The week ahead is a critical stretch for a lot of sports. It’s go time for college football rivalries (pure hatred, in the form of an Old Oaken Bucket) and cranberry sauce (is there a lobbying effort for this replacement-level side dish?). It’s also NBA Cup time, as this week features seven in-season tournament games for the national audience between Tuesday and Friday.
Maybe it sticks — football isn’t for everyone, and neither is the procession of giant inflatable animals. This week’s NBA schedule is loaded with playoff rematches and style clashes, featuring both the defending champions and the current leading scorer.
Now, to unfurl this massive piece of parchment. NBA Cup group play includes four round-robin contests between the six groups (three per conference). The winner of each group advances to the knockout rounds, as do two wild cards (one East, one West). Ties between group records are settled by head-to-head results, then point differential, then total points scored. Knockout quarterfinals are scheduled for Dec. 9 and 10. The semis (Dec. 13) and the finals (Dec. 16) take place in Las Vegas. Friday is the last night of group play.
This is the third installment of the tournament. LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers won in 2023, and the Milwaukee Bucks lifted last year’s trophy — though that was through the services of tourney MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who went down with a groin strain last week.
NBA national TV guide
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GameTime (ET)TVStream
Magic at 76ers
8 p.m., Tue.
NBC, Peacock*
Peacock
Clippers at Lakers
11 p.m., Tue.
NBC, Peacock*
Peacock
Pistons at Celtics
5 p.m., Wed.
ESPN
Wolves at Thunder
7:30 p.m., Wed.
ESPN
Rockets at Warriors
10 p.m., Wed.
ESPN
Bucks at Knicks
7:30 p.m., Fri.
Prime
Prime Exclusive
Mavs at Lakers
10 p.m., Fri.
Prime
Prime Exclusive
*Depending on local market
ESPN also streams on ESPN Unlimited. The rest of the NBA Cup games this week are available for out-of-market fans on NBA League Pass.
The current NBA Cup situation
East Group A
East Group A (Group Eh) has already been clinched by the upstart Toronto Raptors. And as of Monday, the Indiana Pacers are one of three teams (Utah Jazz and New Orleans Pelicans are the others) officially eliminated from knockout contention, while the Washington Wizards are, for all intents and purposes, out of it at 0-2.
Decider: The Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks are still in contention for the East wild-card spot and will meet Friday at State Farm Arena. Assuming Atlanta beats Washington on Tuesday, the winner of this game could join Toronto in the knockout round.
East Group B
The Orlando Magic, featured on Tuesday, are 2-0 (plus-20 points) in East Group B. The Detroit Pistons are also 2-0 (plus-27). Those two face off Friday in a game that will decide the group winner. The remainders (Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers) are all out of it with two losses.
Decider: Orlando at Detroit on Friday. No matter what happens Tuesday and Wednesday, one of those two will have three wins after Friday.
East Group C
Over in East Group C, Milwaukee has spotted itself a 2-0 (plus-16) lead. The Miami Heat (2-1, plus-46) are right behind the shorthanded Bucks. The New York Knicks (1-1, minus-2) hold the tiebreaker over the Heat, thanks to their Nov. 14 head-to-head win. The Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Bulls are each boxed out with multiple Ls.
Deciders: It starts with New York at Charlotte on Wednesday. If the Knicks lose, Miami can clinch the group at home against Milwaukee on Wednesday (the Heat would be 3-1, and the Bucks would be 2-1 on the wrong side of that tiebreaker). But if the Knicks win, they can also clinch Group B at home with Friday’s Milwaukee matchup (they’d be 3-1 with direct wins over the other two competitors).
West Group A
Wednesday is Minnesota’s last group stage game. The Timberwolves are 2-1 in West Group A with an impressive plus-53 point ledger. The Oklahoma City Thunder are unbeaten, because of course they are, and so are the surprising Phoenix Suns. Utah and the Sacramento Kings are the group’s two-loss teams.
