The 2025 NBA Emirates Cup: The Battle for the Trophy Continues
The third edition of the NBA Emirates Cup is underway, with the group stage coming to an end this week and the knockout phase matchups beginning to take shape. LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers were the first to lift the trophy of the inaugural tournament in 2023, with James taking home the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award. Last season, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks displayed their NBA Cup banner, although the NBA championship went to the Oklahoma City Thunder. What team will take home the trophy in Las Vegas this year? Will they be able to maintain the momentum from the tournament in the postseason? Here’s what you need to know about the tournament, including rule changes for this year, key moments from the week’s most important matches, the schedule, and the results.Key Results and Day’s Analysis
Eastern Conference
On Wednesday, the most relevant game of the Eastern Conference was played in Florida, where the Miami Heat achieved their sixth consecutive victory, overcoming a late scare from the Milwaukee Bucks to place themselves with a 3-1 record in Group C. Tyler Herro, in his second game after ankle surgery, scored 29 points. Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware combined for 28 points and 20 rebounds. Simultaneously, the New York Knicks enjoyed a resounding victory in Charlotte, advancing to 2-1 in the tournament. Heat, Bucks and Knicks still have chances to win Group C, entering the last day of the group stage on Friday. These results guarantee that Group C will end with two teams with a 3-1 record (Heat and the winner of Friday’s Bucks-Knicks game), eliminating all Eastern teams with two losses: Washington Wizards, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, and Chicago Bulls. In Group B, the Celtics ended the Detroit Pistons’ 13-game winning streak, but the result will not affect Detroit’s path to the playoffs: the winner of Friday’s game between Detroit and Orlando Magic will win the group and advance. In Group A, Brandon Ingram made a mid-range shot with 0.6 seconds remaining to beat the Indiana Pacers, completing the Toronto Raptors’ undefeated streak in the group stage. The Raptors secured home-court advantage in the quarterfinals with this victory. If the Magic finish first in Group B, Toronto will host the winner of Group C in the next round; if the Pistons win Group B, Toronto will host the Eastern wildcard.Western Conference
The Oklahoma City Thunder continue to impress. Wednesday’s victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves put Oklahoma City at a record of 18-1 this season, their best start since the Golden State Warriors achieved 73 wins a decade ago. The Thunder have a 3-0 record in the NBA Cup, while the Timberwolves were practically eliminated with their second defeat. The Phoenix Suns also improved to 3-0 in Group A. With a 22-point lead at halftime in Sacramento, the Suns couldn’t hold on, which could be important given the importance of point differential as a tiebreaker. They settled for a 12-point victory over the Kings. The most prominent game in the West saw the Portland Trail Blazers seek an improbable finish in Group C, receiving the San Antonio Spurs with the opportunity to secure a place in the quarterfinals. With 37 points from De’Aaron Fox, his highest since being traded to San Antonio, the Spurs spoiled the party in Portland and prepared for a win-or-go-home scenario on Friday. The Memphis Grizzlies cannot win Group B, which was secured on Tuesday by the Los Angeles Lakers, but overcoming the New Orleans Pelicans in overtime, thanks to Zach Edey’s 21 points and 15 rebounds, kept their slim hopes of obtaining the Western wildcard spot alive.Results of November 26th
- Boston Celtics 117, Detroit Pistons 114
- New York Knicks 129, Charlotte Hornets 101
- Toronto Raptors 97, Indiana Pacers 95
- Oklahoma City Thunder 113, Minnesota Timberwolves 105
- Miami Heat 106, Milwaukee Bucks 103
- Memphis Grizzlies 133, New Orleans Pelicans 128
- Houston Rockets 104, Golden State Warriors 100
- San Antonio Spurs 115, Portland Trail Blazers 102
- Phoenix Suns 112, Sacramento Kings 100
Key Matches for Friday
Eastern Groups
The Raptors remain the only team in the Eastern Conference to have secured a playoff spot, with six teams vying for the remaining three spots. In Detroit, the Pistons and Magic will face off for a spot in the quarterfinals, as the winner of the match will take the Group B title. Detroit would be eliminated with a loss, while Orlando could still secure the East’s only wildcard spot with a narrow loss, thanks to the Magic’s +61 point difference in three games. The resolution of Group C could be more complicated. If Milwaukee wins in New York on Friday, then the Heat would take the group victory, because Miami and Milwaukee would have 3-1 records and Miami has the tiebreaker by direct matchups. The Bucks would have difficulty getting the wild card in that scenario, as their point difference in the Cup is only +13 entering their last game.If New York beats the Bucks at home, the Knicks would advance because they have the tiebreaker over Miami, thanks to a win in the direct matchup earlier this month. In that case, the Heat, which now has a point difference of +49, would have a reasonable chance of advancing through the wildcard.
