After being topped as the primary group in historical past to win the in-season event final season, now the Los Angeles Lakers can grow to be the primary group to repeat as NBA Cup champions.
“I anticipate our guys to be extremely aggressive,” Lakers coach JJ Redick stated Wednesday. “You need not give a purpose to aggressive individuals to compete. They get up within the morning, they wish to compete. And the video games depend for the common season. All of us acknowledge how tough the Western Convention is.”
L.A.’s first problem in group play comes in opposition to Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, with the reigning Rookie of the 12 months contemporary off a career-high 50-point night time in opposition to the Washington Wizards.
Final season, the Lakers had been 3-5 earlier than NBA Cup video games started. After an exciting 122-119 opening win in opposition to the Phoenix Suns, LeBron James & Co. went undefeated by group play and gained the inaugural event over the Indiana Pacers in Las Vegas final December.
After the fun of the event although, L.A. got here crashing down, going 3-10 of their subsequent 13 regular-season video games (together with a loss at San Antonio).
Maybe some classes had been discovered for this Lakers group, which has a file of 7-4 heading into group video games.
“I do know it form of was the hype round us final 12 months, however we’re approaching every recreation — regular-season recreation or Cup recreation — as the identical,” Lakers huge man Anthony Davis stated Wednesday. “I do not suppose simply because it is a Cup recreation that we must always change how we strategy it. We should always strategy every recreation the identical means and that is how we will strategy it.”
Then once more, perhaps issues aren’t all that totally different with a $500,000 money prize per participant nonetheless at stake.
“We simply need the cash,” Lakers ahead Rui Hachimura stated with a giant smile. “I feel that is the one factor we form of, final 12 months, we had been very motivated. … Typically the season’s 82 video games straight all the best way to All-Star is so lengthy, after which we form of get generally bored. So I feel this event did form of inspire us to form of get [to a] totally different degree.” — Dave McMenamin
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Schedule | FAQ
2024 Emirates NBA Cup schedule
All occasions Jap
Tuesday
Hawks 117, Celtics 116
Magic 114, Hornets 89
Pistons 123, Warmth 121 (OT)
Knicks 111, 76ers 99
Bucks 99, Raptors 85
Suns 120, Jazz 112
Path Blazers 122, Timberwolves 108
Warriors 120, Mavericks 117
Friday
Warmth at Pacers, 7 p.m.
76ers at Magic, 7 p.m.
Pistons at Raptors, 7 p.m.
Lakers at Spurs, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Wizards at Hawks, 7:30 p.m.
Bulls at Cavaliers, 7:30 p.m.
Nets at Knicks, 7:30 p.m.
Clippers at Rockets, 8 p.m.
Nuggets at Pelicans, 8 p.m.
Suns at Thunder, 8 p.m.
Grizzlies at Warriors, 10 p.m. (ESPN)
Nov. 19
Cavaliers at Celtics, 7 p.m. (TNT)
Hornets at Nets, 7:30 p.m.
Nuggets at Grizzlies, 8 p.m.
Pelicans at Mavericks, 8:30 p.m.
Thunder at Spurs, 9:30 p.m. (TNT)
Jazz at Lakers, 10:30 p.m.
Nov. 22
Nets at 76ers, 7 p.m.
Celtics at Wizards, 7 p.m.
Pacers at Bucks, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Hawks at Bulls, 8 p.m.
Path Blazers at Rockets, 8 p.m.
Warriors at Pelicans, 8 p.m.
Mavericks at Nuggets, 10 p.m. (ESPN)
Kings at Clippers, 10:30 p.m.
Nov. 26
Bulls at Wizards, 7 p.m.
Bucks at Warmth, 7:30 p.m. (TNT)
Rockets at Timberwolves, 8 p.m.
Spurs at Jazz, 9 p.m.
Lakers at Suns, 10 p.m. (TNT)
Nov. 29
Knicks at Hornets, midday (NBA TV)
Cavaliers at Hawks, 2:30 p.m. (NBA TV)
Pelicans at Grizzlies, 5 p.m. (NBA TV)
Clippers at Timberwolves, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Magic at Nets, 7:30 p.m.
Pistons at Pacers, 8 p.m.
Raptors at Warmth, 8 p.m.
Celtics at Bulls, 8 p.m.
Kings at Path Blazers, 10 p.m.
Dec. 3
76ers at Magic, 7 p.m.
Wizards at Cavaliers, 7 p.m.
Bucks at Pistons, 7 p.m.
Magic at Knicks, 7:30 p.m. (TNT)
Pacers at Raptors, 7:30 p.m.
Jazz at Thunder, 8 p.m.
Grizzlies at Mavericks, 8:30 p.m.
Spurs at Suns, 9 p.m.
Warriors at Nuggets, 10 p.m. (TNT)
Rockets at Kings, 10 p.m.
Path Blazers at Clippers, 10:30 p.m.
Dec. 10 and 11
Quarterfinals
Dec. 14
Semifinals
Dec. 17
Championship
FAQ (by Tim Bontemps)
The NBA unveiled the six teams for the second version of its in-season event — now known as the Emirates NBA Cup. Here is a have a look at all the pieces you will have to know in regards to the return of the competitors.
