shot to advance as the wild card, but they need a lot of help.

Even if the Knicks win, Miami has a chance to advance as the Wild Card with its +49 point differential. However, the Heat would need some help (depending on the point differential of the other 3-1 teams, the Heat would need Orlando to lose by more than 12 and Cleveland to lose or at least beat Atlanta by less than 16).

Phoenix at Oklahoma City

Another win-and-you’re-in scenario. Whichever team wins this game will be 4-0 in group play and will advance to the quarterfinals. With Oklahoma City entering the game +71 in point differential for NBA Cup games and Phoenix at +35, the loser of this game has a very good chance to advance as the wild card (but if the Suns lose they need it to be close). Also of note, Oklahoma City — which made it to the finals of the NBA Cup in Las Vegas last year — will get Jalen Williams back for this game.

San Antonio at Denver

It’s another win-and-you’re-in scenario, but this game is far more influenced by injuries than the others. No Victor Wembanyama for San Antonio, which makes matching up with Nikola Jokic a challenge and puts a lot on Luke Kornet’s plate. Denver is dealing with injury issues itself, down two starters (Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon), and is now asking a lot more of Peyton Watson. The loser of this game could advance as the wild card if it’s a close game and OKC blows out Phoenix, and Memphis doesn’t blow out the Clippers.