Malik Monk made a difficult 13-foot shot with 7.4 seconds remaining, and Stephen Curry missed a pressured 37-foot shot at the buzzer as the Sacramento Kings secured a 124-123 win over the Golden State Warriors, claiming the top spot in West Group C of the NBA in-season tournament on Tuesday.
DeAaron Fox scored 29 points to help the Kings secure a 4-0 record in group play and advance to the NBA in-season tournament quarter-finals. Sacramento will face the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday. Meanwhile, Curry and Andrew Wiggins each contributed 29 points for the Warriors, who had the opportunity to tie for the top spot in the group but ended with a 2-2 record after losing Chris Paul and Gary Payton II to leg injuries during the game. Despite leading by 24 points at one point, Golden State was outscored 69-51 in the second half.
Nets 115, Raptors 103
Mikal Bridges scored 22 points and made a crucial three-point play with 4:15 left in the game, helping Brooklyn to secure a victory over Toronto in the final game of the NBA in-season tournament’s group stage. Despite winning their third consecutive game and finishing with a 3-1 record in Group C, the Nets were eliminated from the tournament due to a tiebreaker based on point differential. Spencer Dinwiddie led the Nets with 23 points, while Royce O’Neale and Cameron Johnson contributed 18 points each. Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes both achieved double-doubles for Toronto, with Siakam scoring 17 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, and Barnes also scoring 17 points and securing 11 rebounds.
Celtics 124, Bulls 97
Boston secured the top spot in East Group C by defeating Chicago in the final NBA in-season tournament group-play game. In order to win the group, Boston had to beat Chicago by a margin of at least 23 points, and other game results allowed the Celtics to come out on top in a three-way tiebreaker. Jaylen Brown led Boston with 30 points, eight rebounds, and six assists, while Jayson Tatum contributed 21 points. On the other side, Coby White and DeMar DeRozan each scored 19 points for the Bulls, who have struggled with five consecutive losses and eight losses in their last nine games. Additionally, Chicago has also faced defeat in their last seven road games.
Knicks 115, Hornets 91
Julius Randle achieved a double-double for the New York team, securing their place in the NBA in-season tournament knockout round with a comprehensive victory over the Charlotte Hornets. The Knicks finished with a 3-1 record in East Group B and secured the East’s wild-card spot. They are set to face the East Group B winner, Milwaukee, in the quarterfinals on December 5. Randle contributed 25 points and 20 rebounds in the game, and the Knicks have now won eight of their last 11 games. Immanuel Quickley scored 23 points, and Josh Hart, another New York reserve, added 17 points. Brandon Miller led the Hornets with 18 points.
Bucks 131, Heat 124
Damian Lillard led Milwaukee to victory over Miami, securing the Bucks a place in the NBA in-season tournament quarter-finals. Lillard scored 32 points, with 13 of them coming in the fourth quarter, and also contributed nine assists. Giannis Antetokounmpo added 33 points and 10 rebounds as Milwaukee finished with a perfect 4-0 record in group play. Miami, missing key players such as Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro, was led by Bam Adebayo with 31 points and 10 rebounds. Despite their efforts, Miami finished with a 2-2 record and was eliminated from the tournament.
Timberwolves 106, Thunder 103
Anthony Edwards scored 21 points before exiting the game in the second half due to a hip injury, as Minnesota narrowly defeated Oklahoma City in Minneapolis. Rudy Gobert contributed 17 points and 16 rebounds for Minnesota, who have won 13 of their last 17 games this season. Despite their 3-1 record in Group C of the in-season tournament, the Timberwolves were unable to progress to the next stage. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 32 points, but they dropped to a 1-3 record in the tournament and were already eliminated from advancing. Chet Holmgren, a standout player from Minnesota in high school, finished with 16 points and eight rebounds.
Mavericks 121, Rockets 115
Luka Doncic came close to achieving a 40-point triple-double, while Kyrie Irving scored 22 of his 27 points in the second half to help Dallas come from behind and secure a home victory against Houston in the final group-stage game of the NBA in-season tournament. Doncic delivered an impressive performance with 41 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists for the Mavericks, who finished with a 2-2 record in West Group B, the same as the Rockets. Alperen Sengun contributed 31 points, nine rebounds, and six assists, and Jabari Smith Jr. and Dillon Brooks each scored 16 points for the Rockets, who could have advanced to the tournament quarter-finals with a win.
READ ALSO: What is the NBA In-Season Tournament?
