The NBA Cup is back.
In its inaugural run — then known as the In-Season Tournament — the games were a hit with hardcore fans from the start and, eventually, once the knockout rounds came in, more casual fans. The Lakers went on a run and won the title in Las Vegas.
The NBA released the schedule for the NBA Cup on Tuesday and we’ve circled six games on the calendar that should be appointment viewing. If you forgot how the NBA Cup works — teams divided into six groups of five for group-play games, then the top team from each group and one wild card moving on to the knockout rounds — we’ll let this video walk you through it.
EMIRATES NBA CUP EXPLAINED WITH MICHAEL IMPERIOLI & ROSARIO DAWSON 🎥
— NBA (@NBA) August 13, 2024
Starting Nov. 12, all 30 teams will compete in Group Play with 8 advancing into the knockout rounds! The Semifinals & Championship will be held in Las Vegas, Dec. 14 & 17!
Who will win the NBA Cup in 2024? pic.twitter.com/lAZWYD0stf
10 Must-Watch NBA Cup Games
1. Nov. 12, Mavericks at Warriors. Klay Thompson’s return to Golden State is part of the NBA Cup and it is going to be one of the most emotional nights of the season. How does Thompson handle what will be a showering of love from Warriors fans? How do Stephen Curry and Draymond Green handle it? There are a lot of emotions in play, a lot of nostalgia, and a pretty interesting matchup on the court as the Warriors try to deal with Luka Doncic.
2. Nov. 6, 76ers at Clippers. This is not an NBA Cup game, but we are throwing it on the must-watch list anyway because it is Paul George’s return to Los Angeles for the first time. The Clippers wouldn’t pay George what he wanted (or give him a no-trade clause if he took a discount), so he bolted Los Angeles and got his four-year max deal from Philadelphia. How will Clippers fans in their new building receive him? Also, people are sleeping on the Clippers a little, this is still a solid team with James Harden and Kawhi Leonard.
3. Nov. 12, Knicks at 76ers. The two biggest threats to Boston in the Eastern Conference are both in East Group A for the NBA Cup, and this early showdown that could well decide the winner of the group. Both teams added big names over the summer, but while Mikal Bridges should blend in quickly and seamlessly in New York, how fast George meshes with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey is one of the season’s big questions.
4. Nov. 19, Thunder at Spurs. Victor Wembanyama vs. Chet Holmgren is always good television — and it could be a preview of the center matchup in the gold medal game of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics (we may be getting ahead of ourselves there). Thunder are the West favorites, but the Spurs are going to be feisty.
5. Nov. 29, Pelicans at Grizzlies. Zion Williamson vs. Ja Morant — this is a high-flying show, and this game should not be missed just for that entertainment value. These are also two teams looking to bounce back and be a bigger threat in the West than last season, which one of them is off to the good early start and looks strong in this matchup?
6. Nov. 22, Mavericks at Nuggets. Two Western Conference contenders, but two teams with questions as well. Dallas added a motivated Klay Thompson and some real depth (DeAnthony Melton, Kyle Anderson), but will miss Derrick Jones Jr. Meanwhile, Denver watched Kentavious Caldwell-Pope leave and are banking on Christian Braun and the youth movement to pick up the slack. Can they? It is a good early-season test and will matter a lot in West Group C of the NBA Cup.
7. Dec. 3, Warriors at Nuggets. West Group C is packed with interesting showdowns and this is another one. We get Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokic, but which team’s supporting cast steps up?
8. Nov. 19, Cavaliers at Celtics. Cleveland’s bet this summer is that running it back with Donovan Mitchell and crew, but with more motion in the offense via new coach Kenny Atkinson, can push this roster to take the next step to compete with the top of the East. Color me skeptical, but this is a good measuring stick of a game against the defending champs.
9. Nov. 29, Thunder at Lakers. Is this part of the passing of the torch game, or do LeBron James and Anthony Davis have one more run in them? That duo had a golden run in Paris (while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Canada had a disappointing one) and LeBron was the MVP, but it’s one thing to do it at 20-25 minutes a night with no travel, it’s another over the 82-game marathon of the NBA season.
10. Dec. 3, Orlando at New York. East Group A is pretty much the group of death with the 76ers, Knicks and Magic (pity the Nets and Hornets in that group). New York is a contender, but the Magic are a team on the rise, and this will be a good test of how far they have climbed. Plus, it could determine a lot in the group.