Jack BaerStaff writerSat, November 29, 2025 at 3:30 AM UTC·2 min readThe Desmond Bane trade bore some fruit for the Orlando Magic in the NBA Cup on Friday.
Behind 37 points from the standout wing, the Magic defeated the Detroit Pistons 112-109 in a winner-take-all game that decided the Eastern Conference's Group B. With a 4-0 record and +64 score differential, Orlando will have the top seed in the East's knockout round.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIt was nearly another thrilling win for the Pistons, who erased a 10-point fourth-quarter lead and had their own star posting a big night with Cade Cunningham's 39-point triple-double. The held a lead up to 2:11 left in the fourth quarter, but a Bane and-1 gave the Magic a lead it never gave back.
Elsewhere, the New York Knicks clinched Group C with a win over the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Miami Heat grabbed the wild card in the East as the only non-group winner with a 3-1 record. The four East teams in the knockout round will be the Magic, Toronto Raptors, Knicks and Heat, seeded in that order.
NBA Cup scoreboard
NBA Cup standings
East Group A
Toronto Raptors (4-0, +55)*
Atlanta Hawks (2-2, -4)
Cleveland Cavaliers (2-2, +26)
Indiana Pacers (1-3, 0)
Washington Wizards (1-3, -77)
East Group B
Orlando Magic (4-0, +61)*
Boston Celtics (2-2, -17)
Detroit Pistons (2-2, +21)
Philadelphia 76ers (1-3, -39)
Brooklyn Nets (1-3, -29)
East Group C
New York Knicks (3-1, +35)*
Miami Heat (3-1, +49)
Milwaukee Bucks (2-2, +4)
Chicago Bulls (1-2, -42)
Charlotte Hornets (0-3, -46)
West Group A
Oklahoma City Thunder (3-0, +71)
Phoenix Suns (3-0, +35)
Minnesota Timberwolves (2-2, +45)
Sacramento Kings (0-3, -57)
Utah Jazz (0-3, -94)
West Group B
Los Angeles Lakers (3-0 +36)*
Los Angeles Clippers (2-1, -9)
Memphis Grizzlies (2-1, +9)
Dallas Mavericks (1-2, -13)
New Orleans Pelicans (0-4, -17)
West Group C
Denver Nuggets (2-1, +26)
San Antonio Spurs (2-1, +23)
Houston Rockets (2-2, +14)
Portland Trail Blazers (2-2, -31)
Golden State Warriors (1-3, -32)
