We're entering the final week of the Group Play stage for the 2025 NBA Cup. We have a light appetizer Tuesday night before a full slate of Cup games on Wednesday and Friday to decide which teams will advance to the knockout portion of the Cup.
The Toronto Raptors are the only team that has clinched a spot in the knockout stage so far. A few other squads are in prime position to do so, although one slip-up this week could prove costly.
Here's a look at the remaining Cup schedule, the current Cup standings, and a prediction of which teams will wind up clashing in Las Vegas for the prize money.
Remaining NBA Cup Schedule
Tuesday, November 25
- Atlanta Hawks at Washington Wizards, 7 p.m. ET (East Group A)
- Orlando Magic at Philadelphia 76ers, 8 p.m. ET (East Group B)
- Los Angeles Clippers at Los Angeles Lakers, 11 p.m. ET (West Group B)
Wednesday, November 26
- Detroit Pistons at Boston Celtics, 5 p.m. ET (East Group B)
- New York Knicks at Charlotte Hornets, 7 p.m. ET (East Group C)
- Milwaukee Bucks at Miami Heat, 7:30 p.m. ET (East Group C)
- Indiana Pacers at Toronto Raptors, 7:30 p.m. ET (East Group A)
- Minnesota Timberwolves at Oklahoma City Thunder, 7:30 p.m. ET (West Group A)
- Memphis Grizzlies at New Orleans Pelicans, 8 p.m. ET (West Group B)
- Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors, 10 p.m. ET (West Group C)
- San Antonio Spurs at Portland Trail Blazers, 10 p.m. ET (West Group C)
- Phoenix Suns at Sacramento Kings, 10 p.m. ET (West Group A)
Friday, November 28
- Cleveland Cavaliers at Atlanta Hawks, 7:30 p.m. ET (East Group A)
- Philadelphia 76ers at Brooklyn Nets, 7:30 p.m. ET (East Group B)
- Chicago Bulls at Charlotte Hornets, 7:30 p.m. ET (East Group C)
- Orlando Magic at Detroit Pistons, 7:30 p.m. ET (East Group B)
- Washington Wizards at Indiana Pacers, 7:30 p.m. ET (East Group A)
- Milwaukee Bucks at New York Knicks, 7:30 p.m. ET (East Group C)
- Phoenix Suns at Oklahoma City Thunder, 9:30 p.m. ET (West Group A)
- San Antonio Spurs at Denver Nuggets, 9:30 p.m. ET (West Group C)
- Sacramento Kings at Utah Jazz, 9:30 p.m. ET (West Group A)
- Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Lakers, 10 p.m. ET (West Group B)
- Memphis Grizzlies at Los Angeles Clippers, 10 p.m. ET (West Group B)
NBA Cup Standings
East Group A
Team | W | L | DIFF |
|---|---|---|---|
Toronto Raptors | 3 | 0 | +53 |
Cleveland Cavaliers | 2 | 1 | +33 |
Atlanta Hawks | 1 | 1 | +8 |
Indiana Pacers | 0 | 2 | -31 |
Washington Wizards | 0 | 2 | -63 |
The Raptors have already clinched Group A. If (when?) they beat the Pacers on Wednesday, they'll be in prime position to secure the overall top seed in the East bracket, which means they would host the wild-card team in the quarterfinals of the knockout round.
The Cavaliers and Hawks have a pivotal game Friday that may help determine which team lands the wild card. The Hawks first have to run up the score on the Wizards on Tuesday to have a realistic shot at earning the wild card, though. If they do, the winner of Cavs-Hawks will be 3-1 and should have a fairly high point differential, although Group C looms large in the wild-card race as well.
East Group B
Team | W | L | DIFF |
|---|---|---|---|
Detroit Pistons | 2 | 0 | +27 |
Orlando Magic | 2 | 0 | +20 |
Brooklyn Nets | 1 | 2 | -17 |
Boston Celtics | 1 | 2 | -20 |
Philadelphia 76ers | 0 | 2 | -10 |
This group is likely down to the Pistons and Magic, who play one another on Friday in Detroit. Whichever team wins that game will be 3-1 at worst, which means the Nets, Celtics and Sixers have zero chance of winning Group B.
Before that pivotal clash, the Pistons take on the Celtics in Boston on Wednesday, while the Magic are headed to Philly on Tuesday to face the Sixers. Both teams have major incentive to run up the score, as whichever team loses Friday's game is in grave danger of missing the knockout round due to the point-differential tiebreaker.
