NBA Cup 2026 Guide — Groups, Dates, Tiebreakers and the Indianapolis Final
Researched and drafted with AI assistance from published sources; published by LokeNessiSport Editorial Team · Last updated: 23 October 2026
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The Emirates NBA Cup 2026 is the NBA's in-season tournament. Group Play runs on Cup Nights from Friday 30 October to Friday 27 November 2026, eight teams go through to single-elimination knockout rounds on 4–5 December (quarter-finals) and 8–9 December (semi-finals), and the championship game is on Friday 11 December at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis — not Las Vegas, where the final was held before. The New York Knicks are the defending champions.
This guide explains the groups, how teams qualify, the tiebreakers that matter for betting, and the dates to put in your calendar. It quotes no odds or picks.
The six groups
According to ESPN's guide to the 2026 Cup, the 30 teams were drawn into six groups of five within their conference, seeded from pots based on 2025-26 records:
NBA Cup 2026 groups
- East A: Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic, Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets
- East B: New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, Indiana Pacers
- East C: Boston Celtics, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards
- West A: Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz
- West B: Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, LA Clippers, New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis Grizzlies
- West C: San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings
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How Group Play works
NBA.com's Cup explainer sets out the rules. Each team plays the other four teams in its group once — two at home and two away — on Cup Nights from 30 October to 27 November, with extra Cup Nights on Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 November. ESPN lists the group-stage nights as 30 October, 6, 13, 20, 24, 25 and 27 November, 60 games in all. Group Play games are ordinary regular-season games and count in the standings.
Eight teams advance: the winner of each of the six groups, plus two wild cards — the second-placed team with the best Group Play record in each conference.
The tiebreakers
If teams finish level in a group, NBA.com lists the tiebreakers in this order:
- Head-to-head result in Group Play
- Point differential in Group Play
- Total points scored in Group Play
- 2025-26 regular-season record
- A random drawing
For wild-card ties the same order applies without head-to-head. One detail matters for anyone betting on margins: overtime does not count. A Group Play game that goes to overtime counts as a point differential of zero, and points scored in overtime are left out of the totals.
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Knockout rounds and the final
The quarter-finals are on Friday 4 and Saturday 5 December, and the semi-finals on Tuesday 8 and/or Wednesday 9 December. Both rounds are single games at the home arena of the higher seed, and both count in the regular-season standings. The championship game on Friday 11 December moves from Las Vegas to Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, and it does not count as a regular-season game — so the two finalists play 83 games. NBA.com says all knockout games stream on Prime Video, with 15 national Group Play games across Prime Video, NBC/Peacock and ESPN.
ESPN's guide adds that the league schedules 80 games per team in advance and fills the last two after the group stage, and that the winner and finalists are paid from a prize pool for players on knockout-round teams — the per-player figures it quotes are the 2023 amounts, which have since risen under the collective bargaining agreement.
Cup Nights calendar
Group Play games per Cup Night (2026)
- Fri 30 October: 10 games
- Fri 6 November: 9 games
- Fri 13 November: 9 games
- Fri 20 November: 9 games
- Tue 24 November: 3 games
- Wed 25 November: 9 games
- Fri 27 November: 11 games
Source: ESPN's 2026 NBA Cup guide (60 Group Play games in total).
How the Cup changes the regular-season schedule
ESPN explains how the league fits the knockout rounds into an 82-game season. Teams that lose in the quarter-finals play each other for their 82nd game, the 22 teams eliminated in Group Play get two extra games — one at home, one away — to complete their schedules, and the semi-finals are placed to avoid back-to-backs. The four semi-finalists finish their 82 games through the knockout rounds, and the two finalists play an 83rd game that does not count. For bettors, that means a handful of December games are scheduled late and at short notice; check the fixture list rather than assuming a team's usual rest pattern.
Past champions
NBA Cup finals: champion, runner-up, score and MVP
- 2025: New York Knicks beat San Antonio Spurs 124-113; MVP Jalen Brunson
- 2024: Milwaukee Bucks beat Oklahoma City Thunder 97-81; MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo
- 2023: Los Angeles Lakers beat Indiana Pacers 123-109; MVP LeBron James
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Betting on the NBA Cup: what to check
- Point differential matters to the teams. Because group ties can come down to point differential, a team chasing qualification may keep pushing late in a game it already leads. Check the group table before you bet a spread on the final Cup Night.
- Overtime and your bet. The Cup's point differential ignores overtime, but many sportsbooks settle NBA spreads and totals including overtime. Read your bookmaker's settlement rules before you assume the two work the same way.
- Knockout games are at the higher seed's arena, not a neutral site, until the final in Indianapolis.
- Outright Cup markets tie your stake up for six weeks, and the margin across 30 teams is large. Our NBA betting guide covers spreads, totals and props, and our live basketball strategy guide covers in-play betting.
- Compare prices and set a limit for the tournament. See our bankroll management guide and our guide to bookmaker overround.
Gamble responsibly. If betting is causing stress, financial difficulties or relationship problems, contact BeGambleAware.org or your local gambling helpline.
Sources: NBA.com — Emirates NBA Cup 101: rules, format and how it works and ESPN via ABC7 New York — 2026 NBA Cup schedule, format and groups, both opened on 23 October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the 2026 NBA Cup final?
Friday 11 December 2026 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The final moved from Las Vegas, where it had been played in earlier editions.
How many teams make the NBA Cup knockout rounds?
Eight: the winners of the six groups plus two wild cards, the best second-placed team in each conference.
Do NBA Cup games count in the standings?
Yes, every Group Play, quarter-final and semi-final game counts as a regular-season game. Only the championship game does not.
What is the NBA Cup tiebreaker?
Head-to-head, then point differential in Group Play, then total points, then 2025-26 record, then a random draw. Overtime is excluded from point differential and points totals.
Who won the 2025 NBA Cup?
The New York Knicks, who beat the San Antonio Spurs 124-113. Jalen Brunson was tournament MVP.
Where are the NBA Cup quarter-finals played?
At the home arena of the higher-seeded team, on 4 and 5 December 2026. The semi-finals on 8 and/or 9 December are also at home sites.