2025 NBA/ABA Tournament of Champions: Group Play Round 21

As the NBA/ABA Tournament of Champions nears the conclusion of this stage, eight teams will close out their 20 game slate. Many of them are either already advancing, though some are still fighting for some of the final spots in the bracket.

Another eight teams clinched berths in the Elimination Stage, leaving just 18 spots left to be claimed with two rounds left to go. 29 teams are still fighting for those spots, so for 11 squads these next two rounds will be the end of the line.

No group championships have been clinched yet, but a number of them will officially be up for grabs in this round, including a couple de-facto title games on the docket this go-around.

Standings, schedules, and scores for the tournament can be found here. All simulations are provided by WhatIfSports.com. Let's get to it!

Group A

@ '24 BOS 114, '13 MIA 101
Jayson Tatum ('24 BOS): 38 pts, 12 reb, 6 ast
LeBron James ('13 MIA): 38 pts, 13 reb, 6 ast
2024 Boston Celtics clinch Group A Championship

@ '86 BOS 121, '65 BOS 95
Kevin McHale ('86 BOS): 28 pts, 13 reb, 3 blk

@ '77 POR 111, '74 NYN 99
Bill Walton ('77 POR): 13 pts, 17 reb, 4 blk
1977 Portland Trail Blazers clinch a berth in the Elimination Stage

@ '94 HOU 99, '81 BOS 93
Otis Thorpe ('94 HOU): 16 pts, 14 reb, 3 stl, 3 blk

'63 BOS 101, @ '98 CHI 84
Bill Russell ('63 BOS): 16 pts, 27 reb, 7 ast, 3 blk

Group B

'23 DEN 112, @ '15 GS 79
Nikola Jokic ('23 DEN): 27 pts, 10 reb, 7 ast, 4 stl

@ '02 LAL 88, '52 MIN 86
Shaquille O'Neal ('02 LAL): 27 pts, 14 reb, 3 blk
George Mikan ('52 MIN): 20 pts, 16 reb; missed game-tying tip at the buzzer

@ '83 PHI 128, '68 PIT 107
Julius Erving ('83 PHI): 32 pts, 8 reb

@ '75 KEN 89, '04 DET 86
Artis Gilmore ('75 KEN): 19 pts, 18 reb

@ '06 MIA 104, '00 LAL 92
Dwyane Wade ('06 MIA): 21 pts, 6 reb, 8 ast, 3 stl

Group C

'17 GS 119, @ '85 LAL 112
Draymond Green ('17 GS): 20 pts, 4 reb, 3 stl, 4 blk

@ '87 LAL 123, '56 PHI 84
Magic Johnson ('87 LAL): 19 pts, 8 reb, 8 ast

'73 IND 126, @ '01 LAL 109 (OT)
George McGinnis ('73 IND): 41 pts, 16 reb
Shaquille O'Neal ('01 LAL): 35 pts, 17 reb, 9 ast; made game-tying shot at the buzzer to force overtime
1973 Indiana Pacers clinch a berth in the Elimination Stage

@ '89 DET 140, '60 BOS 129
Joe Dumars ('89 DET): 29 pts, 6 ast
1989 Detroit Pistons clinch a berth in the Elimination Stage

@ '10 LAL 125, '75 GS 113
Andrew Bynum ('10 LAL): 24 pts, 13 reb
1975 Golden State Warriors are eliminated from postseason play

Group D

'19 TOR 122, @ '97 CHI 110
Kawhi Leonard ('19 TOR): 26 pts, 11 reb

@ '88 LAL 140, '60 BOS 119
Magic Johnson ('88 LAL): 15 pts, 10 reb, 25 ast

'66 BOS 119, @ '84 BOS 113
Bill Russell ('66 BOS): 16 pts, 22 reb, 4 ast, 7 blk
Larry Bird ('84 BOS): 29 pts, 20 reb