Contents
West Groups
The Suns and Thunder face off on Friday in Oklahoma City with first place in Group A at stake, but the excitement is somewhat diminished by the fact that both undefeated teams could reach the quarterfinals. In fact, we could have a rematch in the same stadium in the quarterfinals next week if the Thunder narrowly win on Friday. With a point difference of +71 in the NBA Cup, the best in the league, Oklahoma City is almost assured of advancing as the number 1 seed in the West or as a wildcard. Phoenix’s chances are more tenuous with a loss, but their +35 differential is currently the best among the contenders, and San Antonio’s victory means that Group C can no longer produce a wild card. The Clippers and Grizzlies will face off, and both will be looking for a decisive victory to enter the conversation for the wild card. However, the only decisive game of the night will be in Denver, where the Nuggets host the Spurs for Group C supremacy. San Antonio will still be without their All-Star center, Victor Wembanyama, who is out with a calf strain. The stakes are clear: Friday’s winner takes Group C, while the loser will be eliminated.Frequently Asked Questions
The NBA unveiled the six groups for the third edition of its in-season tournament, now called the Emirates NBA Cup. Here’s everything you need to know about the competition’s return.What is the format?
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has had a long fascination with European soccer. Establishing an in-season cup competition within the NBA schedule stemmed from soccer leagues that have both a regular season title, won by the team with the most points throughout the year, and a separate tournament (or, in some leagues, multiple tournaments) that runs concurrently with the league season. In England, for example, there are the various divisions, led by the Premier League, and also the FA Cup competition. But unlike those European leagues, which play their cup competitions outside of their league schedules, the NBA Cup is integrated into the regular season schedule. The 30 NBA teams are divided into six groups of five teams, three with Eastern Conference teams and three with Western Conference teams, and each team plays one game against the other four in its group. The winner of each group, plus the team with the best record among those who did not win the group, will advance to the knockout stage of the competition.How will this impact the schedule and regular season standings?
Generally, the NBA sends out a full 82-game schedule in mid-August. Now, the league sends only 80 games and leaves a gap for about a week to complete later, depending on how the group stage of the NBA Cup unfolds. The two Eastern and Western teams that lose in the quarterfinals will play their 82nd game against each other on one of four dates: December 11, 12, 14 or 15. Meanwhile, the 22 teams that fail to qualify for the knockout rounds will have their last two games scheduled, one at home and one away, on December 11 or 12 and December 14 or 15 against other teams eliminated in the group stage. The teams that reach the NBA Cup final will play 83 games, although the championship game will not count towards standings or any statistical score. The four teams that reach Las Vegas for the semi-finals will have completed their 82 games and will need nothing more added. The additional wrinkle added to this year’s schedule is the possibility that some calendar dates may move. On December 8, there are currently three games scheduled: Sacramento Kings at Indiana Pacers; Phoenix Suns at Minnesota Timberwolves; and San Antonio Spurs at New Orleans Pelicans. If any of those teams play in the quarter-finals, which will take place on December 9 and 10, those games would be moved to December 7 (a decision that would be made on November 29, the day after the end of the group stage). This would also be a problem only if one of the teams played on December 9th. If they play on December 10th, nothing will change. The other peculiarity of the schedule is that there are currently eight teams (Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, LA Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, and Washington Wizards) scheduled to play on December 17th, the day after the championship game in Las Vegas. Any team that reaches the semifinals in Las Vegas will have that game moved later in the schedule to avoid back-to-back games. The NBA made this change in an effort to avoid having empty days on the schedule, while trying to minimize back-to-back games for all teams as much as possible.Are the semi-finals and finals still being played in Las Vegas?
For this season, yes. Next year, however, the semi-finals, like the quarter-finals, will be played at home venues. Having teams go to Las Vegas for a week (and, more importantly, trying to get fans to go there for two games over several days with little notice) hasn’t worked out the way the league initially thought it would.What’s new in this year’s tournament?
Most games will be broadcast on Amazon Prime, including the knockout rounds. The schedule is also primarily on Fridays, starting on Halloween, instead of going back and forth from Tuesday to Friday throughout November, as it did during the first two years of the tournament.Why does the NBA Cup include regular season games?
Before its launch, one of the main questions surrounding the season tournament was why any team would be incentivized to compete in it. The NBA made sure that teams are motivated by making each game part of the season and, being conference games, potentially important from the point of view of playoff tiebreakers. If this had been set up like the cup tournaments in European soccer, nothing would have prevented NBA teams from opting out, literally or figuratively, by benching their best players for extra rest.What teams make up the groups?
To create the groups, the NBA placed the 15 teams from each conference into five pots, separated by their position in last season’s standings. Pot 1 included the teams that finished 1st to 3rd in the regular season record, teams from 4th to 6th went to Pot 2, teams from 7th to 9th to Pot 3, teams from 10th to 12th to Pot 4, and teams from 13th to 15th to Pot 5. As a result, the following groups were drawn:
- East A: Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards
- East B: Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers
- East C: New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Charlotte Hornets
- West A: Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz
- West B: Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans
- West C: Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs
Are there any groups that stand out more than the others?
