Quarterfinal play begins in the NBA Cup on Tuesday, Dec. 9 and, for the first time, the Milwaukee Bucks aren't part of it. Eliminated in group play after winning the NBA's in-season tournament last season,

The Cup is becoming more popular in its third iteration. The league announced that viewership on Amazon Prime, NBC/Peacock and ESPN broadcasts of this year’s group-play games was up 90 percent from last year. Amazon was primarily the home for primetime NBA Cup action, and it did a great job engaging fans.

Oklahoma City advances unbeaten into the Emirates NBA Cup quarterfinals as fans tune in for the tournament’s evolving format and rising stakes.