The NBA Cup’s knockout rounds take center stage as the league’s second annual in-season tournament advances from the group stage that narrowed the field to eight teams toward crowning a champion in Las Vegas.
The knockout stage begins with two quarterfinals games on Tuesday: the Milwaukee Bucks hosting the Orlando Magic, followed by the Dallas Mavericks at the Oklahoma City Thunder. Wednesday’s slate sees the Atlanta Hawks at the New York Knicks, then the Golden State Warriors welcoming the Houston Rockets. The winners advance to Saturday’s semifinals ahead of next Tuesday’s championship.
Ahead of the quarterfinal games on the home courts of the higher seeds, let’s look at some of the most important players to watch in the NBA Cup, highlighted by a pair of two-time MVPs in Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks and Stephen Curry of the Warriors.
While both of those former champions will be looking to revisit past glory, the NBA Cup is also an important opportunity for rising stars seeking to emulate Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton’s star turn en route to a loss in last year’s championship game to the Los Angeles Lakers. In particular, this is an important stage for young stars such as the Rockets’ Alperen Sengun and the Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
From stars to key role players, let’s break down the top 25 players to watch as the NBA Cup knockout stage begins.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF, Milwaukee Bucks
2024-25 stats: 32.5 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 6.4 APG
In last year’s semifinals, Antetokounmpo scored 37 points on 13-of-19 shooting with 10 rebounds only for the Bucks’ leaky defense to let them down vs. Indiana. With Milwaukee’s defense in a slightly better place this time around, more Antetokounmpo explosions could translate to a tournament title to go along with his NBA Finals ring.
Stephen Curry, PG, Golden State Warriors
2024-25 stats: 23.0 PPG, 6.6 APG, 41.7 3P%
We saw during the Paris Olympics how Curry can take over a single-elimination game with his shooting. Last season’s Jerry West Clutch Player of the Year made crucial shots down the stretch as the Warriors beat the Mavericks in a game that ultimately decided the group winner. Aside from the 2019-20 campaign in which he played only five games, his 23.0 PPG this season is his lowest since 2011-12.
Luka Doncic, PG, Dallas Mavericks
2024-25 stats: 28.7 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 8.1 APG
There are signs Doncic is returning to his MVP form just in time for the NBA Cup knockout rounds. Two of his three top games by Basketball-Reference.com’s game score metric have come since his Dec. 1 return from a wrist sprain, including 37 points and 12 assists as the Mavericks beat the Memphis Grizzlies to advance. He’ll go for his third straight triple-double against the Thunder in Tuesday’s game.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder
2024-25 stats: 29.8 PPG, 6.3 APG, 50.8 FG%
Consider Gilgeous-Alexander the early favorite for NBA Cup MVP. His 30.5 PPG is tied for best in the group stage among players who played all four games and saw their teams advance, and it came on near 50/40/90 shooting splits. If Oklahoma City rides the top seed in the West to the NBA Cup, Gilgeous-Alexander could have his first MVP moment after finishing second in the regular-season vote last year.
Karl-Anthony Towns, C, New York Knicks
2024-25 stats: 25.2 PPG, 13.2 RPG, 53.1 FG%
This is our first look at Towns in an elimination game with the Knicks, and it comes with him off to a strong start. Towns is shooting 45% from 3-point range, surpassing his career high, and is averaging a career-high 25.2 PPG in his first season in New York.
Jalen Brunson, PG New York Knicks
2024-25 stats: 25.4 PPG, 7.7 APG, 42.9 3P%
Brunson averaged 26.8 PPG in the group stage, up from 25.4 overall, despite playing just 27 minutes in a blowout win over the Magic in the final game. His 37 points on 12-of-20 shooting helped the Knicks outlast an upset bid by the Brooklyn Nets that would have hurt their chances of advancing.
