Only 20 games remain in the NBA Cup’s group stage, with six of the eight spots (including two wild-card spots) in the knockout round still up for grabs. The Raptors and Lakers are the only teams to have punched a ticket to the tournament’s quarterfinals. Who will join them? Who will be eliminated? Let’s break it down.
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):
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Head-to-head record in Group Play
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Point differential in Group Play (overtime scoring will not count in tiebreaker)
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Total points scored in Group Play (overtime scoring will not count in tiebreaker)
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Record from the 2024-25 NBA regular season
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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 ahead of Wednesday’s nine-game slate with 13 teams facing elimination.
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
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Raptors have clinched Group A
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Cavs, Wizards, Hawks in wild-card hunt
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Pacers have been eliminated
Wednesday’s clinching scenarios
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Hawks eliminated with Pistons win OR Knicks + Heat wins
Remaining schedule
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Wednesday: Pacers at Raptors, 7:30 p.m. ET
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Friday: Cavaliers at Hawks, 7:30 p.m. ET
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Friday: Wizards at Pacers, 7:30 p.m. ET
What to know
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Pistons or Magic will win Group B
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Nets, Celtics in wild-card hunt
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76ers have been eliminated
Wednesday’s clinching scenarios
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Celtics eliminated with loss OR Knicks + Heat wins
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Nets eliminated with Pistons win OR Knicks + Heat wins
Remaining schedule
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Wednesday: Pistons at Celtics, 5 p.m. ET
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Friday: 76ers at Nets, 7:30 p.m. ET
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Friday: Magic at Pistons, 7:30 p.m. ET
What to know
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Bucks, Heat or Knicks will win Group C
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Bulls, Hornets still in wild-card hunt
Head-to-head tiebreakers
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Knicks own tiebreaker over Heat
Wednesday’s clinching scenarios
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Bucks clinch Group C with a win + Knicks loss
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Heat clinch Group C with a win + a Knicks loss
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Knicks eliminated with a loss AND Pistons win
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Bulls eliminated with a Pistons win OR Knicks + Heat wins
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Hornets eliminated with a loss OR Pistons win
Remaining schedule
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Wednesday: Knicks at Hornets, 7 p.m. ET
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Wednesday: Bucks at Heat, 7:30 p.m. ET
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Friday: Bulls at Hornets, 7:30 p.m. ET
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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
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Thunder, Suns or Timberwolves will win Group A
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Jazz have been eliminated
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Kings still in wild-card hunt
Head-to-head tiebreakers
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Suns own tiebreaker over Timberwolves
Wednesday’s clinching scenarios
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Timberwolves eliminated with a loss + Suns win, OR a loss + Grizzlies win
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Kings eliminated with a loss, OR Wolves win, OR Grizzlies win
Remaining schedule
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Wednesday: Timberwolves at Thunder, 7:30 p.m. ET
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Wednesday: Suns at Kings, 10 p.m. ET
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Friday: Suns at Thunder, 9:30 p.m. ET
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Friday: Kings at Jazz, 9:30 p.m. ET
What to know
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Lakers have clinched Group B
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Mavericks, Pelicans have been eliminated
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Clippers, Grizzlies still in wild-card hunt
Wednesday’s clinching scenarios
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Grizzlies eliminated with a loss + either a Timberwolves or Suns win
Remaining schedule
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Wednesday: Grizzlies at Pelicans, 8 p.m. ET
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Friday: Mavericks at Lakers, 10 p.m. ET
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Friday: Grizzlies at Clippers, 10 p.m. ET
What to know
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Blazers, Nuggets or Spurs will win Group C
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Rockets, Warriors in wild-card hunt
Head-to-head tiebreakers
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Blazers own tiebreaker over Nuggets and Warriors
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Nuggets owe tiebreaker over Nuggets and Rockets
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Spurs own tiebreaker over Rockets
Wednesday’s clinching scenarios
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Trail Blazers clinch Group C with a win
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Trail Blazers eliminated with a loss + either a Rockets, Wolves, Suns or Grizzlies win
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Spurs eliminated with a loss + either a Wolves, Suns or Grizzlies win
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Rockets eliminated with a loss OR either a Blazers, Wolves, Suns or Grizzlies win
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Warriors eliminated with a loss, OR either a Wolves, Suns or Grizzlies win, OR a worse point differential than Blazers or Spurs
Remaining schedule
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Wednesday: Rockets at Warriors, 10 p.m. ET
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Wednesday: Spurs at Trail Blazers, 10 p.m. ET
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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: Lakers
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.
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