NBA Cup 2025: rankings, decisive scenarios and program of the last week of group play

The NBA Cup takes center stage this week, as the seasonal tournament enters the final stretch of the bracket with 26 teams still in the hunt. The Raptors are the only team to punch a ticket to the knockout stage, leaving seven of the eight spots (including two wild card spots) up for grabs. The Lakers could secure their spot with a win over the Clippers tonight.

To refresh your memory, all 30 teams were placed into groups of five based on last season’s regular season records and a random draw, creating three divisions in each conference. In the event that two or more teams are tied within a group, the following tiebreakers will come into play (in sequential order):

Announcement

• Head-to-head record in Group Play

• Point difference in group matches (overtime score will not count in tiebreaker)

• Total points scored in the group (overtime scores will not count in the tiebreaker)

• 2024-25 NBA regular season record

• Random draw (in the unlikely scenario that two or more teams are still tied after previous tie-breaks)

Here’s what you need to know for the final week of group play, with 23 matches taking place over the next four days, starting on Tuesday.

East Ranking • West Ranking • Who is advancing • Knockout stage

Breakup of the Eastern Conference

Here’s a look at the standings, tiebreakers, win scenarios and remaining schedule for each East bracket.

What to know

• The Raptors have conquered Group A

• The pacers have been eliminated

• Cavs, Hawks, Wizards chasing wildcards

Tuesday’s decisive scenarios

• The Wizards will be eliminated with a loss to the Hawks

Remaining program

• Tuesday: Hawks at Wizards, 7pm 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 and 76ers still hunting for wild cards

Tuesday’s decisive scenarios

• The 76ers will be eliminated by losing to the Magic

Remaining program

• Tuesday: Magic at 76ers, 8pm ET

• Wednesday: Pistons at Celtics, 5pm 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 and Hornets still hunting for wild cards

Head-to-head tiebreaker

• The Bucks get the better of the Bulls

• Heat own tiebreaker on the Bulls

• The Knicks have the tiebreaker over the Heat

• The Bulls beat the Knicks

Tuesday’s decisive scenarios

Remaining program

• Wednesday: Knicks at Hornets, 7pm 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

Breakup of the Western Conference

Here’s a look at the standings, tiebreakers, win scenarios and remaining schedule for each group in the West.

Announcement

What to know

• Thunder, Suns or Timberwolves will win Group A

• The Jazz were eliminated

• The Kings are still on the hunt for wild cards

Head-to-head tiebreaker

• The Suns have the tiebreaker against the Timberwolves

Tuesday’s decisive scenarios

Remaining program

• Wednesday: Timberwolves at Thunder, 7:30 p.m. ET

• Wednesday: Suns at Kings, 10pm ET

• Friday: Sun to Thunder, 9:30 pm ET

• Friday: Kings at Jazz, 9:30pm ET

What to know

• Lakers, Clippers or Grizzlies will win Group B

• The Pelicans have been eliminated

• Mavericks still hunting for wildcards

Head-to-head tiebreaker

• The Lakers have the tiebreaker against the Grizzlies

Tuesday’s decisive scenarios

• The Lakers win Group B by beating the Clippers

Remaining program

• Tuesday: Clippers at Lakers, 11pm ET

• Wednesday: Grizzlies at Pelicans, 8 p.m. ET

• Friday: Mavericks at Lakers, 10pm ET

• Friday: Grizzlies at Clippers, 10 p.m. ET

What to know

• Blazers, Nuggets or Spurs will win Group C

• Rockets, Warriors hunting for jokers

Head-to-head tiebreaker

• The Blazers prevail in the tiebreaker over the Nuggets and Warriors

• The Nuggets have a tiebreaker over the Nuggets and Rockets

• Spurs own tiebreaker on the Rockets

• The Rockets get the better of the Blazers

• The Warriors have the tiebreaker over the Spurs

Tuesday’s decisive scenarios

Remaining program

• Wednesday: Rockets at Warriors, 10pm ET

• Wednesday: Spurs at Trail Blazers, 10 p.m. ET

• Friday: Sun to Thunder, 9:30 pm ET

• Friday: Spurs at Nuggets, 9:30 pm ET

Who advances to the knockout stage?

East
Group A: Birds of Prey
Group B:
Group C:
Wildcard:

West
Group A:
Group B:
Group C:
Wildcard:

How the knockout stage works

The eight teams that advance from the group will take part in a single-elimination tournament. The NBA Cup quarterfinals will be held on December 9 and 10, with the higher-seeded teams hosting the quarterfinals in their home arenas. The four winners will advance to the semifinals in Las Vegas.

Announcement

(During the knockout stage, the 22 teams that did not qualify will each play two TBD regular season games.)

The semi-finals and final of the NBA Cup will take place on December 13 and 16, respectively.

Players from teams participating in the knockout stage will earn prize money.