nba-cup-getty.png
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With nearly a month of basketball now in the books, the league has kicked off its newest regular-season event: the NBA Cup. On Tuesday, the league's second annual in-season tournament began. There are six more games on the NBA Cup schedule Tuesday night. All 30 teams -- split into six five-team groups -- are participating and the tournament will once again culminate with a final four in Las Vegas in December. The Lakers won the first iteration of the event in 2023 and will try to defend their title.

So, what do you need to know before the action begins? I'm so glad you asked. Below we'll explain everything there is to know about the NBA Cup to get you ready for what the league hopes will become an autumn fixture moving forward.

NBA Cup format

The 30 NBA teams have been divided into six groups of five. Those six groups feature three groups of Western Conference teams and three groups of Eastern Conference teams. Each team will play each team in its group once, and once group play concludes, the six group winners along with one wild card team per conference will advance to the knockout stage. All games from this point forward are single-elimination. The quarterfinals will be played in home venues. The semifinals and finals will be held in Las Vegas. Sounds simple enough, right?

How do they decide who advances?

In a perfect world, it would get settled completely organically with six undefeated group champions and a single 3-1 team in each conference. Realistically, though, there will be ties to be broken, and the league has set up tiebreakers to be used exclusively for the tournament:

  • If two teams are tied in the same group, head-to-head record splits their tie.
  • Point-differential in group play is the second tie-breaker.
  • Total points scored in group play is third.
  • Record from the 2023-24 season is fourth.
  • If all of those tiebreakers fail, a random drawing will be used.

While this is not a tiebreaker, it should be noted that the two conferences will be kept separate until the finals. Teams will play teams in their own conference in the quarterfinals and semifinals.

Who's in each group?

The groups were determined by a combination of random drawing and record from last season. Teams within each conference were put into one of five pots: one for the teams with the three best records in that conference last season, one for the next three best teams, and so on. Each group features one team from each of the five conference pots. Below are the five groups, as revealed by the league over the summer.

West AWest BWest CEast AEast BEast C

Minnesota Timberwolves

Oklahoma City Thunder

Denver Nuggets

New York Knicks

Milwaukee Bucks

Boston Celtics

Los Angeles Clippers

Phoenix Suns

Dallas Mavericks

Orlando Magic

Indiana Pacers

Cleveland Cavaliers

Sacramento Kings

Los Angeles Lakers

New Orleans Pelicans

Philadelphia 76ers

Miami Heat

Chicago Bulls

Houston Rockets

Utah Jazz

Golden State Warriors

Brooklyn Nets

Toronto Raptors

Atlanta Hawks

Portland Trail Blazers

San Antonio Spurs

Memphis Grizzlies

Charlotte Hornets

Detroit Pistons

Washington Wizards

When are the games?

Group play games will be played on Tuesdays and Fridays from Nov. 12 until Dec. 6. Quarterfinal games will be played at home venues on Dec. 10 and 11. The semifinals will be played in Las Vegas on Dec. 14. Finally, the championship will be played on Dec. 17 in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, the 22 teams that don't reach the knockout stage will play two more regular-season games against opponents that haven't yet been determined on Dec. 12 or Dec. 13 and Dec. 15 or Dec. 16, while the four losing quarterfinal teams will play one more regular-season game on one of those dates. 

Here's the schedule for the second night of games on Friday.

NBA Cup schedule: Nov. 15

  • Pacers vs. Heat, 7 p.m.
  • Magic vs. 76ers, 7 p.m.
  • Raptors vs. Pistons, 7 p.m.
  • Hawks vs. Wizards, 7:30 p.m.
  • Cavaliers vs. Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
  • Knicks vs. Nets, 7:30 p.m.
  • Spurs vs. Lakers, 7:30 p.m.
  • Rockets vs. Clippers, 8 p.m.
  • Pelicans vs. Nuggets, 8 p.m.
  • Thunder vs. Suns, 8 p.m.
  • Warriors vs. Grizzlies, 10 p.m.
  • Kings vs. Timberwolves, 10 p.m.

What's different this year?

Well, we can start with the name. It's the In-Season Tournament no more. Now, it's officially the Emirates NBA Cup. But, more noticeably, the courts also got a redesign. Last year's courts were specially designed to make them stand out for the tournament, and while the league is using unique courts again this year, they won't feature the runway across the middle of the court. They will still feature the tournament's trophy at center court, and they will all feature the home team's colors, but instead of the runway, they will feature concentric circles in slightly different shades. 

New York Knicks NBA Cup court 2024
NBA

What is the prize?

You'll see plenty of the tournament's trophy as it will, again, be featured at center court for all 30 teams during tournament games. However, players can also earn money based on how far their team advances. Players on the winning team receive a $500,000 bonus. Losing in the championship game nets a $200,000 bonus, while the semifinals ($100,000) and quarterfinals ($50,000) earn slightly less from there. Finally, a media vote after the championship game will determine the tournament's MVP as well as an All-Tournament Team.

Who are the favorites?

Below are the odds for all 30 teams to win the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup according to FanDuel:

TeamOdds

Boston Celtics

+400

New York Knicks

+950

Minnesota Timberwolves

+1000

Cleveland Cavaliers

+1000

Denver Nuggets

+1100

Oklahoma City Thunder

+1200

Los Angeles Lakers

+1600

Dallas Mavericks

+1600

Golden State Warriors

+1600

Milwaukee Bucks

+1900

Philadelphia 76ers

+1900

Sacramento Kings

+2500

Miami Heat

+2900

Indiana Pacers

+3100

Los Angeles Clippers

+3200

Phoenix Suns

+3300

Houston Rockets

+3500

Orlando Magic

+4900

Memphis Grizzlies

+5500

Chicago Bulls

+11000

San Antonio Spurs

+13000

Charlotte Hornets

+13000

Detroit Pistons

+17000

Atlanta Hawks

+17000

Toronto Raptors

+19000

New Orleans Pelicans

+24000

Washington Wizards

+25000

Utah Jazz

+25000

Portland Trail Blazers

+25000

Brooklyn Nets

+25000

Some of these odds may look a bit out of whack to you. It's a bit strange seeing, say, the 2-8 Bucks so far ahead of the 8-2 Suns. Remember, though, your group means a great deal here. The Western Conference is simply deeper than the East, and as such, the best teams in the East just have an easier road to the championship than those West teams do. 

Take the Celtics and Cavaliers as an example. Sure, they have to play each other in their group, but they also get three far easier opponents in the Hawks, Bulls and Wizards. Before you make any bet or pick on this tournament, check who their group-play opponents are. That is largely what is informing these odds.