**Golden State Warriors Secure Knockout Round Spot in 2024 NBA Cup**

The ongoing 2024 NBA Cup has already provided plenty of excitement as the league navigates through its second year of the in-season tournament. Friday marked the fourth night of the group stage, featuring 16 teams competing for a spot in the knockout rounds.

The Golden State Warriors highlighted the evening by clinching their place in the knockout round with a win over the New Orleans Pelicans, coupled with the Denver Nuggets' loss to the Dallas Mavericks. This outcome also resulted in the Pelicans becoming the first team eliminated from knockout contention.

Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets continued their dominant run with a resounding 28-point victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. This win boosted the Rockets' impressive point differential to plus-49, securing their lead in West Group A. On the other end of the spectrum, the Atlanta Hawks lead East Group C despite a point differential of minus-1.

Looking ahead, the NBA Cup schedule features five more games set for Tuesday night, bringing fans closer to the conclusion of the group stage. The 2024 NBA Cup has maintained a similar format to its inaugural year in 2023, with a few notable differences in court design.

To recap, the tournament format involves the NBA's 30 teams divided into six groups, each consisting of five teams. There are three groups in both the Eastern and Western Conferences. Teams face off in a round-robin format on Tuesdays and Fridays from November 12 to December 3. The group winners, along with one wild-card team from each conference, will advance to the knockout round. Tiebreakers include overall record, head-to-head record, and point differential.

The knockout round will feature a single-elimination bracket, with the four East group winners on one side and the four West group winners on the other. The highly anticipated final showdown between the East and West winners will take place on December 17 in Las Vegas.

As the 2024 NBA Cup progresses, the standings and point differentials continue to be pivotal, adding to the tournament's intrigue. Fans and analysts alike are eager to see which teams will emerge victorious and claim the Cup.