A NBA Cup 2025third edition of the tournament in-season of the league, starts this Friday (10/31) and promises to move fans and players. The championship will be played on 11 different dates, bringing together all 30 NBA franchises, with matches that also count for the regular season, except the grand final.
In this edition, each team will have its own personalized arena for the group stage and quarter-final games. The semifinals and final will be held in Las Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena, but starting next season, teams will be able to host these matches in their own arenas.
The NBA Cup combines rivalry, high financial rewards for athletes, a different trophy than the NBA champion receives and high-level games, and can have a great influence on team morale for the regular season.
How the NBA Cup 2025 works
The tournament is divided into two stages: group stage and knockout stage.
1. Group stage
The 30 NBA teams are divided into two conferences (East and West) and then into six groups of five teams each (three groups per conference). The group draw was made in July, with the teams distributed into pots based on last season’s classification:
- Pot 1: 3 best teams from each conference
- Pot 2: 4th to 6th best team
- Pot 3: 7th to 9th best team
- Pot 4: 10th to 12th best team
- Pot 5: 13th to 15th best team
Each team plays four matches in the group stage, one against each opponent in the group, with two matches at home and two away.
Group stage dates:
- Fridays: 10/31, 11/7, 11/14, 11/21, 11/28
- Additional Tuesday and Wednesday: 11/25 and 26
Tiebreaker criteria in the group stage:
- Head-to-head
- Point balance (excluding extra time points)
- Points scored (excluding extra time)
- 2024-25 season record
- Draw, if necessary
2. Spy
Classification:
- Leader of each group advances
- Best runner-up in each conference also advances
Total of eight teams in the knockout stage. Eastern teams on one side of the bracket, Western teams on the other, ensuring that the final will have a team from each conference.
The knockout stages take place in a single game.
Knockout dates:
- Quarterfinals: December 9th and 10th, in the arenas of the classified teams
- Semifinals: December 13th in Las Vegas
- Final: December 16th in Las Vegas
Quarterfinal and semifinal games count toward the regular season.
The final does not count towards the regular season, nor towards individual statistics.
Distribution of games for eliminated teams:
The 22 teams that do not advance play two regular season matches between December 11 and 15, organized based on group stage position and travel restrictions.
NBA Cup 2025: groups
Western Conference
- Group A West: Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns e Utah Jazz
- Group B West: Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks e New Orleans Pelicans
- Group C West: Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Portland Trail Blazers e San Antonio Spurs
Eastern Conference
- Group A Leste: Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors e Washington Wizards
- Group B East: Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Brooklyn Nets e Philadelphia 76ers
- Group C East: New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat e Charlotte Hornets
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NBA Cup: champions and prizes
List of champion teams and MVP players
- 2023: Los Angeles Lakers champion / LeBron James was MVP
- 2024: Milwaukee Bucks champion / Giannis Antetokounmpo was MVP
Never has a team managed to win the NBA Cup and the NBA season after. In 23/24, the Boston Celtics won the season, but stopped in the group stage of the cup. In 24/25, the Oklahoma City Thunder won the season, but finished second in the NBA Cup.
NBA Cup 2025: prizes per player
- Champion team: US$514,971 per athlete
- Runner-up team: US$205,988 per athlete
- Semifinalists: US$102,994 per athlete
- Quarterfinals: US$51,497 per athlete
NBA Cup 2025: group stage table
Games in Brasilia time.
Friday, October 31st
Group A Leste:
- Atlanta Hawks x Indiana Pacers – 20:00
- Toronto Raptors x Cleveland Cavaliers – 20:30
Group B East:
Group C East:
Group B West:
- Los Angeles Lakers x Memphis Grizzlies – 22:30
- New Orleans Pelicans x Los Angeles Clippers – 23:30
Group A West:
Group C West:
Friday, November 7th
Group A Leste:
- Cleveland Cavaliers x Washington Wizards – 20:00
- Toronto Raptors x Atlanta Hawks – 20:30
Group B East:
- Boston Celtics x Orlando Magic – 20:00
- Detroit Pistons x Brooklyn Nets – 20:30
Group C East:
- Charlotte Hornets x Miami Heat – 21:00
- Chicago Bulls x Milwaukee Bucks – 21:00
Group A West:
- Utah Jazz x Minnesota Timberwolves – 9 p.m
- Oklahoma City Thunder x Sacramento Kings – 23:00
Group B West:
Group C West:
- Houston Rockets x San Antonio Spurs – 20:30
- Golden State Warriors x Denver Nuggets – 23:00
Friday, November 14th
Group A Leste:
- Brooklyn Nets x Orlando Magic – 20:00
- Philadelphia 76ers x Detroit Pistons – 20:30
Group C East:
- Miami Heat x New York Knicks – 20:00
- Charlotte Hornets x Milwaukee Bucks – 21:00
Group A West:
Group B West:
- Los Angeles Lakers x New Orleans Pelicans – 21:00
- Los Angeles Clippers x Dallas Mavericks – 21:30
Group C West:
- Portland Trail Blazers x Houston Rockets – 21:00
- Golden State Warriors x San Antonio Spurs – 22:30
Friday, November 21st
Group A Leste:
- Indiana Pacers x Cleveland Cavaliers – 20:00
- Washington Wizards x Toronto Raptors – 20:30
Group B East:
Group C East:
Group A West:
- Minnesota Timberwolves x Phoenix Suns – 22:00
- Oklahoma City Thunder x Utah Jazz – 23:00
Group B West:
Group C West:
- Denver Nuggets x Houston Rockets – 22:30
- Portland Trail Blazers x Golden State Warriors – 23:00
Tuesday, November 25th
Group A Leste:
Group B East:
Group B West:
Wednesday, November 26th
Group A Leste:
Group B East:
Group C East:
- New York Knicks x Charlotte Hornets – 20:00
- Milwaukee Bucks x Miami Heat – 20:30
Group A West:
- Minnesota Timberwolves x Oklahoma City Thunder – 20:30
- Phoenix Suns x Sacramento Kings – 23:00
Group B West:
Group C West:
- Houston Rockets x Golden State Warriors – 23:00
- San Antonio Spurs x Portland Trail Blazers – 23:00
Friday, November 28th
Group A Leste:
- Cleveland Cavaliers x Atlanta Hawks – 20:30
- Washington Wizards x Indiana Pacers – 20:30
Group B East:
- Philadelphia 76ers x Brooklyn Nets – 20:30
- Orlando Magic x Detroit Pistons – 20:30
Group C East:
- Chicago Bulls x Charlotte Hornets – 20:30
- Milwaukee Bucks x New York Knicks – 20:30
Group A West:
- Phoenix Suns x Oklahoma City Thunder – 22:30
- Sacramento Kings x Utah Jazz – 22:30
Group B West:
- Dallas Mavericks x Los Angeles Lakers – 23:00
- Memphis Grizzlies x Los Angeles Clippers – 23:00
Group C West:
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