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NBA Cup set to begin with eight group-play games

Mon Nov 11 1:09pm ET
Field Level Media

Now known as the NBA Cup, the league will kick off its second in-season tournament Tuesday with a schedule of eight games.

Known as the NBA In-Season Tournament last year, the Los Angeles Lakers won the first season inside of the season when they defeated the Indiana Pacers 123-109 in the title game Dec. 9 at Las Vegas.

The newly branded NBA Cup again will open with a round-robin format of five teams in six groups that were formed based on last season's standings:

West Group A: Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Clippers, Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers


West Group B: Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz, San Antonio Spurs

West Group C: Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies

East Group A: New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets

East Group B: Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons

East Group C: Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards

Group stage games will take place across four Tuesdays (Nov. 12, Nov. 19, Nov. 26 and Dec. 3) and three Fridays (Nov. 15, Nov. 22 and Nov. 29). The quarterfinals of the single-elimination knockout bracket will be played Dec. 10 and 11.

The tournament will shift from NBA team markets to Las Vegas, where T-Mobile Arena (home of the NHL's Golden Knights) will host the semifinals on Dec. 14 and the championship game on Dec. 17.

All games, except for the NBA Cup championship game, will count toward the regular-season standings. Players on the championship-winning team receive $500,000 each, while players on the runner-up team get $200,000 each.

Player Notes
Gary Trent Jr. Mon Nov 11 9:30pm

Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. (hip) is listed as probable for Tuesday night's game against the Toronto Raptors. Trent is dealing with lower back spasms that have caused him to miss the last two games. The probable tag is a positive sign for the Bucks who will be in desperate need of more offensive production Tuesday with Damian Lillard (concussion) being listed as out. Trent started seven games for the Bucks to start the season but only averaged 8.0 PPG and shot just 23.1% from three, an area that's generally a strength for him as a 38.3% career three point shooter. It's unclear if the Bucks will put Trent back into the starting lineup but there's potential for him to have a decent fantasy impact with Milwaukee's need to replace Lillard's three point shooting. Fantasy managers should check in on the Bucks' starting lineup before putting Trent into theirs.

Miles McBride Mon Nov 11 9:10pm

New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (knee) is listed as questionable for Tuesday night's game against the Philadelphia 76ers. McBride has yet to miss a game this season and has made a solid impact coming off the Knicks' bench. The 24-year-old is averaging 11.2 PPG while shooting 39.6% from three. With fellow guard Cameron Payne also listed as questionable for tomorrow, expect Tyler Kolek to get more minutes off the bench if McBride is unable to go. Kolek is shooting well when in but on limited minutes. He would be a very volatile option for all fantasy formats and shouldn't be put in any lineups unless fantasy managers in deep leagues are desperate.

Cameron Payne Mon Nov 11 9:10pm

New York Knicks point guard Cameron Payne (hamstring) is listed as questionable for Tuesday night's matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers. Payne is dealing with a hamstring strain that has caused him to miss the last four games. With fellow guard Miles McBride also listed as questionable there may be more pressure for Payne to make his return. The 30-year-old has only averaged 5.6 PPG on a 36.4% field goal percentage, making him a very risky start for fantasy managers if he is able to go. Should neither Payne or McBride be able to suit up, expect rookie Tyler Kolek to get more bench minutes. Kolek should be considered a very volatile fantasy option given his limited minutes this season, though he has been efficient when taking shots (69.2% field goal percentage).

Jusuf Nurkic Mon Nov 11 9:00pm

Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic (ankle) is listed as questionable for Tuesday night's game against the Utah Jazz. Nurkic is dealing with left ankle soreness. The 30-year-old injured his ankle in Sunday's game against the Sacramento Kings and was ruled out after the first half. Nurkic is averaging 9.9 PPG and 10.2 RPG. If he is unable to suit up his presence on the boards will certainly be felt by a Phoenix team who's already missing Kevin Durant. Mason Plumlee will be in line to get the start if Nurkic's ankle does not cooperate. Plumlee would make a very solid fill-in option for fantasy managers and could be a sneaky DFS play as well.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Mon Nov 11 8:50pm

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) is listed as probable for Tuesday night's matchup against the Toronto Raptors. Antetokounmpo has been dealing with a knee issue but it hasn't caused him to miss any of the last three games. With Damian Lillard in concussion protocol and listed as out for Tuesday, expect Antetokounmpo to shoulder more of the offensive load on Tuesday. Fantasy managers will already have him in their starting lineups but DFS managers may want to ensure The Greek Freak is in their lineups as well and should expect a bump in assists from the 29-year-old.

