What is the NBA Cup? A Guide for San Antonio Spurs Fans

On Friday, the NBA Cup returns. Here’s what you need to know.

Nov 13, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) is congratulated by teammates and fans after scoring a career high fifty points during the second half against the Washington Wizards at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images / Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Welcome back, confusing in-season madness.

Tuesday marked the start of the league's second annual in-season tournament, and on Friday, 12 more games will be played as part of the NBA Cup schedule. Every NBA team—30 in total—has been divided into six groups of five, with each team playing four games in Group Play.

The tournament will conclude with a Final Four showdown in Las Vegas in December.

Here’s how it works.

The six groups are split into three for the Western Conference and three for the Eastern Conference. Each team plays the other teams in its group once, with the top team from each group and one wild-card team from each conference advancing to the knockout stage.

From this point, every game is single-elimination, with quarterfinal games held at home venues and the semifinals and finals taking place in Las Vegas.

All NBA Cup games, aside from the championship, count toward the regular-season standings, keeping each team’s 82-game schedule intact.

In the Case of a Tie

If two or more teams tie within a group, here’s how ties are resolved:

• Head-to-head record in Group Play
• Point differential in Group Play
• Total points scored in Group Play
• Record from the 2023-24 NBA regular season
• Random drawing if teams are still tied

What is the Prize Money for the NBA Cup?

• Losing quarterfinals teams: $51,497 per player
• Losing semifinals teams: $102,994 per player
• Losing team in the championship game: $205,988 per player
• Winning team in the NBA Cup championship: $514,970 per player

How to Watch Spurs vs. Lakers - NBA Cup

• When: Monday, November 11, 2024, at 8 p.m. ET
• Where: Frost Bank Center — San Antonio, Texas
• TV: FanDuel SN - Southwest

Injuries

Spurs Injuries

• Tre Jones, ankle (OUT)
• Jeremy Sochan, thumb (OUT)

Lakers Injuries

• Rui Hachimura, ankle (day-to-day)
• Anthony Davis, plantar fasciitis (probable)
• Jalen Hood-Schifino, groin (OUT)

Projected Starting Lineups

San Antonio Spurs

• PG Chris Paul
• SG Stephon Castle
• SF Julian Champagnie
• PF Harrison Barnes
• C Victor Wembanyama

Los Angeles Lakers

• PG Austin Reaves
• SG Cam Reddish
• SF Rui Hachimura
• PF LeBron James
• C Anthony Davis

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