2025 NBA/ABA Tournament of Champions: Group Play Round 15

The races are tight as we get closer to the end of group play in the NBA/ABA Tournament of Champions!

Several games in the last batch went down to the final possession, including a couple last-second makes that turned the result upside-down.

Most groups have more or less settled into a general pecking order. At present, 11 wins is the threshold to win your group, and many of those teams are on the verge of locking up their spots in the knockout stage, if they haven't already like the 2020 Lakers. Most groups have a team or two that aren't mathematically eliminated but would need an absolute miracle to make their way in, and many of those will likely have their last spots come down to the final round.

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

@ '65 BOS 128, '81 BOS 120
Bill Russell ('65 BOS): 18 pts, 21 reb, 4 ast, 5 blk

@ '24 BOS 110, '63 BOS 85
Kristaps Porzingis ('24 BOS): 20 pts, 10 reb, 5 blk
2024 Boston Celtics clinch a berth in the Elimination Stage

@ '95 ORL 97, '98 CHI 80
Shaquille O'Neal ('95 ORL): 23 pts, 15 reb, 3 blk
Dennis Rodman ('98 CHI): 4 pts, 30 reb

@ '13 MIA 112, '94 HOU 92
LeBron James ('13 MIA): 33 pts, 7 reb, 4 ast
Hakeem Olajuwon ('94 HOU): 24 pts, 8 reb, 7 ast, 5 blk
2013 Miami Heat clinch a berth in the Elimination Stage

@ '86 BOS 124, '77 POR 115
Larry Bird ('86 BOS): 34 pts, 9 reb, 4 ast

Group B

'04 DET 126, @ '52 MIN 83
Chauncey Billups ('04 DET): 19 pts, 12 ast

@ '23 DEN 118, '00 LAL 95
Nikola Jokic ('23 DEN): 26, 14 reb, 9 ast

@ '97 UTA 101, '06 MIA 87
Karl Malone ('97 UTA): 27 pts, 12 reb, 5 ast

@ '15 GS 125, '75 KEN 82
Steph Curry ('15 GS): 31 pts, 9 reb, 11 ast

@ '02 LAL 115, '83 PHI 100
Shaquille O'Neal ('02 LAL): 37 pts, 8 reb

Group C

'60 BOS 117, @ '56 PHI 108
Bill Russell ('60 BOS): 13 pts, 18 reb, 5 blk

@ '17 GS 133, '75 GS 105
Klay Thompson ('17 GS): 33 pts, 6 reb, 4 ast
2017 Golden State Warriors clinch a berth in the Elimination Stage

'10 LAL 95, @ '53 MIN 81
Pau Gasol ('10 LAL): 12 pts, 19 reb, 7 ast, 3 blk

@ '85 LAL 105, '89 DET 101
Magic Johnson ('85 LAL): 25 pts, 9 reb, 9 ast

@ '87 LAL 104, '01 LAL 103
Magic Johnson ('87 LAL): 19 pts, 8 reb, 12 ast
James Worthy ('87 LAL): 21 pts, 10 reb, 5 ast; made game-winning tip-in off Magic Johnson miss with 6 seconds left
Kobe Bryant ('01 LAL): 37 pts, 4 ast

Group D

'71 UTA 122, @ '61 BOS 114
Zelmo Beaty ('71 UTA): 41 pts, 19 reb, 5 blk

@ '19 TOR 125, '67 PHI 109
Wilt Chamberlain ('67 PHI): 11 pts, 23 reb, 9 ast
Pascal Siakam ('19 TOR): 23 pts, 9 reb

'82 LAL 112, @ '03 NJ 109
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ('82 LAL): 22 pts, 19 reb, 6 blk
Kerry Kittles ('03 NJ): 10 pts, 8 reb, 12 ast, 3 stl; missed game-tying three at the buzzer

@ '97 CHI 109, '73 NYK 89
Dennis Rodman ('97 CHI): 10 pts, 25 reb
With the '73 Knicks' loss, 1967 Philadelphia 76ers clinch a berth in the Elimination Stage

