Suns Advance, Will Play Lakers in NBA In-Season Tournament Quarterfinals
PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns didn't win their group of the NBA's inaugural in-season tournament, yet they've punched their tickets to the knockout stages as a wildcard squad.
Phoenix finished 3-1 in group stage play. After the Los Angeles Lakers went a clean 4-0, the Suns needed the following to happen tonight to qualify to the next round:
Minnesota Timberwolves lose Tuesday to Oklahoma City Thunder OR Phoenix win tiebreaker over any second place team from out of the Western Conference groups that finished 3-1 in group play.
Minnesota defeated OKC 106-103 tonight, though it wasn't enough for the Wolves. The scenarios in which Phoenix didn't advance were quite out of reach:
- Sacramento beats Golden State, improving to 4-0, and Minnesota beats Oklahoma City by at least 38, meaning the Timberwolves would have at least a plus 35 point differential and claim the wild card spot.
- Golden State beats Sacramento by at least 30 and Minnesota beats Oklahoma City by at least 38. In that scenario, both the Warriors and Wolves would have at least a plus-35 point differential, and whichever team finished second in Group C would get the wild card (with a tie going to Minnesota because of its head-to-head victory).
Each conference had three groups, with each group winner automatically advancing. One wild card spot was then reserved for each conference, going to the team with the best record who didn't win their group.
After that, point differential was the next tie-breaker. The Suns finished with a point differential of +34, putting themselves up by quite a lot heading into the final night of action.
The Suns will play the Lakers on the road for the quarterfinals, which are set to take place on Dec. 4 and Dec. 5 before Las Vegas hosts the semifinals and Finals on Dec. 7 and Dec. 9.
