The NBA Cup quarterfinals opened with two decisive Eastern Conference matchups, and by the end of the night both the New York Knicks and Orlando Magic emerged as clear contenders. With semifinal games set for Las Vegas this coming weekend, the road to the inaugural in-season title suddenly feels very real for these rising teams.
Magic Shock the Heat Behind Bane’s Villain Performance
The Florida showdown could not have started worse for Orlando. Miami opened the night on a dominant 15–0 run, only for their offense to collapse shortly after. Long-range shooting became the Heat’s undoing: they hit just 8-of-33 from three, with Tyler Herro missing all six of his attempts.
Orlando, meanwhile, delivered one of its best perimeter performances of the season, knocking down 15-of-32 threes. That shooting gap ultimately defined the game.
“We just needed to wake up,” head coach Jamahl Mosley said of the slow start.
The turning point arrived early in the fourth quarter with the Magic leading by six. Desmond Bane erupted for a blistering stretch: two threes and an and-one in a span of two minutes. He finished with 37 points, carrying an Orlando offense still adjusting to Paolo Banchero’s return (18 points) and missing Franz Wagner, who is out several weeks with an ankle injury.
Mosley singled out Bane’s aggressive drives as the pivotal element that shifted momentum. By consistently finishing at the rim, Orlando prevented Miami from initiating its preferred transition attack.
Late in the game, Bane doubled down on his new persona, clapping in the faces of Heat players and embracing the “villain” role he accidentally cultivated. Just hours before tipoff, the league fined him $35,000 for throwing the ball at OG Anunoby during a previous matchup with the Knicks.
The league clearly loves drama—because Bane and Anunoby will meet again in Las Vegas.
Final Score: Orlando 117, Miami 108
Kia Center — December 10
Magic leaders: Bane 37, Suggs 20, Banchero 18 (7 reb), Carter 14 (10 reb)
Heat leaders: Powell 21 (7 reb), Herro 20 (7 reb), Wiggins 19, Adebayo 19 (8 reb)
Knicks Dominate Raptors as Brunson Torches Toronto Again
Few rivalries between major North American cities feel as culturally layered as New York vs. Toronto. Yet this quarterfinal could have been even richer had RJ Barrett suited up. The Canadian forward, once drafted third overall by the Knicks before being traded to the Raptors for OG Anunoby, remained out with a knee sprain.
His absence exposed Toronto’s long-standing weaknesses. With Barrett, the Raptors ranked top-five in offensive rating. Without him, they have plummeted to 29th across the NBA, lacking shooting, spacing, and depth.
Early on, Brandon Ingram kept Toronto afloat with timely mid-range scoring, matching Jalen Brunson shot for shot. But the second quarter was a collapse: New York outscored the Raptors 34–13, breaking the game open and never looking back.
Brunson delivered his best scoring performance of the season—35 points, including 26 in the first half. His control, pace, and shot creation highlighted why New York currently owns the league’s third-best offense (121.7 points per 100 possessions).
Health is finally trending upward for the Knicks. OG Anunoby has returned after a nine-game absence. Karl-Anthony Towns made his comeback tonight, posting a 14-point, 16-rebound double-double. Josh Hart, now fully recovered from an early-season finger injury, continues to scorch defenses with near-40% three-point accuracy.
New York has won seven of its last eight games and is chasing its first trophy of any kind since 1973. A championship remains the dream, but the NBA Cup offers a long-awaited chance to add meaningful hardware.
Final Score: New York 117, Toronto 101
Scotiabank Arena — December 10
Knicks leaders: Brunson 35, Hart 21, Bridges 15, Towns 14 (16 reb)
Raptors leaders: Ingram 31 (6 ast), Shead 18 (8 ast), Barnes 13
What’s Next: Western Quarterfinals and the Las Vegas Final Four
The West takes center stage next as the Lakers visit the Spurs, while Phoenix tests the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Winners will join New York and Orlando in Las Vegas.
The NBA Cup semifinals tip off Saturday, with the championship game set for December 16.