Kyrie Irving, PG, Dallas Mavericks
2024-25 stats: 24.3 PPG, 5.2 APG, 47.0 3P%
Irving wasn’t nearly as effective in NBA Cup group play as he has been overall this season, averaging just 17.0 points and shooting 33% on 3s as compared to 24.1 PPG and 46% from 3 in all games. If Irving gets hot in the knockout rounds, he could change that in a hurry.
Damian Lillard, PG, Milwaukee Bucks
2024-25 stats: 26.2 PPG, 7.3 APG, 37.4 3P%
After a slow start beyond the arc, Lillard has picked it up, making 46.5% of his 3s from Nov. 22 to coincide with a Milwaukee winning streak. Lillard stayed hot in the Bucks’ losses last week, making five 3-pointers against Atlanta and scoring 31 points at Boston.
Fred VanVleet, PG, Houston Rockets
2024-25 stats: 16.0 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 5.9 APG
VanVleet cemented his budding stardom against Golden State in the 2019 NBA Finals, averaging 14.0 PPG off the bench and playing tough defense as the Toronto Raptors won the title. Then one of the youngest Raptors contributors, VanVleet is now the experienced hand on a young Houston team that will look to him for clutch playmaking.
Dillon Brooks, SF, Houston Rockets
2024-25 stats: 12.5 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.4 APG
Expect Brooks to get the primary defensive assignment on Stephen Curry, and, if the Rockets advance, against either Doncic or Gilgeous-Alexander in the semifinals. Those matchups can be boom or bust for Brooks, who might either frustrate opponents with his physical play or end up watching from the bench in foul trouble.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SG, Orlando Magic
2024-25 stats: 8.3 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 1.6 STL
On a young Orlando team, Caldwell-Pope’s playoff experience could be useful in navigating NBA Cup play. He has won championships with both the Lakers (2020) and Denver Nuggets (2023), playing more playoff games (62) than the Magic’s other four starters combined (none before last year’s first-round loss to the Cavaliers).
Draymond Green, PF, Golden State Warriors
2024-25 stats: 8.8 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 6.0 APG
Green’s return from a two-game absence due to calf tightness came just in time for the knockout round. The Warriors’ lone loss in a loaded group came with Green sidelined last Tuesday in Denver. Expect Green, who has figured out how to ramp up his intensity in the postseason, to do so with money on the line — even in a new reserve role.
Josh Hart, SG, New York Knicks
2024-25 stats: 14.0 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 59.8 FG%
During group play, Hart’s 34 assists tied for third among all players behind LeBron James and Cade Cunningham. Hart had a triple-double (11 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists) in the pivotal win over Orlando to end group play and came a rebound and an assist away from a second one against Brooklyn.
Jonathan Kuminga, PF, Golden State Warriors
2024-25 stats: 15.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 44.8 FG%
Warriors coach Steve Kerr kept Kuminga in the Warriors’ starting five ahead of Green, based in large part on his 33 points earlier in the week against Houston on 13-of-22 shooting. Those performances have been rarer this season for Kuminga, who hadn’t previously scored more than 23 points after posting 25-plus 10 times in 2023-24.
Zaccharie Risacher, PF, Atlanta Hawks
2024-25 stats: 11.6 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 41.4 FG%
This year’s No. 1 pick is the leading scorer among rookies in NBA Cup play who have advanced to the quarterfinals at 8.3 PPG. Risacher’s best game saw him score 33 points on 6-of-10 3-point shooting on Nov. 6 against the Knicks in a preview of their quarterfinal matchup.
Alperen Sengun, C, Houston Rockets
2024-25 stats: 18.5 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 1.1 STL
This is the biggest NBA stage yet for Sengun, who ranks first or second on the Rockets in scoring (18.5 PPG), rebounding (10.6 RPG) and assists (5.3 APG). And the Warriors’ smallball lineups present an interesting contrast for Sengun, who will need to mash inside unless coach Ime Udoka considers finishing the game without him on the court.
