Bucks Move On to NBA Cup Knockout Stage, What Comes Next?

Ricardo Klein | 7 Hours Ago

Nov 12, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; General view of the court during the first quarter of the game between the Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Bucks are on a roll. The Bucks have won seven consecutive games, but more importantly, they recorded a 4-0 record in NBA Cup group play to advance to the knockout round.

The Bucks clinched the No. 1 seed in the East as winners of Group B and will now face the No. 4 seed, otherwise known as the Wild Card Team, the Orland Magic.

The NBA Cup Knockout Rounds will begin Tuesday, Dec. 10. The Quarterfinals will be played in home markets, while the Semifinals and Championship will be played in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena.

Since the Bucks are the No. 1 seed, they will host the Magic on Dec. 10 in their home court for the chance to advance to Las Vegas and face either the New York Knicks or the Atlanta Hawks in the semifinal round.

This is the first time the Bucks have advanced this far in NBA Cup play since last season, so here's a rundown of what can happen in knockout play.

All games are single-elimination. This stage features three rounds in one week: Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Championship.

The last team standing will win the NBA Cup. Games played in the Quarterfinals and Semifinals will count as regular season games. The Championship is the only NBA Cup game that will not count towards regular-season records and stats.

Nonetheless, if the Bucks are fortunate enough to play in the championship game, they will have played in 83 games this season. Although it wouldn't count towards their record, they will have a chance to win the cup, plus $514,970 for each player on the team.

The Bucks fell short last season in NBA Cup play, but they are the hottest team in the league and have a great chance to win it all.

In the Bucks' last 10 games, they have recorded a 9-1 record, averaging 117.5 points, 43.2 rebounds, 26.6 assists, 8.0 steals, and 6.6 blocks per game while shooting 49.4 percent from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.6 points per game.

The Bucks are being carried by their superstar player, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is averaging  32.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 6.7 assists in 18 games.

The Bucks make 48.5 percent of their shots from the field this season.

Milwaukee won't have it easy in their first game of the knockout round. They face a Magic team that has won six of its last seven games.

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