This season's NBA Cup tournament begins Friday, kicking off the start of the fourth in-season competition that features some wild court designs and gives all 30 teams the chance to vie for a trophy.
It also offers a payday: Each player on the NBA Cup championship-winning team will collect $604,985, with $241,994 going to those on the runner-up squad, $120,997 to the players on the clubs that fall in the semifinals and $60,499 to those whose teams lose
in the quarterfinals.
The format has teams split up into six groups, with five teams apiece. Those five teams play one game against each of their group opponents; the winner of each group goes to the quarterfinals, and one wild-card team from each conference will get a quarterfinal spot as well.
Quarterfinals and semifinals will be played at higher seeds, followed by a Dec. 11 championship game at Hinkle Fieldhouse on the campus of Butler University in Indianapolis. The NBA moved the title game out of Las Vegas for the first time, deciding instead to seek iconic college arenas for the matchup.
Every NBA Cup game, except the final, counts in the regular season standings. The final is a standalone event, with no impact on standings or league statistics.
Last season's Cup event was a preview of the NBA Finals. New York beat San Antonio in the Cup final, and the Knicks went on to beat the Spurs in the title series as well.
The Los Angeles Lakers won the first tournament, with Milwaukee winning in 2024 and the Knicks prevailing in 2025.
And the tournament's calling card has become the specially painted courts used only in Cup play. They're designed to stand out compared to the “regular” designs teams use for most other games.
A breakdown of the groups and the schedule, along with other things to know:
Teams — Detroit, Brooklyn, Orlando, Toronto, Milwaukee
Schedule — Detroit at Brooklyn, Friday; Orlando at Toronto, Friday; Toronto at Milwaukee. Nov. 6; Milwaukee at Orlando, Nov. 13; Orlando at Brooklyn, Nov. 20; Toronto at Detroit, Nov. 20; Detroit at Orlando, Nov. 24; Brooklyn at Milwaukee, Nov. 25; Milwaukee at Detroit, Nov. 27; Brooklyn at Toronto, Nov. 27.
Teams — New York, Philadelphia, Indiana, Miami, Cleveland
Schedule — New York at Philadelphia, Friday; Indiana at Miami, Friday; Philadelphia at Cleveland, Nov. 6; New York at Indiana, Nov. 13; Cleveland at Miami, Nov. 13; Indiana at Cleveland, Nov. 20; Miami at Philadelphia, Nov. 25; Cleveland at New York, Nov. 25; Miami at New York, Nov. 27; Philadelphia at Indiana, Nov. 27.
Teams — Charlotte, Washington, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta
Schedule — Charlotte at Washington, Friday; Chicago at Boston, Friday; Washington at Atlanta, Nov. 6; Boston at Charlotte, Nov. 6; Atlanta at Chicago, Nov. 13; Charlotte at Atlanta, Nov. 20; Washington at Chicago, Nov. 20; Boston at Washington, Nov. 24; Chicago at Charlotte, Nov. 25; Atlanta at Boston, Nov. 27.
Teams — Houston, Dallas, Denver, Phoenix, Utah
Schedule — Houston at Dallas, Friday; Denver at Phoenix, Friday; Utah at Dallas, Nov. 6; Utah at Houston, Nov. 13; Phoenix at Utah, Nov. 20; Houston at Denver, Nov. 20; Dallas at Denver, Nov. 24; Phoenix at Houston, Nov. 25; Dallas at Phoenix, Nov. 27; Denver at Utah, Nov. 27.
Teams — Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota, Oklahoma City, Memphis, New Orleans
Schedule — LA Clippers at Minnesota, Friday; Oklahoma City at Memphis, Nov. 6; Minnesota at New Orleans, Nov. 6; Memphis at New Orleans, Nov. 13; Oklahoma City at LA Clippers, Nov. 13; New Orleans at Oklahoma City, Nov. 20; Minnesota at Oklahoma City, Nov. 25; LA Clippers at Memphis, Nov. 25; Memphis at Minnesota, Nov. 27; New Orleans at LA Clippers, Nov. 27.
Teams — Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State, Portland, San Antonio, Sacramento
Schedule — LA Lakers at Golden State, Friday; Portland at LA Lakers, Nov. 6; San Antonio at Sacramento, Nov. 6; Golden State at San Antonio, Nov. 13; Portland at Sacramento, Nov. 13; Sacramento at LA Lakers, Nov. 20; Sacramento at Golden State, Nov. 25; San Antonio at Portland, Nov. 25; LA Lakers at San Antonio, Nov. 27; Golden State at Portland, Nov. 27.
Quarterfinal games will be Dec. 4 and Dec. 5. Semifinal games will be played on Dec. 8 and/or Dec. 9. The championship game is Dec. 11 at Indianapolis.
While mathematically possible that a 2-2 team could advance, history says that won't happen.
Of the 24 quarterfinalists in the first three years, 10 had 4-0 records in group play, and the other 14 all went 3-1.
Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the all-time leader in Cup points with 502 (including a championship game that doesn't officially count in any league totals). New York's Jalen Brunson has scored 457 points in Cup games and Miami's Giannis Antetokounmpo has 453.
And here's a reason to pick Detroit to win the Cup this season: Taurean Prince plays for the Pistons now. He has appeared in 14 Cup games with the Lakers and Milwaukee — and his teams went 14-0 in those games.
Every NBA team started the season with 80 games on its schedule. The 81st and 82nd game on each regular season slate hinges on the group play standings.
For the teams that make the quarterfinals, that'll be their 81st game. For the teams that make the semifinals, that'll be their 82nd game. (That's why the title game doesn't count in the standings; it would be an 83rd game for the two finalists.)
Teams that lose in the quarterfinals will play another team that fell in that same round to fill out those schedules. And the 22 teams that don't make the quarterfinals will have their two remaining games scheduled against other non-qualifiers, those games to be played in early December.
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