The New York Knicks secured a place in the NBA Cup quarter-finals on Friday, powered by Jalen Brunson’s 37-point outburst in a 118–109 win over Milwaukee — a result that also eliminated the defending in-season tournament champion Bucks.

Giannis Antetokounmpo returned from a four-game injury layoff to deliver 30 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists in just 28 minutes, but his efforts couldn’t stop Milwaukee from sliding to a seventh straight defeat.

Milwaukee entered the fourth quarter up by four and cut the Knicks’ lead to two on an Antetokounmpo dunk with 5:19 to play. But New York regained control behind Brunson, who went 9-for-10 from the free-throw line, sinking all four of his attempts in the final period.

By finishing first in their group, the Knicks not only advanced but also helped springboard the idle Miami Heat into the Eastern Conference wild-card spot. The NBA Cup quarter-finals are scheduled for December 9 and 10.

Friday’s slate featured 11 games — the final night of group play — and six knockout spots were still unclaimed. All in-season tournament games, aside from the championship, count toward the regular-season standings.

Magic clinch group with tight win
The Orlando Magic also punched their ticket to the quarter-finals with a hard-fought 112–109 victory over the Detroit Pistons.

Detroit, whose 13-game win streak had ended two nights earlier in Boston, erased a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit and even held a pair of one-point leads. Orlando, however, steadied in the closing moments.

Desmond Bane led the Magic with 37 points and eight rebounds, Franz Wagner added 21, and Anthony Black chipped in 16 off the bench. They outlasted a massive performance from Cade Cunningham, who posted a 39-point triple-double with 13 rebounds and 11 assists.

Orlando fought for three offensive rebounds in the final minute, and Jalen Suggs sealed a perfect 4–0 group-stage run by sinking two free throws with 6.3 seconds remaining.

Thunder and Lakers roll on
The Oklahoma City Thunder — reigning NBA champions and last season’s NBA Cup runners-up — held off a furious late push from the Phoenix Suns to claim a 123–119 win and finish atop their group.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in 37 points, 15 of them in the fourth quarter, along with eight assists. The Thunder led by as many as 15 in the final frame, but Phoenix twice cut the margin to one. With 4.7 seconds left and the lead down to two possessions, Gilgeous-Alexander knocked down two decisive free throws to secure the win.

Jalen Williams made his season debut after off-season wrist surgery, contributing 11 points and eight assists as Oklahoma City clinched the group.

Despite the loss, the Suns claimed the Western Conference wild-card spot, edging out Memphis even after the Grizzlies’ 112–107 win over the Clippers.

The Los Angeles Lakers, already locked into the knockout stage, completed an undefeated group phase with a 129–119 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. Austin Reaves led the way with 38 points, while Luka Dončić added 35 points and 11 assists for L.A.

P.J. Washington paced the Mavericks with 22 points. Anthony Davis, facing his former team for the first time since the blockbuster trade that sent him to Dallas and brought Dončić to L.A. last February, recorded 12 points, five rebounds, and five assists in his return from a 14-game absence due to a calf strain.