2024 NBA Cup format, rules for in-season tournament explained: Groups, dates, schedule, odds

Welcome to the first marquee event of the 2024-25 NBA season. With roughly three weeks of basketball now in the books, the league is ready to kick off its newest regular-season event. On Tuesday (Nov. 12), the second in-season tournament, now called the NBA Cup, will officially begin. All 30 teams will participate and the tournament will once again culminate with a final four in Las Vegas in December. The Lakers won the first iteration of the event in 2023 and will try to defend their title.

So, what do you need to know before the action begins? I’m so glad you asked. Below we’ll explain everything there is to know about the NBA Cup to get you ready for what the league hopes will become an autumn fixture moving forward.

NBA Cup format

The 30 NBA teams have been divided into six groups of five. Those six groups feature three groups of Western Conference teams and three groups of Eastern Conference teams. Each team will play each team in its group once, and once group play concludes, the six group winners along with one wild card team per conference will advance to the knockout stage. All games from this point forward are single-elimination. The quarterfinals will be played in home venues. The semifinals and finals will be held in Las Vegas. Sounds simple enough, right?

How do they decide who advances?

In a perfect world, it would get settled completely organically with six undefeated group champions and a single 3-1 team in each conference. Realistically, though, there will be ties to be broken, and the league has set up tiebreakers to be used exclusively for the tournament:

• If two teams are tied in the same group, head-to-head record splits their tie.
• Point-differential in group play is the second tie-breaker.
• Total points scored in group play is third.
• Record from the 2023-24 season is fourth.
• If all of those tiebreakers fail, a random drawing will be used.

While this is not a tiebreaker, it should be noted that the two conferences will be kept separate until the finals. Teams will play teams in their own conference in the quarterfinals and semifinals.

Who’s in each group?

The groups were determined by a combination of random drawing and record from last season. Teams within each conference were put into one of five pots: one for the teams with the three best records in that conference last season, one for the next three best teams, and so on. Each group features one team from each of the five conference pots. Below are the five groups, as revealed by the league over the summer.

When are the games?

Group play games will be played on Tuesdays and Fridays from Tuesday until Dec. 6. Quarterfinal games will be played at home venues on Dec. 10 and 11. The semifinals will be played in Las Vegas on Dec. 14. Finally, the championship will be played on Dec. 17 in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, the 22 teams that don’t reach the knockout stage will play two more regular-season games against opponents that haven’t yet been determined on Dec. 12 or Dec. 13 and Dec. 15 or Dec. 16, while the four losing quarterfinal teams will play one more regular-season game on one of those dates. 

Here’s the schedule for the first night of games on Tuesday.

NBA Cup schedule: Nov. 12

• Celtics vs. Hawks, 7 p.m. ET
• Pistons vs. Heat, 7 p.m. ET
• Magic vs. Hornets, 7 p.m. ET
• 76ers vs. Knicks, 7:30 p.m. ET
• Bucks vs. Raptors, 8 p.m. ET
• Jazz vs. Suns, 9 p.m. ET
• Warriors vs. Mavericks, 10 p.m. ET
• Trail Blazers vs. Timberwolves, 10 p.m. ET

What’s different this year?

Well, we can start with the name. It’s the In-Season Tournament no more. Now, it’s officially the Emirates NBA Cup. But, more noticeably, the courts also got a redesign. Last year’s courts were specially designed to make them stand out for the tournament, and while the league is using unique courts again this year, they won’t feature the runway across the middle of the court. They will still feature the tournament’s trophy at center court, and they will all feature the home team’s colors, but instead of the runway, they will feature concentric circles in slightly different shades. 

What is the prize?

You’ll see plenty of the tournament’s trophy as it will, again, be featured at center court for all 30 teams during tournament games. However, players can also earn money based on how far their team advances. Players on the winning team receive a $500,000 bonus. Losing in the championship game nets a $200,000 bonus, while the semifinals ($100,000) and quarterfinals ($50,000) earn slightly less from there. Finally, a media vote after the championship game will determine the tournament’s MVP as well as an All-Tournament Team.

Who are the favorites?

Below are the odds for all 30 teams to win the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup according to FanDuel:

Some of these odds may look a bit out of whack to you. It’s a bit strange seeing, say, the 2-8 Bucks so far ahead of the 8-2 Suns. Remember, though, your group means a great deal here. The Western Conference is simply deeper than the East, and as such, the best teams in the East just have an easier road to the championship than those West teams do. 

Take the Celtics and Cavaliers as an example. Sure, they have to play each other in their group, but they also get three far easier opponents in the Hawks, Bulls and Wizards. Before you make any bet or pick on this tournament, check who their group-play opponents are. That is largely what is informing these odds.