This is easy: the West’s Group C. Three of the four best teams in the Western Conference (Houston, Denver, and Golden State) are in the group, plus a Blazers team that excelled at the end of last season. Oh, and don’t forget Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs either. The West’s Group B is also competitive, but Memphis is already dealing with injuries, Dallas is without Kyrie Irving, and the Pelicans are expected to be far from the playoff picture.What do players get for winning?
In 2023, the first year the tournament was held, the players on the winning team received $500,000 each, while the runners-up received $200,000. The losing players in the semi-finals received $100,000 each, and those eliminated in the quarter-finals received $50,000 each. Now, in each subsequent year, the prizes will be slightly higher, as a result of negotiated year-over-year increases to keep pace with increases in the salary cap and basketball-related income as part of the most recent collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association.Will anyone earn individual honors for their play in the NBA Cup games?
There will be an MVP award, as well as an all-tournament team.Will this have any impact on the playoffs?
Beyond the games that count in the regular season standings (and towards tiebreakers). The only impact of the playoffs comes from the wins and losses accumulated throughout the tournament. Although there was debate among league experts about guaranteeing a playoff spot for winning the tournament, ultimately, that idea (or any other to further incentivize teams) was not enacted.Why is it called the Emirates NBA Cup?
The league reached a sponsorship agreement with Emirates, the Dubai-based airline, to sponsor the tournament after its initial execution. The NBA said last year that it opted for the most basic titles for both the tournament and its trophy (the “season tournament” and the “NBA Cup”) as a way to introduce the concept to fans. However, the use of such non-descriptive names had another clear advantage: it gave the league a blank slate in case the tournament and the cup became properties that it ended up selling to a sponsor, and avoided the complications that could arise from naming them after someone (for example, the late NBA commissioner, David Stern, a possibility that had been considered before the tournament was officially presented).2025 Emirates NBA Cup Schedule
All times are EasternGroup Stage
October 31st
- Hawks 128, Pacers 108
- Celtics 109, 76ers 108
- Raptors 112, Cavaliers 101
- Knicks 135, Bulls 125
- Lakers 117, Grizzlies 112
- Suns 118, Jazz 96
- Trail Blazers 109, Nuggets 107
- Clippers 126, Pelicans 124
November 7th
- Cavaliers 148, Wizards 114
- Magic 123, Celtics 110
- Raptors 109, Hawks 97
- Pistons 125, Nets 107
- Spurs 121, Rockets 110
- Bucks 126, Bulls 110
- Heat 126, Hornets 108
- Timberwolves 137, Jazz 97
- Grizzlies 118, Mavericks 104
- Thunder 132, Kings 101
- Nuggets 129, Warriors 104
November 14th
- Magic 105, Nets 98
- Knicks 140, Heat 132
- Pistons 114, 76ers 105
- Rockets 140, Trail Blazers 116
- Lakers 118, Pelicans 104
- Timberwolves 124, Kings 110
- Bucks 147, Hornets 134 (OT)
- Clippers 133, Mavericks 127 (2OT)
- Warriors 109, Spurs 108
November 21st
- Nets 113, Celtics 105
- Cavaliers 120, Pacers 109
- Raptors 140, Wizards 110
- Heat 143, Bulls 107
- Mavericks 118, Pelicans 115
- Suns 114, Timberwolves 113
- Nuggets 112, Rockets 109
- Thunder 144, Jazz 112
- Trail Blazers 127, Warriors 123
November 25th
- Wizards 132, Hawks 113
- 76ers 136, Magic 124
- Lakers 135, Clippers 118
November 26th
- Celtics 117, Pistons 114
- Knicks 129, Hornets 101
- Raptors 97, Pacers 95
- Thunder 113, Timberwolves 105
- Heat 106, Bucks 103
- Grizzlies 133, Pelicans 128
- Rockets 104, Warriors 100
- Spurs 115, Trail Blazers 102
- Suns 112, Kings 100
November 28th
- Cleveland Cavaliers at Atlanta Hawks, 7:30 p.m.
- Chicago Bulls at Charlotte Hornets, 7:30 p.m.
- Milwaukee Bucks at New York Knicks, 7:30 p.m. (Prime)
- Orlando Magic at Detroit Pistons, 7:30 p.m.
- Philadelphia 76ers at Brooklyn Nets, 7:30 p.m.
- Washington Wizards at Indiana Pacers, 7:30 p.m.
- Phoenix Suns at Oklahoma City Thunder, 9:30 p.m.
- Sacramento Kings at Utah Jazz, 9:30 p.m.
- San Antonio Spurs at Denver Nuggets, 9:30 p.m.
- Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Lakers, 10 p.m. (Prime)
- Memphis Grizzlies at LA Clippers, 10 p.m.
Elimination Phase
December 9th and 10th: Quarterfinals
TBD vs. TBD, (Prime) TBD vs. TBD, (Prime) TBD vs. TBD, (Prime) TBD vs. TBD, (Prime)December 13th: Semi-finals
TBD vs. TBD, (Prime) TBD vs. TBD, (Prime)December 16: Championship
TBD vs. TBD, (Prime)
