The Emirates NBA Cup represents an innovative addition to the regular NBA season, running from November through December 17 for the 2024-25 NBA season. Introduced in the 2023-24 season, this tournament returns for its second year, offering all 30 NBA teams a chance to compete for an additional championship title and substantial prize money. The tournament follows a simple format with two main phases: group play and knockout rounds. During group play, teams are divided into six groups of five. The teams are grouped within their respective conferences, either Western or Eastern. Each team faces every other team in their group once. Each team plays four games, two at their home arena and two away.
The tournament reaches its final stage in Las Vegas, where the semi-finals will be held on December 14, followed by the championship game on December 17. This format ensures three weeks of intense competition, adding extra excitement to the regular NBA season while giving teams and players additional goals to pursue early in the season. The NBA Cup keeps fans engaged during the season’s mid-section when a few interesting games are played otherwise. It turns usual league games into playoffs where teams do not only fight for positions in the league, but also for another title.
List of NBA Cup Champions
The Los Angeles Lakers won the inaugural NBA Cup in 2023. The Lakers won all the Group games and comfortably, progressed to the knockout rounds.
In the knockout rounds, the Lakers continued their impressive run. They first overcame the Phoenix Suns in a tight quarter-final match, securing a narrow 106-103 victory. The semi-finals proved more comfortable, as they dominated the New Orleans Pelicans with a decisive 113-89 win.
The championship game in Las Vegas featured an intriguing matchup against the Indiana Pacers. Despite the Pacers' strong tournament run, the Lakers won 123-109 and scripted history as the first NBA Cup. This triumph marked a significant milestone in NBA history, with the Lakers becoming the inaugural winners of the in-season tournament. Lebron James won the MVP of the tournament.
Related: How does NBA Cup work?
NBA Cup Champions:
2023: Los Angeles Lakers
FAQs on NBA Cup
A. LeBron James was the MVP of the NBA Cup 2023.
A. All games in the Emirates Cup 2024 will be played in the NBA team markets except the Finals and Semifinals.
A. The winners of the Emirates NBA Cup will receive an Emirates NBA Cup trophy and all the participants will receive the pool prize.
A. The Emirates NBA Cup Finals will take place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
