The 2026 Emirates NBA Cup begins Friday. Here’s what you need to know for the league’s annual in-season tournament.
When is the NBA Cup 2026?
Group Play: Oct. 30, Nov. 6, 13, 20, 24, 25, 27
Quarterfinals: Dec. 4, 5
Semifinals: Dec. 8 and/or 9
Championship: Dec. 11
View the day-by-day schedule below.
Are the NBA Cup courts back?
How will group play work?
The formula hasn’t changed for group play. All 30 teams were randomly drawn into groups of five based on last season’s regular-season records, creating three divisions in each conference. Each team will play four group-play games, one against each opponent in its group, two at home and two on the road.
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
West Group A
Denver Nuggets
Houston Rockets
Phoenix Suns
Dallas Mavericks
Utah Jazz
West Group B
Oklahoma City Thunder
Minnesota Timberwolves
LA Clippers
New Orleans Pelicans
Memphis Grizzlies
West Group C
San Antonio Spurs
Los Angeles Lakers
Portland Trail Blazers
Golden State Warriors
Sacramento Kings
What is the NBA Cup 2026 schedule?
Friday, Oct. 30
Charlotte at Washington (East Group C), 7 p.m.
Detroit at Brooklyn (East Group A), 7:30 p.m.
Orlando at Toronto (East Group A), 7:30 p.m.
New York at Philadelphia (East Group B), 7:30 p.m. (Prime)
Chicago at Boston (East Group C), 7:30 p.m.
Indiana at Miami (East Group B), 8 p.m.
Houston at Dallas (West Group A), 8 p.m.
LA Clippers at Minnesota (West Group B), 8 p.m.
Denver at Phoenix (West Group A), 10 p.m.
LA Lakers at Golden State (West Group C), 10 p.m. (Prime)
Friday, Nov. 6
Boston at Charlotte (East Group C), 7 p.m.
Washington at Atlanta (East Group C), 7 p.m.
Philadelphia at Cleveland (East Group B), 7:30 p.m. (Prime)
Toronto at Milwaukee (East Group A), 8 p.m.
Utah at Dallas (West Group A), 8 p.m.
Enjoying this article? Support our work with a small crypto donation.Oklahoma City at Memphis (West Group B), 8 p.m.
Minnesota at New Orleans (West Group B), 8 p.m.
San Antonio at Sacramento (West Group C), 10 p.m.
Portland at LA Lakers (West Group C), 10 p.m. (Prime)
Friday, Nov. 13
Milwaukee at Orlando (East Group A), 7 p.m.
New York at Indiana (East Group B), 7 p.m. (Prime)
Cleveland at Miami (East Group B), 8 p.m.
Atlanta at Chicago (East Group C), 8 p.m.
Memphis at New Orleans (West Group B), 8 p.m.
Utah at Houston (West Group A), 8:30 p.m.
Golden State at San Antonio (West Group C), 9:30 p.m. (Prime)
Portland at Sacramento (West Group C), 10 p.m.
Oklahoma City at LA Clippers (West Group B), 10:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 20
Charlotte at Atlanta (East Group C), 7 p.m.
Toronto at Detroit (East Group A), 7:30 p.m. (Prime)
Orlando at Brooklyn (East Group A), 7:30 p.m.
Indiana at Cleveland (East Group B), 7:30 p.m.
Washington at Chicago (East Group C), 8 p.m.
New Orleans at Oklahoma City (West Group B), 8 p.m.
Phoenix at Utah (West Group A), 9:30 p.m.
Houston at Denver (West Group A), 10 p.m. (Prime)
Sacramento at LA Lakers (West Group C), 10 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 24
Detroit at Orlando (East Group A), 7 p.m.
Boston at Washington (East Group C), 8 p.m. (NBC)
Dallas at Denver (West Group A), 10 p.m. (NBC)
Wednesday, Nov. 25
Miami at Philadelphia (East Group B), 5 p.m. (ESPN)
Chicago at Charlotte (East Group C), 7 p.m.
Cleveland at New York (East Group B), 7:30 p.m.
Minnesota at Oklahoma City (West Group B), 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Brooklyn at Milwaukee (East Group A), 8 p.m.
LA Clippers at Memphis (West Group B), 8 p.m.
Phoenix at Houston (West Group A), 8:30 p.m.
San Antonio at Portland (West Group C), 10 p.m. (ESPN)
Sacramento at Golden State (West Group C), 10 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 27
Miami at New York (East Group B), 7 p.m. (Prime)
Milwaukee at Detroit (East Group A), 7:30 p.m.
Brooklyn at Toronto (East Group A), 7:30 p.m.
Philadelphia at Indiana (East Group B), 7:30 p.m.
Atlanta at Boston (East Group C), 8 p.m.
Memphis at Minnesota (West Group B), 8:30 p.m.
Dallas at Phoenix (West Group A), 9 p.m.
Denver at Utah (West Group A), 9:30 p.m.
New Orleans at LA Clippers (West Group B), 9:30 p.m.
LA Lakers at San Antonio (West Group C), 9:30 p.m. (Prime)
Golden State at Portland (West Group C), 9:30 p.m.
Knockout rounds (all on Prime)
Quarterfinals: Friday, Dec. 4, and Saturday, Dec. 5
Semifinals: Tuesday, Dec. 8, and/or Wednesday, Dec. 9
Championship: Friday, Dec. 11, at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis
How does the knockout stage work?
The eight teams that advance from group play will take part in a single-elimination tournament. The NBA Cup quarterfinals will be held on Dec. 4 and 5, with the semifinals on Dec. 8 and/or 9, with the higher-seeded teams hosting matchups in their home arenas. The top two teams will advance to the NBA Cup Final on Dec. 11.
Players of the teams that participate in the knockout stage will earn prize money.
(During the knockout stage, the 22 teams that didn’t qualify will each play two to-be-determined, regular-season games.)
Where will the NBA Cup Final take place this year?
The NBA Cup is leaving Las Vegas, where the league has held the semifinals and championship game for the past three years. This year, the final will be held at Butler’s Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
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