The midseason event formerly known as the in-season NBA tournament has been rebranded as the NBA Cup, although the level of competition will continue to be as fierce as ever.
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Last season saw the debut of this tournament, with LeBron James leading the Los Angeles Lakers to victory.
The competition kicks off on November 12 and concludes with the championship match on December 17 in Las Vegas. The victorious team’s players and coaches will each receive a $500,000 reward, raising the stakes even further.
Exploring the NBA Cup
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The NBA Cup is an integrated part of the regular season, featuring both a group stage and subsequent knockout rounds.
Each conference is divided into three groups, and every team plays four group-stage matches. These matches count towards both the regular season and NBA Cup standings.
Teams were placed in groups through a random draw, based on the previous year’s standings. The group configurations are as follows:
Western Conference Group A: Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Clippers, Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers
Western Conference Group B: Lakers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, San Antonio Spurs
Western Conference Group C: Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies
Eastern Conference Group A: New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets
Eastern Conference Group B: Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons
Eastern Conference Group C: Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards
Guidelines of the NBA Cup
During the designated “Cup Nights” on Tuesdays and Fridays from November 12 to December 3, only group-play games will be featured. These games will be counted towards both the regular season and the NBA Cup rankings. Each team will face every other team in their group, plus one additional team.
The top team from each of the six groups, along with one additional wild-card team from each conference, will move on to the knockout stage.
In case of ties within a group, the tiebreakers will be applied in the following order:
- Head-to-head record during the group stage
- Point differential during the group stage (excluding overtime)
- Total points scored during the group stage (excluding overtime)
- Overall record from the 2023–24 season
- Random drawing
Schedule of the NBA Cup
Group Stage: November 12 to December 3, 2024
Quarterfinals: December 10 to December 11, 2024
Semifinals: December 14, 2024
Championship: December 17, 2024
Tournament Structure
The official tournament bracket will be determined after the group stage ends on December 3. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
Compensation and Rewards for the NBA Cup
Each member of the winning team in the NBA Cup will be awarded a $500,000 prize. For many of the league’s top earners, this amount equates to roughly an extra game’s pay.
Nevertheless, players on two-way contracts receive a $250,000 bonus, nearly half their annual salary, providing a significant incentive.
Not only the winners, but every team reaching the quarterfinals benefits financially, with incentives increasing as they advance further in the competition.
Prize Distribution:
Champion: $500,000
Runner-Up: $200,000
Semifinals: $100,000
Quarterfinals: $50,000
Last season, the Lakers won a total of $650,000 in prize money ($500,000 for securing the finals, $100,000 for the semifinals, and $50,000 for the quarterfinals).
While a $500,000 bonus might appear modest, it compares favorably with other sports events. For instance, this season’s Super Bowl winners will receive a significantly lower bonus of $164,000.
It’s important to note that NBA Cup prizes are fixed and do not vary with performance, unlike the bonuses for the NBA Finals or the World Series, where the Texas Rangers’ “full share” bonus was approximately $440,000 last season.
In contrast, each player from the Florida Panthers received about $285,000 for winning the Stanley Cup last season.
Impact of the NBA Cup on the Regular Season
The NBA Cup has proven to energize players, bringing a playoff atmosphere to the early part of the regular season.
Furthermore, teams participating in the NBA Cup don’t have to worry about an increased number of games. Teams reaching the finals will play a total of 83 regular season games, while all other participating teams will stick to the standard 82-game schedule. All matches, except the championship, count towards the regular season.
The inaugural tournament last season was a huge success, with players showing great enthusiasm and fans thoroughly enjoying the heightened competition.
It remains to be seen what the second year of the NBA Cup will bring.
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