@ '73 NYK 115, '71 UTA 82
Dave DeBusschere ('73 NYK): 24 pts, 8 reb

@ '82 LAL 139, '67 PHI 118
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ('82 LAL): 16 pts, 23 reb, 6 ast, 4 stl, 4 blk
Wilt Chamberlain ('67 PHI): 28 pts, 17 reb, 8 ast, 8 blk

Group E

'25 OKC 114, @ '12 MIA 112 (OT)
LeBron James ('12 MIA): 45 pts, 15 reb, 5 ast; had game-tying shot at the buzzer in overtime blocked
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ('25 OKC): 39 pts, 9 reb, 4 ast; made game-winning three with 22 seconds left in overtime

@ '72 LAL 106, '78 WAS 93
Wilt Chamberlain ('72 LAL): 12 pts, 20 reb, 4 ast, 5 blk
1978 Washington Bullets eliminated from postseason play

'62 BOS 105, @ '14 SA 95
Bill Russell ('62 BOS): 19 pts, 23 reb, 4 ast, 5 blk

'90 DET 98, @ '99 SA 88
Isiah Thomas ('90 DET): 18 pts, 5 reb, 11 ast
1990 Detroit Pistons clinch a berth in the Elimination Stage
1999 San Antonio Spurs are eliminated from postseason play

'79 SEA 95, @ '03 SA 86
Gus Williams ('79 SEA): 26 pts, 8 reb, 6 ast

Group F

@ '05 SA 123, '22 GS 119
Tim Duncan ('05 SA): 29 pts, 18 reb, 5 ast, 3 blk

@ '92 CHI 124, '55 SYR 81
Michael Jordan ('92 CHI): 35 pts, 10 reb, 4 ast

@ '09 LAL 118, '72 IND 99
Andrew Bynum ('09 LAL): 28 pts, 9 reb

'68 BOS 133, @ '76 BOS 103
Bill Russell ('68 BOS): 12 pts, 16 reb, 4 ast, 3 blk
1968 Boston Celtics clinch a berth in the Elimination Stage

@ '69 BOS 127, '64 BOS 108
Bill Russell ('69 BOS): 12 pts, 21 reb, 5 ast, 5 blk
1964 Boston Celtics are eliminated from postseason play
With '68 BOS win, 1969 Boston Celtics are eliminated from postseason play

Group G

'18 GS 122, @ '91 CHI 100
Kevin Durant ('18 GS): 22 pts, 7 reb, 7 ast
Michael Jordan ('91 CHI): 35 pts, 11 reb, 8 ast

@ '16 CLE 121, '58 STL 84
LeBron James ('16 CLE): 27 pts, 9 reb, 10 ast, 3 blk

@ '08 BOS 119, '69 OAK 85
Kevin Garnett ('08 BOS): 23 pts, 11 reb, 4 ast, 5 blk

@ '70 NYK 121, '57 BOS 109
Willis Reed ('70 NYK): 17 pts, 24 reb, 7 blk

'07 SA 90, @ '80 LAL 83
Tim Duncan ('07 SA): 20 pts, 13 reb, 4 ast, 6 blk
2007 San Antonio Spurs clinch Group G Championship

Group H

'21 MIL 120, @ '96 CHI 114
Giannis Antetokuonmpo ('21 MIL): 30 pts, 17 reb, 5 ast
Scottie Pippen ('96 CHI): 27 pts, 10 reb, 10 ast
2021 Milwaukee Bucks clinch Group H Championship

@ '71 MIL 138, '59 BOS 100
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ('71 MIL): 22 pts, 18 reb, 6 ast, 6 blk

@ '11 DAL 101, '70 IND 83
Tyson Chandler ('11 DAL): 17 pts, 12 reb

@ '76 NYN 126, '95 HOU 105
Julius Erving ('76 NYN): 30 pts, 10 reb, 8 ast, 3 blk

'74 BOS 100, @ '93 CHI 92
Dave Cowens ('74 BOS): 23 pts, 15 reb, 5 ast
Michael Jordan ('93 CHI): 25 pts, 10 reb, 4 ast, 4 stl, 6 blk