2024 Emirates NBA Cup: Big Qualifying Day! (Dec. 3) Previews, Predictions & The Skinny on This Years Emirates Cup

The NBA Cup is reserved for eight teams: the winner of each of the three five-team groupings (A, B, C) from both the Western Conference and Eastern Conference, plus one wild card team from each conference. The wild card team from each conference is the club with the best record in group play that finished in second place.

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

NBA Cup Group Play Tie-Breakers

Here are the criteria, in order, to determine tie-breakers for group winners and the wild card spot (where necessary):

1. Head-to-head record in group play
2. Non-overtime point differential in group play
3. Total non-overtime points in group play
4. 2023-24 regular-season record

Lakers, Cavs Eliminated

Note: All 67 games in both group play and the championship bracket count in the regular-season standings and statistics, with the exception of the 2024 NBA Cup championship game. The defending NBA Cup champion Los Angeles Lakers (12-9 season record as of Dec. 2) have been eliminated. The Cleveland Cavaliers (18-3), owners of the best record in the NBA one game ahead of the Boston Celtics (17-4), have also been eliminated. The Celtics will only be able to advance via point differential.

Mathematically, 13 teams still have a chance to advance to the elimination round heading into Tuesday’s games.     

NBA Cup Qualifying Teams

Atlanta Hawks (Eastern Conference, Group C)

Quick Note: The Hawks (11-11) will be on the road for their quarterfinal contest. Trae Young and company are the only team to defeat Eastern Conference front-runners Cleveland and Boston so far this season.

Houston Rockets (Western Conference, Group A)

Quick Note: The Rockets (15-6) play at Sacramento on Tuesday and if they win, and the Golden State Warriors win at Denver, the Rockets will host their quarterfinal game. If both teams lose, the Rockets have the tie-breaker advantage (lose by less than 37 points more than Golden State).

Golden State Warriors (Western Conference, Group C):

Quick Note: The Warriors (12-7) play at Denver on Tuesday and if they win and the Rockets lose to Sacramento, Golden State will host its quarterfinal game.

Big Dec. 3 Games: NBA Cup Qualifiers

NBA Cup Eastern Conference

Group A: Orlando Magic (15-7) at New York Knicks (12-8), 7:30 pm ET.

Quick Note: The winner advances and hosts its quarterfinal contest. If the Knicks win by less than 30 points, Orlando will clinch the wild card spot.

Group B: Milwaukee Bucks (10-9) at Detroit Pistons (9-13), 7 pm ET.

Quick Note: The winner advances and hosts its quarterfinal contest. The loser of this contest is eliminated if the Knicks defeat the Magic. Should Orlando win, the point differential will determine the wild card slot between the Bucks, Pistons and Celtics, which are part of Group C (won by Atlanta).

NBA CUP Western Conference

Group B: Utah Jazz (4-16) at Oklahoma City Thunder (15-5), 8 pm ET, San Antonio Spurs (11-9) at Phoenix Suns (11-8), 9 pm ET

Quick Note: The Thunder, which have the best record in the conference by a half game over the Houston Rockets, will win the Group by beating the Jazz, combined with a victory by the Suns. The Spurs will win the group if the Thunder win and they beat the Suns. The wild card spot in the West will come down to point differential from the teams in this grouping along with the Dallas Mavericks (13-8) in Group C. If the Mavs defeat the Memphis Grizzlies (14-7) at home (8:30 pm ET), Dallas has a high probability to clinch the wild-card based on the point differential.

2024 Emirates NBA Cup Elimination Round Schedule (All times ET)

December 10

Quarterfinal 1, TBD (TNT)

Quarterfinal 2, TBD (TNT)

December 11

Quarterfinal 3, TBD (ESPN)

Quarterfinal 4, TBD (TNT)

December 14

Semifinal 1, 4:30 p.m. (TNT)

Semifinal 2, 7:30 p.m. (ABC)

December 17

Championship Game, 8:30 p.m. (ABC)