Giannis Antetokounmpo had an impressive performance with 28 points, eight assists and seven rebounds as the Milwaukee Bucks earned a 128-107 win over the Detroit Pistons. This game secured the Bucks a place in the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup, where they will face the Orlando Magic. Damian Lillard contributed to the success with 27 points and five assists. Of note is the Bucks’ continued dominance over the Pistons, with 11 straight wins against their Central Division rival. In the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Clippers triumphed over the Portland Trail Blazers 127-105, thanks to a 30-point game from Norman Powell. James Harden contributed 23 points and secured the team its ninth home win in a row. It remains difficult for the Trail Blazers to convince in away games. The Sacramento Kings prevented them from becoming the West’s top seed with a 120-111 victory over the Houston Rockets. Domantas Sabonis impressed with 27 points, while DeMar DeRozan scored 13 of his 16 points in a strong third quarter. Houston, led by Jalen Green’s 28 points, will face the Golden State Warriors in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, the New York Knicks secured group victory in Eastern Group A with a 121-106 victory over the Orlando Magic. Karl-Anthony Towns was the Knicks’ standout player with 23 points and 15 rebounds. Franz Wagner tried to help the Magic with 30 points, but in vain. Phoenix Suns defeated San Antonio Spurs 104-93 with Devin Booker shining. An unfortunate incident was the injury to Kevin Durant, who was sidelined with a sprained ankle. The Cleveland Cavaliers cruised to a comfortable win against the Washington Wizards, who are now on the verge of breaking the franchise’s historic losing record. The other NBA teams were also in action: Toronto Raptors won convincingly against the Indiana Pacers, while the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Utah Jazz and secured first place in the West B group.
