On the Eastern Conference side of the bracket on Tuesday, the Orlando Magic came back from a 15-0 deficit to defeat their in-state rivals, the Miami Heat, while the surging New York Knicks used a dominant second quarter to race past the Toronto Raptors and win for the eighth time in their last nine games.

With holiday frost nipping at the air currently, NBC is briefly pausing NBA action in favor of some holiday specials. On Tuesday, December 9, you'll be able to catch Frosty the Snowman at 8 p.m. ET, followed by Shrek the Halls at 8:30 p.m., and A Motown Christmas at 9 p.m. hosted by Smokey Robinson and Halle Bailey.

The Atlanta Hawks have played one of the most challenging schedules in the NBA from a logistical standpoint. They have played 15 road games compared to just 10

The 19-1 Thunder are currently the favorites to win the 2025 NBA Cup (-125 at FanDuel ). The Bucks won the competition last year, and the Lakers won the initial version in 2023.