As the NBA’s 2024-2025 season is underway, some teams are performing well, such as the Cleveland Cavaliers, currently holding the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 15-1 record. Other teams are not doing very well, like the #15 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Toronto Raptors, with their 2-12 record. None of that matters now because the NBA Cup has started.
The NBA Cup is a mini in-season tournament starting from November 12th, 2024 to December 17th, 2024. All 30 teams are separated into six groups, three from the Eastern Conference and three from the Western Conference with five teams in each. The teams will play the four other teams in their group, and these games will be counted into their NBA Cup standings as well as their regular season standings. The top-seeded teams in each group will advance into the playoffs of the tournament. Alongside these top-seeded teams, there will also be two wild card teams playing, one from the Eastern Conference and one from the Western Conference. These eight teams will play each other and will try to get to the final game and win the NBA Cup. The games will be played at the team’s court until the semis and finals. Both games will be played in Las Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena, the arena of the NHL team, the Golden Knights. The prize of winning the Cup is that each player on the winning team will take $500,000, the runner-ups will receive $200,000 each, the semi-finalists will receive $100,000 each, and the quarterfinalists will receive $50,000 each.
The NBA Cup is split into 6 groups East Group A, B, and C, and West Group A, B, and C. Here are those teams:
East Group A:
- Orlando Magic (2-0; +37)
- New York Knicks (2-0; +14)
- Brooklyn Nets (1-1; -1)
- Philadelphia 76ers (0-2; -24)
- Charlotte Hornets (0-2; -26)
Predicted Winner: The New York Knicks have been the projected winner of East Group A. The 4th seeded team has been on a 2-game winning streak and has been led by point guard Jalen Brunson who has been averaging 24.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game. Alongside Jalen Brunson, the Knicks have added the 7-foot center, Karl-Anthony Towns who has been averaging 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game
East Group B:
- Detroit Pistons (2-0; +6)
- Milwaukee Bucks (1-0; +14)
- Miami Heat (1-1; +11)
- Indiana Pacers (0-1; -13)
- Toronto Raptors (0-2; -18)
Predicted Winner: The #12 seed, the Milwaukee Bucks, are favored to win East Group B. Even though the Bucks aren’t doing well at the moment, they have won three games in a row and have power forward Giannis Antentokoumpo, who dropped 59 points against the Detroit Pistons and has been averaging 31.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game.
East Group C:
- Atlanta Hawks (2-0; +13)
- Boston Celtics (1-1; +2)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (1-1; +15)
- Washington Wizards (0-1; -12)
- Chicago Bulls (0-1; -18)
Predicted Winner: The defending champions, the Boston Celtics are projected to win East Group C. The Boston Celtics defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers and stopped their undefeated win streak. The Boston Celtics are led by Olympic Gold Medalist, Jayson Tatum, who has been on fire averaging 29.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game and is second in the MVP race behind Anthony Davis.
West Group A:
- Houston Rockets (1-0; +21)
- Portland Trailblazers (1-0; +14)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (1-1; -10)
- Sacramento Kings (0-1; -4)
- Los Angeles Clippers (0-1; -21)
Predicted Winner: The predicted winner of the West Group A is the Minnesota Timberwolves, led by 22-year-old Anthony Edwards. During the 2023-2024 NBA playoffs, Edwards was one of the main reasons why the Timberwolves went to the WCF. Edwards has been averaging 28.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists this year. Alongside Edwards, the Timberwolves added two new players from the Knicks: shooting guard Donte DiVincenzo and power forward Julius Randle. The Timberwolves are the seventh seed right now in the Western Conference.
West Group B:
- Los Angeles Lakers (2-0; +11)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (1-1; +10)
- San Antonio Spurs (1-1; +1)
- Phoenix Suns (1-1; -8)
- Utah Jazz (0-2; -14)
Predicted Winner: The predicted winner of West Group B is the reigning champion of the NBA Cup, the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers are the fourth seed in the Western Conference led by NBA legend Lebron James who is now entering his 22nd year, and defensive star Anthony Davis. Both stars have played in this year’s Paris Olympics and were a crucial part in bringing home a gold medal for the country. Lebron has been averaging 23.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 9.2 assists per game and has had 4 straight triple-doubles. Davis has been on fire this season with 31.1 points, 11.2, and 2.6 assists per game and has been 1st in the NBA MVP race. The Lakers beat the sixth-seeded Indiana Pacers led by all-star point guard Tyrese Haliburton 123-109 in the cup final.
West Group C:
- Golden State Warriors(2-0; +8)
- Dallas Mavericks (1-1; +38)
- Denver Nuggets (1-1; +5)
- New Orleans Pelicans (1-1; -34)
- Memphis Grizzlies (0-2; -17)
Predicted Winner: The Golden State Warriors are the predicted winner in West Group C. Last year, The Golden State Warriors were in shambles. They didn’t make the playoffs and lost one of their best shooters, splash brother Klay Thompson to the Dallas Mavericks. But the Warriors were able to bounce back by adding another sharpshooter, Buddy Hield from the Indiana Pacers. Hield has been averaging 16.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists. Alongside Hield, the Warriors also have 3-point shooting god, Stephen Curry who has been averaging 23.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 6.4 assists. The Warriors are now the 1st seed in the Western Conference.
For this, there are also set betting rules (+ and -). Your possible payout and whether you’re betting on the favored or the underdog in money line odds are indicated by the – and + symbols on a sports betting line. In a moneyline wager, the favorite is indicated by negative numbers. The amount that you would have to wager to win $100 is shown by the negative figure.
Here are the predicted winners of this year’s NBA Cup:
- Knicks: +450 (bet $10 to win $55 total)
- Celtics: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)
- Cavaliers: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)
- Warriors: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)
- Thunder: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)
- Wolves: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)
- Lakers: +1300 (bet $10 to win $140 total)
- Rockets: +1300 (bet $10 to win $140 total)
- Nuggets: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
- Mavericks: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
Predicted NBA Cup MVP:
- Jalen Brunson: +600
- Donovan Mitchell: +900
- Steph Curry: +900
- Jayson Tatum: +1200
- Anthony Edwards: +1400
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: +1400
In my opinion, the defending champs, the Celtics, will win the NBA Cup. They have outstanding players like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, etc. They were also able to beat the undefeated Cavaliers and have an offensive rating of 121.5, an average of 121.5 points per game, and an average of 25.9 assists per game.
