
Last season’s NBA Cup, won by the Los Angeles Lakers, was a huge success — minus one detail. Players, coaches, and fans did not like the basketball courts. So the NBA has released redesigned NBA Cup floors for the new season, and they are much better.
They also created benign names like “NBA Cup” and “In-Season Tournament” so it would be easy to add a sponsor’s name. And now, thanks to the success of last year and the NBA’s propensity for always finding new revenue streams, we have the Emirates Cup. The naming rights to the NBA Cup were a part of the deal the NBA signed with Emirates in February that made them the Official Global Airline Partner of the NBA, as well as being the first referee jersey partner of the NBA.
NBA Cup Format
On the court, the NBA Cup will feel the same as last season. There are three groups of five teams in each conference, and each team will play one game against the other four teams in their group – two at home and two on the road. The winner of each group will advance to the knockout stage, as well as one wild card team from each group. Games begin on November 12.
The knockout stage is single-elimination, beginning with the quarterfinals on December 10, the semifinals December 14, and the championship game played on December 17 in Las Vegas.
Like last year, every game will count in the regular season standings, except for the championship game. Each member of the championship team will make $500,000. The runner-ups will make $200,000, the semifinal losers get $100,000, and quarterfinal losers will be paid $50,000.
The teams in the six groups were drawn randomly, based on last year’s regular season record.
NBA Cup Favorites
If there is a futures bet to be made this season, chances are the Boston Celtics are the betting favorite. The defending NBA champions are favored to repeat in June, and they are +400 favorites to win the NBA Cup. They are in East Group C with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, and Washington Wizards, and the Celtics are -165 favorites to finish first.
Behind the Celtics are the Oklahoma City Thunder, paying +550. They are paying even money to win West Group B ahead of the Phoenix Suns (+300), last year’s NBA Cup winner the Los Angeles Lakers (+370), the San Antonio Spurs (+900), and the Utah Jazz (+2500).
The New York Knicks are +750 to win the NBA Cup and -120 to win East Group A. The Orlando Magic are +200 to win the group, and the Philadelphia 76ers are at +700.
The Minnesota Timberwolves made it to the Western Conference Finals last season, and they are +900 to win the NBA Cup. They are +130 to win West Group A, but will face tough competition from the Sacramento Kings (+200) and the Houston Rockets (+340).
If there is a group of death, it’s West Group C. The Denver Nuggets are the betting favorite to win the group at +265, but the Dallas Mavericks are right behind them at +275. The Memphis Grizzlies are +320, the Golden State Warriors are +400, and the New Orleans Pelicans are +750.
Another tough group is the East Group B, which has the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers as co-favorites, paying +170. The Miami Heat will also be in the mix at +300. The Bucks are tied with the Cavs at +1500 for the fifth-shortest odds to win the NBA Cup.

With over 25 years of experience as a distinguished sports writer for renowned platforms such as Fox Sports and ESPN, Kyle Garlett is a sports betting specialist who has been at the forefront of documenting the global surge in sports betting and online gaming. Based in Denver, Colorado, Kyle hosts an NFL betting YouTube show and podcast. Kyle also has two sports books published by HarperCollins.
Kyle graduated the Azusa Pacific University in 1996 with a B.A. Degree in Communication and Journalism.