Jalen Suggs, SG, Orlando Magic
2024-25 stats: 15.5 PPG, 1.5 STL, 1.0 BLK
The Magic’s quarterfinal matchup at Milwaukee pits Suggs — an All-Defensive second team pick last season — against Lillard. Orlando has a few different options to throw at the Bucks’ star guard, but if we have Dame Time, Suggs will surely get the call defensively.
Jalen Williams, F, Oklahoma City Thunder
2024-25 stats: 22.0 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 5.0 APG
As the Thunder’s do-everything second star behind Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams is liable to both run point on offense and defend opposing centers in small lineups. Though Williams hasn’t shot well from 3-point range in NBA Cup play (3-for-19), he’s averaging 22.0 PPG. That scoring punch could be key after Oklahoma City’s offense fell short against the Mavericks in last year’s playoffs.
Mikal Bridges, SF, New York Knicks
2024-25 stats: 16.7 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.4 APG
Much has been made about Bridges’ 3-point slump to start the season. He shows signs of recovering, having shot 35% since Nov. 15 after shooting 30% in the Knicks’ first 11 games. Less discussed: Bridges, a career 84% free throw shooter, making just 62% thus far. He’d avoided the foul line before going 3-for-5 last Thursday in Charlotte.
Klay Thompson, SG, Dallas Mavericks
2024-25 stats: 13.0 PPG, 36.6 3P%, 90.0 FT%
Thompson’s return to the Bay was the marquee game of the NBA Cup group stage, and it’s possible he could face the Warriors again if both teams win their quarterfinals. Saturday’s win over the Toronto Raptors was the first time Thompson reached 20 points since scoring 22 against Golden State, as his shooting slumped while he was dealing with plantar fasciitis.
Trae Young, PG, Atlanta Hawks
2024-25 stats: 21.1 PPG, 12.3 APG, 31.1 3P%
The last time Young played an elimination game at Madison Square Garden, he had 36 points and nine assists as the Hawks completed a 4-1 series win over the Knicks en route to the 2021 Eastern Conference finals. Young hasn’t enjoyed much postseason success since then, and the NBA Cup is an opportunity to change that.
Moritz Wagner, C, Orlando Magic
2024-25 stats: 12.8 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 54.9 FG%
With both his brother, Franz Wagner, and Paolo Banchero sidelined by oblique injuries, the Magic may need more scoring from elder Wagner. Remarkably, he has been one of just three Orlando players to average double-figure scoring since Banchero went down at the end of October. Without Franz Wagner, who led the team with 26.1 PPG in that span, Moritz Wagner’s ability to generate offense is critical to pulling an NBA Cup upset.
Isaiah Hartenstein, C, Oklahoma City Thunder
2024-25 stats: 11.8 PPG, 12. RPG, 1.3 BLK
Hartenstein’s return from a broken hand was well-timed for the Thunder with center Chet Holmgren sidelined by a hip fracture. Hartenstein has delivered six double-doubles in eight games in Oklahoma City, and his playmaking from the high post has been transformative for the Thunder’s offense. Hartenstein is averaging a career-high 4.5 APG.
De’Andre Hunter, SF, Atlanta Hawks
2024-25 stats: 19.2 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 49.4 FG% After he missed several early games with knee inflammation, Hunter’s return to the lineup was a big reason the Hawks advanced. He averaged 19.7 PPG in three group games, shooting an even 50% from 3-point range. Over the course of the season, Atlanta has gone 10-3 with Hunter in the lineup.
Khris Middleton, SF, Milwaukee Bucks
2024-25 stats: 11.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 5.0 APG
The Bucks reached the knockout stages for the second consecutive year without Middleton, who made his season debut Friday after offseason surgery on both ankles. He looked like someone who hadn’t played in more than seven months in his debut, shooting 2-of-10, but a return to form would bolster Milwaukee’s hopes of claiming the NBA Cup.
