NBA Cup Unveiled: Start Date Set, Exclusive NBC and Peacock Broadcasts Reveal Surprising Matchups!

The NBA Cup opens with a Halloween night double header streamed on Prime: the Celtics at 76ers (7 p.m. ET), followed by the Lakers at Grizzlies (9:30 p.m. ET).

Here are a few more NBA Cup games to circle on your calendar.• Magic at 76ers (8 p.m. ET)
• Clippers at Lakers (11 p.m. ET)The NBA Cup can also tell us something about teams we may want to keep an eye on in May and June. Last December, the Oklahoma City Thunder were playing in the NBA Cup Finals (but had an off night and fell to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks; they were ready for the big stage by the time June rolled around). Two years ago, the Indiana Pacers, an up-and-coming team, reached the NBA Cup Finals, where they lost to the Lakers. However, they used the momentum from that run to reach the Eastern Conference Finals that year, then the NBA Finals this past season.See the FULL Cup… pic.twitter.com/NdMhLN8Rgv

Philly hosting Orlando features two East teams with high expectations entering this season after both were rocked by injuries a season ago. If everyone can stay healthy, this showdown between Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner against Paul George and Joel Embiid will be must watch.

Games on NBC, Peacock

Starting October 31, all 30 teams will compete for the Emirates NBA Cup with 8 teams advancing out of groups into the knockout rounds, with the semifinals and championship held in Las Vegas, December 13 and 16!Two critical games in the final week of group play will be broadcast on NBC and streamed on Peacock on Tuesday, Nov. 25. Those games are:Lakers fans like to say there is no rivalry with the Clippers, no battle for Los Angeles — until you tell them the Clippers have been the better team and the better run franchise for the past decade. These games between two teams that project to be top-six in the West are always entertaining, with LeBron and James Harden putting on a show.Both times the NBA Cup has been lifted, it has been by one of the legends of the game — LeBron James in 2023 and Giannis Antetokounmpo last year.

Other NBA Cup games to watch

There’s just something electric about the NBA Cup, isn’t there? When this trophy gets hoisted, it’s been by none other than giants of the game — remember LeBron James doing his thing in 2023, then Giannis stepping up last year? These moments aren’t just about who wins a midseason tournament; they give us a sneak peek into which squads might be making noise in the playoffs come May and June. Take a look back: the Oklahoma City Thunder made a strong statement in December’s finals, even if luck wasn’t exactly on their side that night against Giannis and the Bucks. Then there’s the Indiana Pacers, who, from surprising finalists two seasons ago, catapulted themselves all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals, and eventually the NBA Finals recently. This year’s NBA Cup tip-off is set for October 31 — yes, Halloween night — and with the whole league in the mix, the stakes couldn’t be higher as every team battles through group stages aiming for that knockout glory in Las Vegas come December. Trust me, you won’t want to miss how this unfolds on NBC and Peacock. LEARN MORE.The groups are set and the schedule is OUT 👀