The final day of group play for the NBA In-Season tournament is set for Tuesday and there's still a lot up for grabs before the knockout round. So far, only two teams have solidified their spot in the final eight, with the Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana Pacers going a perfect 4-0 during group play. But that means there's still six spots undecided, making Tuesday's slate of games must-watch television. Ahead of all the action, we're going to take a look at what teams are still fighting for in each group.
Tiebreakers are based on head-to-head result. If there's a three-way tie, point differential and total points can come into play.
Only two teams have clinched spots in the knockout stage. Twelve teams have been eliminated. That leaves 16 teams (10 in the East and six in the West) fighting for the six remaining knockout stage spots (three in the East and three in the West). The NBA laid out the clinching scenarios for every team that's still alive on Monday:
In the East...
EASTERN CONFERENCE KNOCKOUT ROUND SCENARIOS... entering the final day of Group Play on 11/28!
— NBA (@NBA) November 27, 2023
ATLANTA clinches Wildcard if the following occurs:
1) ATL victory + NYK loss + MIA loss + BOS loss + BKN loss + ATL finishes second in group and wins tiebreaker over any second-place… pic.twitter.com/8aWoQA8yCb
And in the West...
WESTERN CONFERENCE KNOCKOUT ROUND SCENARIOS... entering the final day of Group Play on 11/28!
— NBA (@NBA) November 27, 2023
GOLDEN STATE clinches Group C if one of the following occurs:
1) GSW victory + MIN loss
2) GSW victory + GSW wins tiebreaker over SAC and MIN
GOLDEN STATE clinches Wildcard if the… pic.twitter.com/G1vKQQt0HX
Tuesday's schedule features eight games (full schedule here) and every one of them features at least one team still in contention to advance. It could be a drama-filled Tuesday night. Bucks-Heat and Warriors-Kings are among the most notable games on the slate.
It's a lot to process about the inaugural edition of the NBA's In-Season Tournament, so we're going to break it down group by group below.
East Group A
Although the Pacers already won the guaranteed spot in this group, there's still that one wild-card spot available from the Eastern Conference, and the Cavaliers, Sixers and Hawks are all alive to grab it. The Cavaliers have the edge with a 2-1 record, so if they manage to beat the Hawks on Tuesday night it would certainly give them the inside track to claim that wild-card spot.
| Team | Record | Point differential | Total points |
|---|---|---|---|
Indiana Pacers | 4-0 | +39 | 546 (group winner) |
Cleveland Cavaliers | 2-1 | +6 | 346 |
2-2 | +9 | 485 | |
Atlanta Hawks | 1-2 | -9 | 394 |
0-4 | -45 | 439 (eliminated) |
East Group B
Heading into Tuesday night, this group is still unclaimed, and the two games to keep a track on are the Bucks-Heat matchup and Knicks-Hornets. If Milwaukee beats Miami, then the Bucks will win the group. But things could get interesting if the Knicks and Heat win, which could create a three-way tie for first at the top of this group.
| Team | Record | Point differential | Total points |
|---|---|---|---|
Milwaukee Bucks | 3-0 | +39 | 371 |
New York Knicks | 2-1 | +18 | 325 |
Miami Heat | 2-1 | +11 | 330 |
1-2 | -30 | 328 | |
0-4 | -38 | 458 (eliminated) |
East Group C
The Orlando Magic are in the driver's seat for Group C, but the Celtics and Nets winning could create a three-way tie for first place. Even if the Magic do come out on top of this group, the Celtics and Nets could still be alive for the wild-card spot.
| Team | Record | Point differential | Total points |
|---|---|---|---|
Orlando Magic | 3-1 | +22 | 446 |
Boston Celtics | 2-1 | 0 | 325 |
Brooklyn Nets | 2-1 | +8 | 340 |
1-2 | -9 | 333 (eliminated) | |
0-3 | -21 | 312 (eliminated) |
West Group A
The Lakers swept the competition in their group and the Suns are the only other team alive with a chance to win the wild-card spot to go to Vegas. After a rough start to the season due to injuries, the Suns have slowly started to turn things around, but with all their group stage games done they'll need some help elsewhere in the conference to advance to the knockout stage.
| Team | Record | Point differential | Total points |
|---|---|---|---|
Los Angeles Lakers | 4-0 | +74 | 494 (group winner) |
Phoenix Suns | 3-1 | +34 | 480 |
2-2 | -13 | 469 (eliminated) | |
1-3 | -39 | 416 (eliminated) | |
0-4 | -56 | 430 (eliminated) |
West Group B
This may be the most surprising group of the bunch, as many expected the defending champion Denver Nuggets to come out on top. Instead, the Nuggets have been eliminated and the Pelicans and Rockets are the only two teams alive. This is the most straightforward group and it comes down to the Rockets vs. Mavericks on Tuesday night. If Houston wins, the Rockets win the group and advance. If Houston loses, the Pelicans win the group and advance. There won't be a wild-card team from this group. If the Rockets finish 3-1, they win the group, and the 3-1 Pelicans are behind the Suns on point differential.
| Team | Record | Point differential | Total points |
|---|---|---|---|
New Orleans Pelicans | 3-1 | +33 | 463 |
Houston Rockets | 2-1 | +16 | 309 |
Denver Nuggets | 2-2 | -10 | 432 (eliminated) |
Dallas Mavericks | 1-2 | -14 | 368 (eliminated) |
1-3 | -25 | 446 (eliminated) |
West Group C
The Kings are at the top of this table, but wins by both the Timberwolves and Warriors will create a three-way tie. Golden State will certainly be motivated to beat the Kings on Tuesday, especially as it will be Draymond Green's return from a five-game suspension. Minnesota may get the benefit of playing an OKC team that isn't playing for anything Tuesday night, but these games still count towards the postseason, so that's not to say that the Thunder won't go all out to get an important win.
| Team | Record | Point differential | Total points |
|---|---|---|---|
Sacramento Kings | 3-0 | +29 | 358 |
Minnesota Timberwolves | 2-1 | -3 | 332 |
Golden State Warriors | 2-1 | +5 | 360 |
Oklahoma City Thunder | 1-2 | +27 | 360 (eliminated) |
0-4 | -58 | 429 (eliminated) |
