Emirates NBA Cup explained
ESPN’s Richard Jefferson explains the Emirates NBA Cup and tells you what you need to know about this year.
With the Emirates NBA Cup group stage schedule released today, 60 matches have been scheduled for the 2024-25 NBA season.
Here are 12 matchups to mark your calendar – two games from each of the six groups – including some playoff rematches, NBA Cup rematches and All-Stars facing former teams.
East Group A: Knicks, Magic, 76ers, Nets, Hornets
Knicks vs Sixers
Tuesday, November 12 (7:30 ET, TNT)
These teams immediately engaged in a classic first-round clash in the 2024 playoffs – with the Knicks holding a larger edge in wins (4-2) than in total points (650-649). Jalen Brunson averaged 41.8 points over the final four games, Joel Embiid dropped a 50 due to a bad knee, and Tyrese Maxey scored seven points in 25 seconds to force overtime and, ultimately, a sixth game, temporarily extending Philly’s season.
The only thing fans were missing in this series was a Game 7. And now we can add a new chapter with a duel in the Emirates NBA Cup.
Nets vs. Magic
Friday, November 29 (7:30 a.m. ET, NBA League Pass)
The Wagner brothers, Franz and Moritz of Orlando, teamed up with Dennis Schröder of Brooklyn over the past two summers to represent the German national team at the 2023 FIFA World Cup (where Germany won) and the 2024 Paris Olympics (where they finished fourth). Now they face each other in the Emirates NBA Cup tournament.
East Group B: Bucks, Pacers, Heat, Raptors, Pistons
Bucks vs Pacers
Friday, November 22 (7:30 ET, ESPN)
This matchup gave us 11 meetings last year between the regular season (4-1 Pacers, including the NBA Cup semifinals) and the playoffs (4-2 Pacers in the first round to the Bucks’ season-ending loss). During those 11 games, Giannis Antetokounmpo posted two of last season’s top eight scoring performances (54 points and 64 points, a career high), the teams vied to see who would take home a game ball, and Tyrese Haliburton mimicked Damian Lillard’s signature “Dame Time” celebration after a crucial basket that sealed Indy’s victory in the NBA Cup semifinals.
Heat vs. Piston
Tuesday, November 12 (7:00 p.m. ET, NBA League Pass)
While Team USA won its fifth consecutive gold medal, Miami’s Bam Adebayo showed his range by sinking three three-pointers in the six games. After sinking just eight three-pointers in his first six NBA seasons, Bam sank 15 last season, including a buzzer beater against the Pistons – a 30-foot three-pointer from the three-point line. His career mark currently stands at 22.1%. Can Bam sink even more three-pointers this season and in this group game?
East Group C: Celtics, Cavaliers, Bulls, Hawks, Wizards
Celtics vs Cavaliers
Tuesday, November 19 (7 a.m. ET, TNT)
Boston’s run to its 18th championship included an Eastern Conference semifinal game against Cleveland. It was the first time the two teams had met in the playoffs since 2018, the final season of LeBron’s second run in Cleveland. After the Cavs shut down the Celtics’ 2015, 2017 and 2018 seasons, Boston prevailed in five games, with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combining to average 50.2 points per game.
The Cavs have tied up Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley with contract extensions and are preparing for another playoff run to knock the Celtics off the top spot. And don’t forget their meeting last March, when Dean Wade sank five 3s and scored 20 points in the fourth quarter as the Cavs surprised Boston.
Hawks vs Wizards
Friday, November 15 (7:30 a.m. ET, NBA League Pass)
A duel between the two top picks of the 2024 NBA Draft – Zaccharie Risacher of Atlanta and Alex Sarr of Washington – who were part of a French revolution in the draft. Together with No. 6 pick Tidjane Salaun, France became the first country outside the United States to produce three top-10 picks in the same draft.
Risacher and Sarr are both just 19 years old, inexperienced, promising talents who should meet in the NBA in the coming years. And they could soon be playing on the French men’s national team alongside 2023 lottery winners Victor Wembanyama and Bilal Coulibaly.
West Group A: Timberwolves, Clippers, Kings, Rockets, Blazers
Kings vs Timberwolves
Friday, November 15 (10 a.m. ET, NBA League Pass)
These two teams were in the same group last year and met in Minnesota – where a Wolves win would have secured them a place in the quarterfinals. In a matchup of two electrifying guards, Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox (36 points, 12 assists) helped the Kings get past Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards (35 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists) to improve their record to 3-0 in group play.
The Kings then secured victory in their final group game, eliminating Minnesota.
Timberwolves vs Clippers
Friday, November 29 (7:30 ET, ESPN)
The regular season ended with a neck-and-neck race for first place in the Western Conference: the Thunder, Nuggets, Timberwolves and Clippers, who finished in that order. The Wolves won the season series with the Clippers 3-1, with two of the games being decided by four points or less.
LA will look a little different after the departure of Paul George, sporting a new logo, new uniforms and a new arena, but the Wolves retain the same core that helped them reach the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 20 years.
West Group B: Thunder, Suns, Lakers, Jazz, Spurs
Thunder vs Spurs
Tuesday, November 19 (9:30 ET, TNT)
Welcome to the second season of Victor Wembanyama vs. Chet Holmgren. The big men finished first and second in the race for Kia Rookie of the Year last year. While Wemby won the award unanimously, it was Chet who came out on top in the head-to-head tie, 2-1.
Holmgren and the Thunder finished first in the West last season, while Wembanyama enters his second season looking to lead the Spurs up the standings after a 22-60 debut.
Lakers vs Suns
Tuesday, November 26 (10 ET, TNT)
After going nearly five years between meetings (December 25, 2018 to October 26, 2023), Kevin Durant and LeBron met five times last year, including two meetings in the NBA Cup – first in group play and then again in the quarterfinals. LeBron and the Lakers won both meetings and reached their first championship title with a perfect 7-0 run.
Durant and James just teamed up to help the U.S. win its fifth consecutive gold medal at the Paris Olympics, but will be back competing for NBA honors to continue piling up accolades.
West Group C: Nuggets, Mavericks, Pelicans, Warriors, Grizzlies
Mavericks vs Warriors
Tuesday, November 12 (10 ET, TNT)
In one of the biggest moves of the offseason, Klay Thompson left Golden State in a sign-and-trade deal with Dallas. After 11 years and four championships with Steph Curry, Draymond Green and the Warriors, Thompson is starting a new chapter with Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and the Mavs. The Emirates NBA Cup will set the stage for the first reunion game between Klay and the Warriors.
After more than a decade of watching the Splash Bros pel their opponents with three-pointers, we now get to see them do it against each other.
Warriors vs Nuggets
Tuesday, December 3 (10 ET, TNT)
A multiple NBA MVP winner hitting a 40-yard game-winning kick as the final siren sounds a lot like Steph Curry, but when the Warriors and Nuggets met on February 25, it was Nikola Jokic who landed one of the shots of the season to give the Nuggets a 130-127 victory.
Jokic finished the game with 32 points, 16 rebounds and 16 assists. It was his third game with 30/15/15 points. Only eight players have ever reached that mark in a game, and only Oscar Robertson (11) has more such games than the Joker.