Deciders: Well, OKC is demolishing any and all challengers these days. If it beats Minnesota and Phoenix handles Sacramento on Wednesday, then the Thunder would host a win-or-go-home contest against the Suns on Friday. If the Wolves and Kings both pull the upsets, then that Friday game would yield a second 3-1 finisher — Phoenix would have the head-to-head over Minnesota, and Minnesota would have the advantage over Oklahoma City. If all three of those knot at 3-1, it would be decided by point differential.
West Group B
The Lakers and LA Clippers are 2-0 in West Group B. The Memphis Grizzlies still have a chance to topple the Angelenos at 1-1 (plus-9), but the Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks do not.
Deciders: The winner of Wednesday’s crosstown action gets pole position. The Lakers clinch the group if they win that one, because they beat Memphis in their first Cup outing. But if the Clippers win Wednesday, they’d be at 3-1, which would set up a winner-takes-all home game with the Grizzlies on Friday (assuming the latter takes care of the winless Pels).
West Group C
This group has the Portland Trail Blazers (2-1, minus-18) in control of their fate. The Denver Nuggets (2-1, plus-26) and San Antonio Spurs (1-1, plus-10) are in the mix, too. Wednesday’s national TV pairing, the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors, are stuck at the bottom with two losses.
Deciders: Portland locks the group up in its own gym Wednesday if it outlasts San Antonio, because the Blazers would be 3-1 with head-to-heads over the Nuggets and Spurs. If the Spurs give the Blazers a second loss, though, they’d force a Group C settling on Friday night with San Antonio at Denver.
Sheesh, that’s a lot! And all the one-loss squads would have wild-card looks as well. The next few days are going to be a sustained head rush. Now, to the national telecasts:
Tuesday, NBC/Peacock
Orlando Magic at Philadelphia 76ers
Through Monday, Jamahl Mosley’s crew is 7-3 at home but 3-5 on the road. To be fair, who wouldn’t miss the warm embrace of Stuff, the Magic’s dragon? They start the week No. 1 in free throws tried and made per game. They’re great offensive rebounders and relentless second-chance scorers. Paolo Banchero (groin) is out, meaning more sets initiated by Franz Wagner, Masked Dimer.
Tyrese Maxey’s recent 54-point gem is enough to warrant a watch from Philly. Joel Embiid (knee) has been sidelined since Nov. 8 — he is officially questionable for Tuesday night — so Maxey’s green light hums fluorescent. Eight of the 76ers’ first nine wins have come in clutch time.
A former player both teams are thankful for: Dwight Howard
The Athletic’s NBA Cup court ranking: 11. “There are too many fonts on this court, but that is my only real complaint. The logo is well used without being obnoxious. The colors complement one another.” — Eric Koreen
LA Clippers at Los Angeles Lakers
Both are 2-0 in the tournament. But right now, this pairing is like the city’s fish tacos versus its freeway traffic. The Lake Show has a dozen Ws in its opening 16 outings. In that span, Luka Dončić has leveled up (again) to an NBA-high 34.5 points per game. Vibes are fantastic, even if Luka won’t laminate Austin Reaves’ friendship pass.
Meanwhile, the creaky Clippers begin the week at 5-12, 24th in net rating and 29th in pace. At least Kawhi Leonard (ankle/foot) returned to the fold Sunday, and James Harden had a 55-piece on Saturday. Figueroa Street always gets festive for this intracity clash, no matter how lopsided.
A former player both teams are thankful for: Lamar Odom
The Athletic’s NBA Cup court ranking: 4. “The color scheme is a classic. Honoring the championships is wise. The Lakers could have leaned even further into their rich history here, but they did enough.” — Jay King
Wednesday, ESPN
Detroit Pistons at Boston Celtics
In-season tournament games … on a Wednesday?! A development so disorienting that we get the next two days off work. The current top team in the East plays in a 20,000-person pizzeria (Detroit claimed seven of its first eight games at Little Caesars Arena). The Pistons hit the week with the third-best defensive rating. They won their last tourney game without Cade Cunningham, Tobias Harris, Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren. None of them have injury designations as of Monday.
