The 2025 Emirates NBA Cup, marking the third installment of the NBA’s in-season tournament, is officially underway. This guide covers all essential details including the complete schedule, current standings, and viewing options to catch the action live.
2025 NBA Cup Schedule
Knockout Round – Always East
- Friday, November 21
- Tuesday, November 25
- Wednesday, November 26
- Friday, November 28
Knockout Round
- December 9-10: Quarterfinals
- Matchups to be determined (TBD) on Prime
- Saturday, December 13: Semi-finals
- TBD matchups on Prime
- Tuesday, December 16: Championship Game
2025 NBA Cup Standings
East Group A:
- Toronto Raptors (2-0) +23
- Atlanta Hawks (1-1) +8
- Cleveland Cavaliers (1-1) +22
- Indiana Pacers (0-1) -20
- Washington Wizards (0-1) -33
East Group B:
- Detroit Pistons (2-0) +27
- Orlando Magic (2-0) +20
- Boston Celtics (1-1) -12
- Philadelphia 76ers (0-2) -10
- Brooklyn Nets (0-2) -25
East Group C:
- Miami Heat (1-1) +10
- New York Knicks (1-1) -2
- Milwaukee Bucks (2-0) +16
- Charlotte Hornets (0-2) -18
- Chicago Bulls (1-1) -6
West Group A:
- Minnesota Timberwolves (2-0) +54
- Oklahoma City Thunder (1-0) +31
- Phoenix Suns (1-0) +22
- Sacramento Kings (0-2) -45
- Utah Jazz (0-2) -62
West Group B:
- Los Angeles Lakers (2-0) +19
- Los Angeles Clippers (2-0) +2
- Memphis Grizzlies (1-1) +9
- Dallas Mavericks (0-2) -14
- New Orleans Pelicans (0-2) -16
West Group C:
- San Antonio Spurs (1-1) +10
- Houston Rockets (1-1) +13
- Portland Trail Blazers (1-1) -22
- Denver Nuggets (1-1) +23
- Golden State Warriors (1-1) -24
Note: Some teams are excluded from the competition, while others have clinched their groups or won wild card spots.
2025 NBA Cup Scores (Group Play)
Friday, October 31 and Friday, November 7:
- Cavaliers 148, Wizards 115
- Magic 123, Celtics 110
- Pistons 125, Nets 107
- Spurs 121, Rockets 110
- Raptors 109, Hawks 97
- Heat 126, Hornets 108
- Timberwolves 137, Jazz 97
- Grizzlies 118, Mavericks 104
- Bucks 126, Bulls 110
- Thunder 132, Kings 101
- Nuggets 129, Warriors 104
Location
Group stage games take place in regular NBA arenas based on home and away designations. The semifinals and finals will be hosted at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Viewing Information
The 2025 NBA Cup will be televised nationally on ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV. Regional sports networks will also cover games locally. Fans can access out-of-market games not broadcast nationally via NBA League Pass.
What is the Emirates NBA Cup?
The Emirates NBA Cup is an in-season tournament that features all 30 NBA teams competing for a championship. Designed to boost excitement during the early part of the regular season and create new revenue opportunities, the tournament aims to enhance fan engagement. Last year, the Milwaukee Bucks won their second consecutive title by beating the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Tournament Structure
There are six groups of five teams each, grouped by conference but not strictly by division. Each team plays four group games, facing every opponent in their pool once, with group winners advancing to a knockout stage. Eight teams move forward to the finals: six group winners plus two wild cards. The knockout rounds are single-elimination.
Teams play 80 regular-season games in total, with two extra games for teams not qualifying for elimination matches. Finalists will play 83 games, and stats from tournament games also count toward regular-season totals.
Group Selection Process
The group draw happened on July 9, with teams placed into pots based on their previous season’s performance (2024-25). From each pot, one team was randomly assigned to each of the three groups within their conference. Pot 1 includes the top three teams, Pot 2 contains those ranked 4th to 6th, and the process continues until all five pots are distributed.
Fan Take: The 2025 Emirates NBA Cup brings a fresh layer of excitement to the NBA season, giving fans more thrilling matchups to enjoy early on. Its unique format not only spices up the regular season but also paves the way for the league to innovate how basketball is showcased and experienced.
