The Rockets are the second team to secure a berth in the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup, earning their spot with an overtime win in Minnesota on Tuesday night (Twitter link).
The victory improved Houston’s record in NBA Cup games to 3-0 and clinched its spot atop West Group A. The Rockets have also defeated the Clippers and Trail Blazers and have a +49 point differential in those three wins, putting them in a strong position to nab the top seed in the Western Conference knockout round with a win in Sacramento next Tuesday.
The Rockets join the 3-0 Warriors as teams that have advanced to the knockout round for this season’s in-season tournament. That leaves two spots available in the West — the Suns, Lakers, Spurs (all 2-1) and Thunder (1-1) are all still in the mix to win Group B, with the Mavericks (2-1, +41 point differential) among the favorites for the wild card spot.
All four quarterfinal spots in the East remain up for grabs. With a victory in Miami on Tuesday, the Bucks became the first Eastern Conference team to post a 3-0 NBA Cup record, but they’ve yet to clinch their group because the Pistons are 2-0. Those two clubs will square off next Tuesday.
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