Inside The Rockets

Rockets Begin NBA Cup Play vs. Clippers

The Houston Rockets will look to start off their NBA Cup schedule on the right foot.

Jeremy Brener

Nov 13, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) shoots against LA Clippers guard Kris Dunn (8) during the fourth quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images
Nov 13, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) shoots against LA Clippers guard Kris Dunn (8) during the fourth quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images / Erik Williams-Imagn Images
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The Houston Rockets are looking to start their NBA Cup play on the right foot as they play the Los Angeles Clippers tonight at Toyota Center.

It's the first of four group stage games the team will face. Next Friday, the Rockets will face the Portland Trail Blazers at home before two road games on Nov. 26 and Dec. 3 against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Sacramento Kings.

NBA Cup play began on Tuesday, where the Blazers pulled off an upset win against the Wolves, giving them pole position in the West Group A standings.

Now, the Rockets will look to be the team that comes out of the group to advance to the quarterfinals.

The winner of the three groups in each conference, along with the best second-place team, will advance to the quarterfinals. From there, each team will play in a single-elimination game where the winners will move on to the semifinals in Las Vegas on Dec. 15. The two winners from the semifinal games will advance to the championship on Dec. 17.

Players on the winning team will win over $500,000, so there are more than just bragging rights at stake. The tournament also gives a chance for teams like the Rockets to build momentum and get some playoff-like experiences so that they can be better prepared for if and when they get to the real moment.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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