The NBA Cup Thread 2025-2026

Post #1 » by **Clav** » Mon Oct 27, 2025 5:47 pm

The NBA Cup begins soon!! OCT 31 to NOV 28

Last year, the Milwaukee Bucks captured the trophy over the OKC Thunder. Games were pretty entertaining in LV and it provided a small gap for other teams to have a few days off. I'm still getting to grips with this tournament but it felt like a thread was in order anyway.

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Quarter Finals DEC 9-10
*Semi Finals DEC 13
*Finals DEC 16

*Both SF and Final game held in Las Vegas

All Courts: https://www.nba.com/news/emirates-nba-cup-2025-courts-unveiled

Schedule for all NBA Cup Games : https://www.nba.com/nba-cup/2025/schedule

Groups: EAST

Spoiler:

Groups: WEST

Spoiler:

NBA CUP 101 https://www.nba.com/news/nba-cup-101
- you know your tournament is confusing if it has a how-to page lol

Preview of the NBA Cup Groups from NBA.com
https://www.nba.com/news/emirates-nba-cup-2025-preview-first-look-groups

Who takes the trophy this year ? Who has the best court ? (or worst :lol:

)

NEXT season, the Semi Finals [home at the top-seeded team] will not be in Vegas, only the Finals so things are changing in the future.

Post #2 » by **Clav** » Mon Oct 27, 2025 5:54 pm

I have questions every season about the schedule of this thing, so hopefully we can all figure it out from the NBA's official posts but for posterity I'm adding another post here with specific days for this tournament. ALSO NBA Cup Games are not b2bs. Thankfully most of them are on Fridays so it is easier to remember.

FRI OCT 31
FRI NOV 07
FRI NOV 14
FRI NOV 21
TUE NOV 25
WED NOV 26
FRI NOV 28
TUE DEC 09 [Quarterfinals]
WED DEC 10 [Quarterfinals]
SAT DEC 13 [Semifinals]
TUE DEC 16 [Finals]

JXL · Post #3 » by **JXL** » Mon Oct 27, 2025 6:16 pm

Portland vs. Miami in the championship game (calling it now).

Post #4 » by **bisme37** » Mon Oct 27, 2025 6:24 pm

Clav wrote:I have questions every season about the schedule of this thing, so hopefully we can all figure it out from the NBA's official posts but for posterity I'm adding another post here with specific days for this tournament. ALSO NBA Cup Games are not b2bs. Thankfully most of them are on Fridays so it is easier to remember.

FRI OCT 31
FRI NOV 07
FRI NOV 14
FRI NOV 21
TUE NOV 25
WED NOV 26
FRI NOV 28
TUE DEC 09 [Quarterfinals]
WED DEC 10 [Quarterfinals]
SAT DEC 13 [Semifinals]
TUE DEC 16 [Finals]

What the heck? It was already confusing but at least last two years the group play games were only on Tuesdays and Fridays, which once you figured that out it became less confusing.

This year the group play games seems to be on... a bunch of random nights with no rhyme or reason.

MMyhre · Post #5 » by **MMyhre** » Mon Oct 27, 2025 7:08 pm

Lol, Jazz, Suns & Kings for OKC, while there is hell in a cell in West C.

Maxthirty · Post #6 » by **Maxthirty** » Tue Oct 28, 2025 12:07 am

Nothing will ever match the joy in my heart when the Lakers won the first Cup. A historic win for a historic franchise. And featuring the GOAT, no less!

Such a magical time of year.

Calvin Klein · Post #7 » by **Calvin Klein** » Tue Oct 28, 2025 9:30 am

Is this thing still on?

Mr Puddles · Post #8 » by **Mr Puddles** » Tue Oct 28, 2025 9:39 am

Which team shall quench its thirst this season with the sweet elixir of victory, drank from that most sacred chalice, the NBA Cup.

Gentlemen of RealGM, pledge your fealty, and let the battle for glory begin!

BigGargamel · Post #9 » by **BigGargamel** » Tue Oct 28, 2025 4:07 pm

Calvin Klein wrote:Is this thing still on?

I always forget every year this is still a thing until those annoying heist commercials pop up.

Edrees · Post #10 » by **Edrees** » Tue Oct 28, 2025 9:37 pm

I'm rolling with whoever darvin Ham is coaching for. Will he go for the 3peat?

YogurtProducer · Post #11 » by **YogurtProducer** » Tue Oct 28, 2025 9:50 pm

bisme37 wrote:
Clav wrote:I have questions every season about the schedule of this thing, so hopefully we can all figure it out from the NBA's official posts but for posterity I'm adding another post here with specific days for this tournament. ALSO NBA Cup Games are not b2bs. Thankfully most of them are on Fridays so it is easier to remember.

FRI OCT 31
FRI NOV 07
FRI NOV 14
FRI NOV 21
TUE NOV 25
WED NOV 26
FRI NOV 28
TUE DEC 09 [Quarterfinals]
WED DEC 10 [Quarterfinals]
SAT DEC 13 [Semifinals]
TUE DEC 16 [Finals]

What the heck? It was already confusing but at least last two years the group play games were only on Tuesdays and Fridays, which once you figured that out it became less confusing.

This year the group play games seems to be on... a bunch of random nights with no rhyme or reason.

Seems so easy to just make it every Friday night with all 30 teams playing. I suppose that would require there to be groups with an even number (5 groups of 6?).

To me that makes way more sense. Just have Friday nights be CUP nights. 5 weeks of group play, (Oct 31, Nov 7, Nov 14, Nov 21, Nov 28) and then your playoffs whenever. 16 teams make the single knockout tournament held over 2 weekends. Top 3 teams in each group with 1 wildcard for 16 total.

There we go NBA. Just fixed it and made it easy to follow.

I think once the league is at 32-teams this tournament becomes a lot more interesting. You can nuke divisions from the regular season, and then have the NBA Cup be where divisions come into play.

AussieBuck · Post #12 » by **AussieBuck** » Wed Oct 29, 2025 12:17 pm

Bucks will repeat.

K N U C K L E S · Post #13 » by **K N U C K L E S** » Thu Oct 30, 2025 10:12 am

So these special NBA Cup floors aren't as slippery as the trophy logo that was temporarily removed? :-?

I can't wait until they add LEDs or make the whole floor an LCD screen. The Heat should do that and put red hot coals or flames on the LCD screen. 8-)

I also can't wait until they use the NBA Cup floors for every game.

Mr Puddles · Post #14 » by **Mr Puddles** » Thu Oct 30, 2025 10:17 am

AussieBuck wrote:Bucks will repeat.

The Bucks won last year?

K N U C K L E S · Post #15 » by **K N U C K L E S** » Thu Oct 30, 2025 10:20 am

So East group C is the group of death(If the Heat of their first 4 games isn't from a parallel universe)? Or maybe West group C?

Beacon · Post #16 » by **Beacon** » Thu Oct 30, 2025 10:24 am

West C is brutal...

AussieBuck · Post #17 » by **AussieBuck** » Thu Oct 30, 2025 12:32 pm

Mr Puddles wrote:
AussieBuck wrote:Bucks will repeat.

The Bucks won last year?

I'm not saying I clicked on this thread to remember who won last year, but I'm not not saying it either.

Kiss of Death · Post #18 » by **Kiss of Death** » Fri Oct 31, 2025 12:54 am

They should just have the winner of West C play the winner of East C.

That’s the real champion.

jayu70 · Post #19 » by **jayu70** » Sat Nov 1, 2025 12:16 pm

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Post #20 » by **bisme37** » Sat Nov 1, 2025 4:28 pm

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