The NBA Cup is taking center stage this week, as the in-season tournament enters the last stretch of group play with 26 teams still in the hunt. The Raptors are the only team to have punched a ticket to the knockout stage, leaving seven of the eight spots (including two wild-card spots) up for grabs. The Lakers could secure a spot with a win over the Clippers tonight.
As a refresher, all 30 teams were placed into groups of five based on last season’s regular-season records and a random drawing, creating three divisions in each conference. In the event two or more teams are tied within a group, the following tiebreakers will come in to play (in sequential order):
-
Head-to-head record in Group Play
-
Point differential in Group Play (overtime scoring will not count in tiebreaker)
-
Total points scored in Group Play (overtime scoring will not count in tiebreaker)
-
Record from the 2024-25 NBA regular season
-
Random drawing (in the unlikely scenario that two or more teams are still tied following the previous tiebreakers)
Here’s what you need to know for the final week of group play, with 23 games taking place over the next four days, starting on Tuesday.
East standings • West standings • Who’s advancing • Knockout stage
Eastern Conference breakdown
Here’s a look at the standings, tiebreakers, clinching scenarios and remaining schedules for each group in the East.
What to know
-
Raptors have clinched Group A
-
Pacers have been eliminated
-
Cavs, Hawks, Wizards in wild-card hunt
Tuesday’s clinching scenarios
-
Wizards will be eliminated with a loss to Hawks
Remaining schedule
-
Tuesday: Hawks at Wizards, 7 p.m. ET
-
Wednesday: Pacers at Raptors, 7:30 p.m. ET
-
Friday: Cavaliers at Hawks, 7:30 p.m. ET
-
Friday: Wizards at Pacers, 7:30 p.m. ET
What to know
-
Pistons or Magic will win Group B
-
Nets, Celtics, 76ers still in wild-card hunt
Tuesday’s clinching scenarios
-
76ers will be eliminated with a loss to Magic
Remaining schedule
-
Tuesday: Magic at 76ers, 8 p.m. ET
-
Wednesday: Pistons at Celtics, 5 p.m. ET
-
Friday: 76ers at Nets, 7:30 p.m. ET
-
Friday: Magic at Pistons, 7:30 p.m. ET
What to know
-
Bucks, Heat or Knicks will win Group C
-
Bulls, Hornets still in wild-card hunt
Head-to-head tiebreakers
-
Bucks own tiebreaker over Bulls
-
Heat own tiebreaker over Bulls
-
Knicks own tiebreaker over Heat
-
Bulls own tiebreaker over Knicks
Tuesday’s clinching scenarios
Remaining schedule
-
Wednesday: Knicks at Hornets, 7 p.m. ET
-
Wednesday: Bucks at Heat, 7:30 p.m. ET
-
Friday: Bulls at Hornets, 7:30 p.m. ET
-
Friday: Bucks at Knicks, 7:30 p.m. ET
Western Conference breakdown
Here’s a look at the standings, tiebreakers, clinching scenarios and remaining schedules for each group in the West.
What to know
-
Thunder, Suns or Timberwolves will win Group A
-
Jazz have been eliminated
-
Kings still in wild-card hunt
Head-to-head tiebreakers
-
Suns own tiebreaker over Timberwolves
Tuesday’s clinching scenarios
Remaining schedule
-
Wednesday: Timberwolves at Thunder, 7:30 p.m. ET
-
Wednesday: Suns at Kings, 10 p.m. ET
-
Friday: Suns at Thunder, 9:30 p.m. ET
-
Friday: Kings at Jazz, 9:30 p.m. ET
What to know
-
Lakers, Clippers or Grizzlies will win Group B
-
Pelicans have been eliminated
-
Mavericks still in wild-card hunt
Head-to-head tiebreakers
-
Lakers own tiebreaker over Grizzlies
Tuesday’s clinching scenarios
-
Lakers win Group B with win over Clippers
Remaining schedule
-
Tuesday: Clippers at Lakers, 11 p.m. ET
-
Wednesday: Grizzlies at Pelicans, 8 p.m. ET
-
Friday: Mavericks at Lakers, 10 p.m. ET
-
Friday: Grizzlies at Clippers, 10 p.m. ET
What to know
-
Blazers, Nuggets or Spurs will win Group C
-
Rockets, Warriors in wild-card hunt
Head-to-head tiebreakers
-
Blazers own tiebreaker over Nuggets and Warriors
-
Nuggets owe tiebreaker over Nuggets and Rockets
-
Spurs own tiebreaker over Rockets
-
Rockets own tiebreaker over Blazers
-
Warriors own tiebreaker over Spurs
Tuesday’s clinching scenarios
Remaining schedule
-
Wednesday: Rockets at Warriors, 10 p.m. ET
-
Wednesday: Spurs at Trail Blazers, 10 p.m. ET
-
Friday: Suns at Thunder, 9:30 p.m. ET
-
Friday: Spurs at Nuggets, 9:30 p.m. ET
Who’s advancing to the knockout stage?
East
Group A: Raptors
Group B:
Group C:
Wild card:
West
Group A:
Group B:
Group C:
Wild card:
How the knockout stage works
The eight teams that advance from group play will take part in a single-elimination tournament. The NBA Cup quarterfinals will be held Dec. 9 and 10, with the higher-seeded teams hosting the quarters in their home arenas. The four winners will advance to the semifinals in Las Vegas.
(During the knockout stage, the 22 teams that didn’t qualify will each play two to-be-determined, regular-season games.)
The NBA Cup semifinals and final will take place on Dec. 13 and Dec. 16, respectively.
Players of the teams that participate in the knockout stage will earn prize money.
Read the full article here