The New York Knicks have secured their place in the NBA Cup quarterfinals after defeating the reigning champion Milwaukee Bucks 118-109 at Madison Square Garden. Jalen Brunson led the charge for the Knicks, delivering a stellar performance with 37 points.
Giannis Antetokounmpo returned for the Bucks after a four-game absence due to injury, posting an impressive 30 points, 15 rebounds, and 8 assists in just 28 minutes. However, his efforts were not enough to prevent the Bucks from suffering their seventh consecutive loss.
The Knicks entered the fourth quarter trailing by four points. Antetokounmpo narrowed the gap to two with a powerful dunk with 5:19 remaining. However, Brunson regained the advantage for his team, converting 9 of 10 free throws, including four crucial ones in the final minutes.
With this victory, the Knicks finished atop their group in the tournament, also securing a quarterfinal berth for the Miami Heat as the best second-place team in the Eastern Conference. The quarterfinals are scheduled for December 9th and 10th.
Six spots were still up for grabs in the final round of group play, the results of which count towards the regular season standings, with the exception of the final game.
In another thrilling contest, the San Antonio Spurs, despite missing key players, clinched a spot with a 139-136 victory over the Denver Nuggets, led by Nikola Jokic.