Boston has won four of its last five overall tries, and it leads the league in turnover percentage. The Celtics need get-right home cooking from Derrick White, who’s an unthinkable 35.3 percent from the field so far. Joe Mazzulla would (probably) call “The Town” a holiday movie, and he’d (probably) scold us for talking during the florist scene.
A former player both teams are thankful for: Dave Bing
The Athletic’s NBA Cup court ranking: 12. “This court scores points for the simple nods to history. The parquet floor. Red Auerbach’s signature. Bill Russell’s number. That’s a lot of green, but the multiple shades of green here actually work for me.” — Jay King
Minnesota Timberwolves at Oklahoma City Thunder
A grudge match from last year’s Western Conference finals. A split between the ultra-efficient Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the boundless swagger of Anthony Edwards. Wednesday’s centerpiece has a lot to like, with two top-10 offenses and a slow-build animosity. Could this juggernaut mint something of a basketball treble (NBA Finals, Cup and regular-season record) or make up a super treble (all that plus MVP and No. 1 draft pick!)?
A former player both teams are thankful for: Taj Gibson
The Athletic’s NBA Cup court ranking: 27. “I know teams don’t go for a redesign right after winning a title, but the Thunder’s motif is so sleepy. As soon as I stop looking at it, I forget what it looks like.” — Eric Koreen
Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors
It’s not a Kevin Durant reunion special, as the Rockets star is dealing with a family issue. But it is a re-rack of this spring’s chippy seven-game playoff series, which the Warriors claimed via Buddy Hield Event Horizon. Houston opens the week with the most efficient scoring punch in basketball, and it trails only the OKC robot in net rating. The Rockets have Cup losses to San Antonio and Denver, and Steve Kerr does not have a big like Victor Wembanyama or Nikola Jokić to throw on Alperen Şengün. Golden State will push from the perimeter. Through 18 games, Stephen Curry paces all shooters in 3s made (4.8) and attempted (11.9) per game.
A former player both teams are thankful for: Mario Elie
The Athletic’s NBA Cup court ranking: 24. “This is a big yawn. A big gray W. Black and gray. This is almost a tribute to the Raiders.” — Jason Jones
Friday, Amazon Prime
Milwaukee Bucks at New York Knicks
The Knicks have eight wins in their first nine Madison Square Garden games. They tip off the week at third in offensive rating, and Mike Brown’s stretched-out lineups make for watchable adventures in bucket-getting. Mikal Bridges soaks up minutes like starch on gravy. Jalen Brunson’s floater is parade-eligible. On the other end, it’s now up to Kyle Kuzma, Ryan Hollins and Myles Turner to pick up the extra work, sans-Giannis. The stakes here will be clearer once Wednesday is in the books.
A former player both teams are thankful for: Steve Novak
The Athletic’s NBA Cup court ranking: 3. “The New York skyline is perfect. I have no complaints. This works for the city.” — Jason Jones
Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Lakers
They didn’t ask for it, but fate and hubris and sheer spectacle will forever tie Cooper Flagg and Dončić. Maybe Anthony Davis (calf, out since Oct. 29) will be available by the time Friday rolls around. He deserves an ovation after winning the 2020 title in purple and gold. Maybe Klay Thompson rediscovers his touch. Maybe the tryptophan takes hold and the viewership keeps one eye closed. As it stands, Flagg is alone on an island for depleted Dallas. The Lakers defense will send tough looks at him, as Dončić breezes along with Reaves and LeBron. It might be a while before that evens out.
A former player both teams are thankful for: A.C. Green
The Athletic’s NBA Cup court ranking: 4. “This is the gold standard (pun intended) of all these courts.” — Josh Robbins
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