East Group C
Team | W | L | DIFF |
|---|---|---|---|
Milwaukee Bucks | 2 | 0 | +16 |
Miami Heat | 2 | 1 | +46 |
New York Knicks | 1 | 1 | -2 |
Chicago Bulls | 1 | 2 | -42 |
Charlotte Hornets | 0 | 2 | -18 |
The Bucks currently lead this group at 2-0, but unless Giannis Antetokounmpo makes a miraculous return between now and Friday, they figure to lose both of their games this week to the Heat and Knicks. Assuming the Knicks take care of business against the Hornets, both Miami and New York should finish tied atop this group at 3-1.
The Knicks have the tiebreaker over the Heat since they won their head-to-head matchup, which is bad news for the other two groups. The Heat have a plus-46 point differential and could run up the score on the Giannis-less Bucks, which puts them in prime position to secure the East's wild card.
West Group A
Team | W | L | DIFF |
|---|---|---|---|
OKC Thunder | 2 | 0 | +63 |
Phoenix Suns | 2 | 0 | +23 |
Minnesota Timberwolves | 2 | 1 | +53 |
Sacramento Kings | 0 | 2 | -45 |
Utah Jazz | 0 | 3 | -94 |
This group is what the NBA Cup is all about. The Thunder are sitting atop the group at 2-0 with a massive plus-63 point differential, although they still have to face both the Timberwolves and Suns this week. The Suns are also 2-0 and get to take on the flatlining Kings before heading to OKC, while the Timberwolves are 2-1, with their lone loss coming to the Suns.
If the Thunder lose to the Wolves and beat the Suns and Phoenix beats the Kings, all three of the Thunder, Suns and Wolves will finish 3-1. From there, it would come down to point differential. If the Thunder beat the Wolves, Minnesota will be effectively eliminated from the wild-card chase, so Group A would come down to Friday's game in OKC. If the Suns win that game, they would win the group, and OKC would almost certainly win the West's wild card based on point differential.
West Group B
Team | W | L | DIFF |
|---|---|---|---|
Los Angeles Lakers | 2 | 0 | +19 |
Los Angeles Clippers | 2 | 0 | +2 |
Memphis Grizzlies | 1 | 1 | +9 |
Dallas Mavericks | 1 | 2 | -11 |
New Orleans Pelicans | 0 | 3 | -19 |
This group might get decided on Tuesday when the Lakers and Clippers clash in L.A. Both LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard are back in the fold, although the Clippers are still in dire straits health-wise with Bradley Beal (hip), Bogdan Bogdanović (hip) and Derrick Jones Jr. (knee) all sidelined. Neither team has a huge point differential right now, so whichever team loses won't be in great shape for the wild card.
To wrap up this group, the Clippers take on the Grizzlies on Friday, while the Lakers will host the Mavericks. Yes, that's right: Luka Dončić will have extra motivation to run up the score on his old team. Hope Nico Harrison is on a nice yacht somewhere that night without TV service.
West Group C
Team | W | L | DIFF |
|---|---|---|---|
Portland Trail Blazers | 2 | 1 | -18 |
Denver Nuggets | 2 | 1 | +26 |
San Antonio Spurs | 1 | 1 | +10 |
Houston Rockets | 1 | 2 | +10 |
Golden State Warriors | 1 | 2 | -28 |
The Group of Death ironically might be the one group where a team with a negative point differential wins it all. The Blazers are 2-1 with a head-to-head win over the Nuggets (the only other 2-1 team), but they're a minus-18 thanks to a blowout loss against the Rockets. As long as they beat the Spurs on Wednesday, they'll clinch the group regardless.
The banged-up Nuggets also face the Victor Wembanyama-less Spurs on Friday. If Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle aren't back by then, the Nuggets may have major incentive to run up the score, particularly if OKC is on pace to win Group A.
Predictions
- Raptors clinched East Group A
- Pistons win East Group B
- Knicks win East Group C
- Heat win East wild card
- OKC wins West Group A
- Lakers win West Group B
- Blazers win West Group C
- Nuggets win West wild card
Knockout bracket
Quarterfinals
- Heat at Raptors
- Knicks at Pistons
- Nuggets at Thunder
- Blazers at Lakers
Semifinals
- Heat vs. Pistons
- Thunder vs. Lakers
Finals
- Pistons vs. Thunder
2025 NBA Cup champion: OKC Thunder