The second annual Emirates NBA Cup began on Tuesday, November 12th. Every game in the NBA Cup matters since each team only plays each other once. Let’s quickly recap some important events on the first two days of the NBA Cup, November 12th and November 15th.
Reminder: NBA Cups are only played on Tuesdays and Fridays during pool play.
NBA Cup Recap After Week One
Tuesday, November 12th:
- The Portland Trail Blazers upset the Timberwolves behind 19 points and 9 rebounds from Robert Williams and 21 points from Jerami Grant.
- Devin Booker led the Kevin Durant-less Phoenix Suns with 31 points as they edged out the Utah Jazz.
- The Milwaukee Bucks stopped their two-game losing streak with their defeat of the Toronto Raptors.
- The Philadelphia 76ers continued their abysmal start to the season with a 111-99 loss to the New York Knicks despite 29, 10 from Paul George.
- The Orlando Magic continue their magical dominance at home with their blow 114-89 win against the Charlotte Hornets.
- The Detroit Pistons sneak out a win against the Miami Heat after a Fab Five Timeout blunder by Erik Spoelstra.
- The Atlanta Hawks pulled off the upset of the season so far with the 117-116 defeat of the defending champs Boston Celtics.
- Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors spoil Klay Thompson‘s return to the Bay area with their 120-117 defeat of the Dallas Mavericks.
Friday, November 15th:
- Despite 60 points from De’Aaron Fox, the Timberwolves responded and beat the Kings 130-126 in OT.
- The Golden State Warriors move to 2-0 in pool play with their defeat of the Memphis Grizzlies while sitting Steph Curry for the entire 4th quarter.
- The Oklahoma City Thunder started off their pool play for the NBA Cup with a defeat of the Phoenix Suns.
- The New Orleans Pelicans start on the right foot with a defeat of the Nikola Jokic-less and Michael Malone-less Denver Nuggets.
- The Houston Rockets light up the scoreboard with a 125-104 win against the L.A Clippers led by Jabari Smith Jr. who had 28 and 11.
- The L.A Lakers began their defense of their NBA Cup championship with a 120-115 victory against the San Antonio Spurs behind Anthony Davis‘ 40 points and 12 rebounds.
- The New York Knicks move to 2-0 in pool play defeating the Brooklyn Nets despite 43 points from Cam Thomas.
- The Cleveland Cavaliers continue their undefeated start to the season with a 144-126 defeat of the Chicago Bulls behind a 49-point first quarter.
- The Atlanta Hawks continued their great start to the NBA Cup by moving to 2-0 after a defeat of the Washington Wizards.
- The Detroit Pistons move to 2-0 in pool play after beating the Toronto Raptors 99-95.
- The Orlando Magic continue to remain undefeated at home and in pool play after a defeat of the 76ers.
- The Indiana Pacers stumble out of the starting blocks after making the finals of the NBA Cup the previous year with a loss to the Miami Heat.
Games to Watch
While no games are happening this week that guarantees elimination or advancement, some games could all but cement a team’s future in the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup happening this week. Keep an eye out for these games this week:
- New Orleans Pelicans vs Dallas Mavericks (Tues.)
- Cleveland Cavaliers vs Boston Celtics (Tues.)
- Denver Nuggets vs Memphis Grizzlies (Tues.)
- Golden State Warriors vs New Orleans Pelicans (Fri.)
- Indiana Pacers vs Milwaukee Bucks (Fri.)
- Atlanta Hawks vs Chicago Bulls (Fri.)
Current Emirates NBA Cup Standings
Not every team has played two NBA Cup games yet, but to help you we’re still going to update which teams are the teams that would advance if the NBA Cup Pool Play ended today.
Reminder: When selecting the one wildcard team from each conference, here are the criteria used:
- Head-to-Head Record in Group Play,
- Point Differential in Group Play,
- Total Points Scored in Group Play,
- Record from the previous year (2023-2024); and
- Random Drawing
Eastern Conference:
Group Leaders:
- Orlando Magic
- Detroit Pistons
- Atlanta Hawks
Wildcard:
- New York Knicks
Western Conference:
Group Leaders:
- Houston Rockets
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Golden State Warriors
Wildcard:
- Portland Trail Blazers
Main Image: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
