The NBA Cup is taking center stage this week, as the in-season tournament enters the last stretch of group play with 26 teams still in the hunt. The Raptors are the only team to have punched a ticket to the knockout stage, leaving seven of the eight spots (including two wild-card spots) up for grabs. The Lakers could secure a spot with a win over the Clippers tonight.
As a refresher, all 30 teams were placed into groups of five based on last season's regular-season records and a random drawing, creating three divisions in each conference. In the event two or more teams are tied within a group, the following tiebreakers will come in to play (in sequential order):
Head-to-head record in Group Play
Point differential in Group Play (overtime scoring will not count in tiebreaker)
Total points scored in Group Play (overtime scoring will not count in tiebreaker)
Record from the 2024-25 NBA regular season
Random drawing (in the unlikely scenario that two or more teams are still tied following the previous tiebreakers)
Here's what you need to know for the final week of group play, with 23 games taking place over the next four days, starting on Tuesday.
East standings•West standings•Who's advancing•Knockout stage
Eastern Conference breakdown
Here's a look at the standings, tiebreakers, clinching scenarios and remaining schedules for each group in the East.
What to know
Raptors have clinched Group A
Pacers have been eliminated
Cavs, Hawks, Wizards in wild-card hunt
Tuesday's clinching scenarios
Wizards will be eliminated with a loss to Hawks
Remaining schedule
Tuesday: Hawks at Wizards, 7 p.m. ET
Wednesday: Pacers at Raptors, 7:30 p.m. ET
Friday: Cavaliers at Hawks, 7:30 p.m. ET
Friday: Wizards at Pacers, 7:30 p.m. ET
What to know
Pistons or Magic will win Group B
Nets, Celtics, 76ers still in wild-card hunt
Tuesday's clinching scenarios
76ers will be eliminated with a loss to Magic
Remaining schedule
Tuesday: Magic at 76ers, 8 p.m. ET
Wednesday: Pistons at Celtics, 5 p.m. ET
Friday: 76ers at Nets, 7:30 p.m. ET
Friday: Magic at Pistons, 7:30 p.m. ET
What to know
Bucks, Heat or Knicks will win Group C
Bulls, Hornets still in wild-card hunt
Head-to-head tiebreakers
Bucks own tiebreaker over Bulls
Heat own tiebreaker over Bulls
Knicks own tiebreaker over Heat
Bulls own tiebreaker over Knicks
Tuesday's clinching scenarios
None
Remaining schedule
Wednesday: Knicks at Hornets, 7 p.m. ET
Wednesday: Bucks at Heat, 7:30 p.m. ET
Friday: Bulls at Hornets, 7:30 p.m. ET
Friday: Bucks at Knicks, 7:30 p.m. ET
Western Conference breakdown
Here's a look at the standings, tiebreakers, clinching scenarios and remaining schedules for each group in the West.
What to know
Thunder, Suns or Timberwolves will win Group A
Jazz have been eliminated
Kings still in wild-card hunt
Head-to-head tiebreakers
Suns own tiebreaker over Timberwolves
Tuesday's clinching scenarios
None
Remaining schedule
Wednesday: Timberwolves at Thunder, 7:30 p.m. ET
Wednesday: Suns at Kings, 10 p.m. ET
Friday: Suns at Thunder, 9:30 p.m. ET
Friday: Kings at Jazz, 9:30 p.m. ET
What to know
Lakers, Clippers or Grizzlies will win Group B
Pelicans have been eliminated
Mavericks still in wild-card hunt
Head-to-head tiebreakers
Lakers own tiebreaker over Grizzlies
Tuesday's clinching scenarios
Lakers win Group B with win over Clippers
Remaining schedule
Tuesday: Clippers at Lakers, 11 p.m. ET
Wednesday: Grizzlies at Pelicans, 8 p.m. ET
Friday: Mavericks at Lakers, 10 p.m. ET
Friday: Grizzlies at Clippers, 10 p.m. ET
What to know
Blazers, Nuggets or Spurs will win Group C
Rockets, Warriors in wild-card hunt
Head-to-head tiebreakers
Blazers own tiebreaker over Nuggets and Warriors
Nuggets owe tiebreaker over Nuggets and Rockets
Spurs own tiebreaker over Rockets
Rockets own tiebreaker over Blazers
Warriors own tiebreaker over Spurs
Tuesday's clinching scenarios
None
Remaining schedule
Wednesday: Rockets at Warriors, 10 p.m. ET
Wednesday: Spurs at Trail Blazers, 10 p.m. ET
Friday: Suns at Thunder, 9:30 p.m. ET
Friday: Spurs at Nuggets, 9:30 p.m. ET
Who's advancing to the knockout stage?
EastGroup A: RaptorsGroup B:Group C:Wild card:
WestGroup A:Group B:Group C:Wild card:
How the knockout stage works
The eight teams that advance from group play will take part in a single-elimination tournament. The NBA Cup quarterfinals will be held Dec. 9 and 10, with the higher-seeded teams hosting the quarters in their home arenas. The four winners will advance to the semifinals in Las Vegas.
(During the knockout stage, the 22 teams that didn't qualify will each play two to-be-determined, regular-season games.)
The NBA Cup semifinals and final will take place on Dec. 13 and Dec. 16, respectively.
Players of the teams that participate in the knockout stage will earn prize money.