What’s the format?
NBA commissioner Adam Silver has had a long-standing fascination with European soccer. The concept for having an in-season cup competitors inside the NBA schedule comes from soccer leagues having each a regular-season title, gained by the group with essentially the most factors over the complete 12 months, and a separate event (or, in some leagues, a number of tournaments) that runs concurrently with the league season.
In England, for instance, there are the varied divisions — led by the Premier League — and likewise the FA Cup competitors. However in contrast to these European leagues, which play their cup competitions exterior of their league schedules, the NBA Cup is constructed into the regular-season slate.
The 30 NBA groups had been cut up into six five-team teams — three that includes Jap Convention groups, and three comprising groups from the West — with every group then enjoying one recreation in opposition to the opposite 4 of their group. The winner of every group, plus the group with the most effective file among the many nongroup winners, will then advance to the knockout rounds.
How will this affect the regular-season schedule and standings?
Usually, the NBA sends out a full 82-game schedule in mid-August. Now, although, the league sends out solely 80 video games and leaves a niche for roughly every week to fill in later, relying on how the group stage of the NBA Cup performs out.
The groups that attain the NBA Cup’s finale will really play 83 video games — although the championship recreation will not depend towards the standings or any statistical markers. People who lose within the semifinals could have performed their full 82-game schedule, and will not want something added.
The 2 groups from each the East and West that lose within the quarterfinals will play their 82nd recreation in opposition to each other on one among 4 dates: Dec. 12, 13, 15 or 16. In the meantime, the 22 groups that fail to qualify for the knockout rounds could have their remaining two video games scheduled — one at house and one on the street — on Dec. 12 or 13 and 15 or 16 in opposition to others eradicated within the group stage.
Why does the NBA Cup embrace regular-season video games?
Earlier than its launch, one of many essential questions surrounding the in-season event was why any group could be incentivized to compete in it. By making each recreation a part of the season — and, being in-conference, doubtlessly necessary from a playoff-tiebreaker standpoint — the NBA ensured groups might be motivated.
If this had been arrange just like the cup tournaments in European soccer, there would have been nothing stopping NBA groups from opting out, actually or figuratively — sitting their high gamers for further relaxation.
What groups make up the teams?
To create the teams, the NBA put all 15 groups in every convention into 5 pots, separated by their end in final season’s standings. Pot 1 included the groups that completed 1-3 in regular-season file, groups 4-6 went into Pot 2, groups 7-9 into Pot 3, groups 10-12 into Pot 4 and groups 13-15 into Pot 5.
Because of this, the next teams had been drawn:
East A: New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets
East B: Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers, Miami Warmth, Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons
East C: Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards
West A: Minnesota Timberwolves, LA Clippers, Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, Portland Path Blazers
West B: Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz, San Antonio Spurs
West C: Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies
Does one group stand out essentially the most from the others?
Sure, there may be an apparent one: West Group C, that includes the Nuggets, Mavericks, Pelicans, Warriors and Grizzlies.
Due to how the draw is carried out, Golden State and Memphis, which handled a mix of suspensions and accidents, are considerably stronger than you’d anticipate groups within the backside two pots to be.
However along with that includes the reigning MVP in Nikola Jokic and Zion Williamson, the group additionally might supply the primary assembly between Klay Thompson and his former group after the guard signed with Dallas following 13 seasons with Golden State.
What do gamers get for profitable?
Final 12 months, the gamers on the profitable group acquired $500,000 every, whereas these on the runners-up bought $200,000. The dropping gamers of the semifinals every bought $100,000, and people ousted within the quarterfinals every bought $50,000.
This 12 months, the prizes might be barely greater due to negotiated raises 12 months over 12 months to maintain tempo with will increase within the wage cap and basketball associated earnings as a part of the latest collective bargaining settlement between the NBA and the Nationwide Basketball Gamers Affiliation.
Will anybody earn particular person honors for his or her play in NBA Cup video games?
There might be an MVP award, in addition to an all-tournament group.
Will this have any affect on the playoffs?
Not past the video games counting within the regular-season standings (and towards tiebreakers). Although there was debate amongst league insiders about guaranteeing a playoff berth for profitable the event, finally that concept (or another to additional incentivize groups) was not enacted.
The talk continued after final 12 months’s in-season event winner, the Lakers, wound up within the play-in event, whereas the runner-up, the Pacers, narrowly averted touchdown in it. However, ultimately, the one playoff affect comes from the wins and losses accrued all through the event.
Why is it known as the Emirates NBA Cup?
The league struck a sponsorship take care of Emirates, the Dubai-based airline, to sponsor the event after its preliminary run. The NBA stated final 12 months that it went with essentially the most primary titles for each the event and its trophy — the “in-season event” and “NBA Cup” — as a technique to introduce the idea to followers.
Nevertheless, utilizing such nondescript names had one other clear benefit: It gave the league a clean slate in case the event and cup turned properties it ended up promoting to a sponsor, and averted the problems that would come up by naming them after somebody (for instance, the late NBA commissioner David Stern, one chance that had been floated earlier than the event was formally unveiled).