'84 BOS 128, @ '88 LAL 118
Larry Bird ('84 BOS): 22 pts, 11 reb, 11 ast, 5 stl

Group E

@ '78 WAS 117, '90 DET 87
Wes Unseld ('78 WAS): 7 pts, 13 reb, 4 ast

@ '25 OKC 108, '79 SEA 87
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ('25 OKC): 30 pts, 5 ast
Chet Holmgren ('25 OKC): 22 pts, 7 reb, 8 blk

@ '20 LAL 105, '03 SA 98
Anthony Davis ('20 LAL): 29 pts, 5 reb, 4 stl

'99 SA 92, @ '12 MIA 79
David Robinson ('99 SA): 18 pts, 11 reb, 5 ast, 3 stl, 4 blk

'14 SA 104, @ '72 LAL 95
Tim Duncan ('14 SA): 9 pts, 14 reb, 4 ast, 4 blk

Group F

@ '55 SYR 106, '68 BOS 105
Paul Seymour ('55 SYR): 23 pts, 11 ast
Dolph Schayes ('55 SYR): 17 pts, 15 reb; hit game-winning three with 13 seconds left
Sam Jones ('68 BOS): 20 pts, missed game-winning shot with 2 seconds left

@ '22 GS 100, '64 BOS 85
Klay Thompson ('22 GS): 25 pts, 8 reb

@ '25 IND 110, '69 BOS 101
Tyrese Haliburton ('25 IND): 25 pts, 4 ast
2025 Indiana Pacers clinch a berth in the Elimination Stage

@ '05 SA 98, '76 BOS 93
Tim Duncan ('05 SA): 33 pts, 17 reb, 5 ast, 4 blk

@ '92 CHI 113, '09 LAL 104
Michael Jordan ('92 CHI): 35 pts, 13 reb, 5 ast, 3 stl, 3 blk

Group G

'57 BOS 113, @ '58 STL 98
Bill Sharman ('57 BOS): 21 pts

'07 SA 92, @ '18 GS 88
Tim Duncan ('07 SA): 21 pts, 12 reb, 7 ast, 4 blk
2007 San Antonio Spurs clinch a berth in the Elimination Stage

'80 LAL 115, @ '93 PHX 112
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ('80 LAL): 23 pts, 12 reb, 5 ast, 3 blk
Charles Barkley ('93 PHX): 25 pts, 13 reb, 5 ast; missed game-tying three at the buzzer

'70 NYN 127, @ '91 CHI 125
Walt Frazier ('70 NYK): 32 pts, 8 reb, 5 ast
Willis Reed ('70 NYK): 20 pts, 19 reb, 4 ast; made game-winning shot with 2 seconds left
Michael Jordan ('91 CHI): 41 pts, 9 reb, 5 ast; missed game-tying shot at the buzzer

@ '16 CLE 102, '08 BOS 90
LeBron James ('16 CLE): 26 pts, 11 reb, 7 ast, 3 stl

Group H

'95 HOU 113, @ '59 BOS 95
Otis Thorpe ('95 HOU): 16 pts, 15 reb
Clyde Drexler ('95 HOU): 18 pts, 15 reb
Hakeem Olajuwon ('95 HOU): 29 pts, 8 reb

@ '21 MIL 124, '74 BOS 96
Giannis Antetokuonmpo ('21 MIL): 37 pts, 4 reb, 6 ast
2021 Milwaukee Bucks clinch a berth in the Elimination Stage

'93 CHI 104, @ '54 MIN 83
Horace Grant ('93 CHI): 17 pts, 10 reb, 5 ast
Michael Jordan ('93 CHI): 23 pts, 12 reb, 5 stl

@ '96 CHI 113, '76 NYN 82
Scottie Pippen ('96 CHI): 26 pts, 6 reb, 7 ast, 7 stl

'11 DAL 112, @ '71 MIL 105
Dirk Nowitzki ('11 DAL): 33 pts, 8 reb