Foreground is NBA Cup logo. Jalen Brunson, Jayson Tatum, Cade Cunningham, Victor Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic all together.
Foreground is NBA Cup logo. Jalen Brunson, Jayson Tatum, Cade Cunningham, Victor Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic all together.
The NBA Cup has quickly gone from a polarizing idea to a staple of professional basketball. The in-season tournament, which took a page out of European soccer leagues, made its debut in 2023. The multi-stage tournament features four group play games from each team, all of which count toward a franchise's regular season record. Eight teams advance to the knockout rounds, and the eventual winner is deemed the NBA Cup champion.
The lone game that doesn't count toward regular season standings is the championship game, also known as game number 83. While the in-season tournament was a hard concept to grasp at first, the NBA Cup has become a fan favorite in recent years. The intensity and importance of regular season games are turned up a notch, and fans have enjoyed watching teams play on their colorful courts in their City Edition jerseys.
The entire schedule was just announced for the 2026 NBA Cup. So, who will follow in the footsteps of the Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, and most recently, the New York Knicks as NBA Cup champions?
NBA Cup groups
A general overall view of the opening tipoff between San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet (7) and New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during the Emirates NBA Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena.
A general overall view of the opening tipoff between San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet (7) and New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during the Emirates NBA Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena.
West Group A:
Denver Nuggets
Houston Rockets
Phoenix Suns
Dallas Mavericks
Utah Jazz
West Group B:
Oklahoma City Thunder
Minnesota Timberwolves
Los Angeles Clippers
New Orleans Pelicans
Memphis Grizzlies
West Group C:
San Antonio Spurs
Los Angeles Lakers
Portland Trail Blazers
Golden State Warriors
Sacramento Kings
East Group A:
Detroit Pistons
Toronto Raptors
Orlando Magic
Milwaukee Bucks
Brooklyn Nets
East Group B:
New York Knicks
Cleveland Cavaliers
Philadelphia 76ers
Miami Heat
Indiana Pacers
East Group C:
Boston Celtics
Atlanta Hawks
Charlotte Hornets
Chicago Bulls
Washington Wizards
In-season tournament schedule
Oct. 30:
Charlotte Hornets @ Washington Wizards at 7
Chicago Bulls @ Boston Celtics at 7:30
Detroit Pistons @ Brooklyn Nets at 7:30
New York Knicks @ Philadelphia 76ers at 7:30
Orlando Magic @ Toronto Raptors at 7:30
Indiana Pacers @ Miami Heat at 8
Houston Rockets @ Dallas Mavericks at 8
Los Angeles Clippers @ Minnesota Timberwolves at 8
Los Angeles Lakers @ Golden State Warriors at 10
Denver Nuggets @ Phoenix Suns at 10
Nov. 6:
Washington Wizards @ Atlanta Hawks at 7
Boston Celtics @ Charlotte Hornets at 7
Philadelphia 76ers 2 Cleveland Cavaliers at 7:30
Utah Jazz @ Dallas Mavericks at 8
Oklahoma City Thunder @ Memphis Grizzlies at 8
Toronto Raptors @ Milwaukee Bucks at 8
Minnesota Timberwolves @ New Orleans Pelicans at 8
Portland Trail Blazers @ Los Angeles Lakers at 10
San Antonio Spurs @ Sacramento Kings at 10
Nov. 13:
New York Knicks @ Indiana Pacers at 7
Milwaukee Bucks @ Orlando Magic at 7
Cleveland Cavaliers @ Miami Heat at 8
Atlanta Hawks @ Chicago Bulls at 8
Memphis Grizzlies @ New Orleans Pelicans at 8
Utah Jazz @ Houston Rockets at 8:30
Golden State Warriors @ San Antonio Spurs at 9:30
Portland Trail Blazers @ Sacramento Kings at 10
Oklahoma City Thunder @ Los Angeles Clippers at 10:30
Nov. 20:
Charlotte Hornets @ Atlanta Hawks at 7
Orlando Magic @ Brooklyn Nets at 7:30
Indiana Pacers @ Cleveland Cavaliers at 7:30
Toronto Raptors @ Detroit Pistons at 7:30
Washington Wizards @ Chicago Bulls at 8
New Orleans Pelicans @ Oklahoma City Thunder at 8
Phoenix Suns @ Utah Jazz at 9:30
Houston Rockets @ Denver Nuggets at 10
Sacramento Kings @ Los Angeles Lakers at 10
Nov. 24:
Detroit Pistons @ Orlando Magic at 7
Boston Celtics @ Washington Wizards at 8
Dallas Mavericks @ Denver Nuggets at 10
Nov. 25:
Miami Heat @ Philadelphia 76ers at 5
Chicago Bulls @ Charlotte Hornets at 7
Cleveland Cavaliers @ New York Knicks at 7:30
Minnesota Timberwolves @ Oklahoma City Thunder at 7:30
Los Angeles Clippers @ Memphis Grizzlies at 8
Brooklyn Nets @ Milwaukee Bucks at 8
Phoenix Suns @ Houston Rockets at 8:30
Sacramento Kings @ Golden State Warriors at 10
San Antonio Spurs @ Portland Trail Blazers at 10
Nov. 27:
Miami Heat @ New York Knicks at 7
Milwaukee Bucks @ Detroit Pistons at 7:30
Philadelphia 76ers @ Indiana Pacers at 7:30
Brooklyn Nets @ Toronto Raptors at 7:30
Atlanta Hawks @ Boston Celtics at 8
Memphis Grizzlies @ Minnesota Timberwolves at 8:30
Dallas Mavericks @ Phoenix Suns at 9
Los Angeles Lakers @ San Antonio Spurs at 9:30
Denver Nuggets @ Utah Jazz at 9:30
New Orleans Pelicans @ Los Angeles Clippers at 9:30
Golden State Warriors @ Portland Trail Blazers at 9:30
Knockout Rounds:
Quarterfinals on Dec. 4-5
Semifinals on Dec. 8 and/or Dec. 9
Championship on Dec. 11