Damian Lillard Mon Nov 11 8:40pm

Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard is in concussion protocol and has been ruled out for Tuesday night's game against the Toronto Raptors. Lillard has yet to miss a game this season and his presence will be missed in Milwaukee's first in-season tournament game. The 34-year-old is averaging 26.0 PPG and 6.6 APG for the struggling Bucks. With Lillard out, expect Ryan Rollins or Delon Wright to get more minutes. Wright had been getting bench minutes to start the season but had gotten demoted over the last three games where Rollins has taken over. Rollins has yet to start a game in his three-year NBA career. With volatility at the point guard role, fantasy managers and DFS players should instead expect Giannis Antetokounmpo to produce more, especially from an assists perspective.

PJ Washington Mon Nov 11 7:40pm

Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (knee) isn't expected to play in Tuesday's game against the Warriors. The former Hornet is battling a knee sprain. Unfortunately, it appears he'll miss his fourth-consecutive game on Tuesday night. If that's the case, Naji Marshall, averaging 12.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.0 steals in three starts this season, remains a viable fantasy option in any format.

Isaiah Stewart Mon Nov 11 7:20pm

Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart (ankle) is probable for Tuesday's game versus the Miami Heat. With Jalen Duren (ankle) sidelined for the last few games, Stewart has been handling business underneath the basket. However, he's struggled this season, averaging 5.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks. But if Duren remains out, Stewart's ceiling should remain higher than usual. Yet, if Stewart and Duren don't suit up, Paul Reed would presumably slide into the starting lineup and gain streaming value, although will likely be just for a game or two.

Jalen Duren Mon Nov 11 7:10pm

Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (ankle) is questionable heading into Tuesday's meeting with the Miami Heat. The 20-year-old sprained his ankle during the November 6 matchup with the Charlotte Hornets and has missed the last two games as a result. Fortunately, the questionable tag gives him a chance to play. If anything, it at least suggests he's moving in the right direction. If Duren can't suit up, Isaiah Stewart (ankle), who is probable, should continue to fill the void underneath the basket, giving him plenty of upside for fantasy managers. But if Stewart is sidelined as well, Paul Reed would see a surge in fantasy potential, even if it's only for one contest.

Jimmy Butler Mon Nov 11 6:30pm

Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (ankle) won't play in Tuesday's game against the Pistons. This will mark his second-consecutive absence because of a sprained ankle. But Miami doesn't play again until Friday in Indiana, so, hopefully, the extra days off will allow him to get back on the floor. Without Butler in the equation, Haywood Highsmith, who had seven points as a starter on Sunday against Minnesota, should continue to fill some of the void in the rotation. However, Jaime Jaquez Jr., who recently returned from a lengthy absence, may find himself with the first five and would be considered a much safer fantasy option than Highsmith.

Malik Monk Mon Nov 11 6:10pm

Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (ankle) will be re-evaluated in two weeks after suffering a "moderate" right ankle sprain in Sunday's win over the Phoenix Suns. The 2017 No. 11 overall pick has provided valuable minutes off the bench for the Kings, averaging 12.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. But now that he'll be sidelined for at least a few weeks, Keon Ellis and Doug McDermott could see more action moving ahead. However, Ellis and McDermott have a long way to go before earning a consistent place in fantasy lineups.

Joel Embiid Mon Nov 11 6:00pm

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee, suspension) isn't listed on the injury report, meaning he will play on Tuesday against the New York Knicks. The 30-year-old wasn't ready to suit up to begin the 2024-25 campaign. However, while ready was ready to go, he missed the last three games after he was suspended for a locker room altercation with a reporter. Of course, there's a good chance Embiid will see fewer minutes than usual in his first game of the year, so Andre Drummond may have fantasy value for at least a few more games. Yet, the same can't be said for Guerschon Yabusele, who could have a tough time getting on the floor with Embiid and Drummond in the mix.

Jayson Tatum Mon Nov 11 6:00pm

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (ankle) is currently listed as questionable ahead of Tuesday's game against the Atlanta Hawks. Tatum appears to have suffered a minor ankle issue during Sunday's win over the Milwaukee Bucks. The Celtics will likely wait until closer to tip-off on Tuesday before making a final decision on Tatum's status. If he sits, Jaylen Brown would be asked to take on a heavy workload in the scoring department. Also, Sam Hauser would likely be asked to start in place of Tatum. Hauser is a decent rotational player, but isn't worth a look in fantasy formats.

Luka Doncic Mon Nov 11 6:00pm

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (groin) is probable heading into Tuesday's meeting with the Warriors. This is his second time listed on the injury report because of a left groin strain. However, it didn't keep Doncic off the floor for Sunday's loss to the Denver Nuggets. He logged 40 minutes in that one, so he should see his usual workload versus Golden State, barring a setback. Keep him starting in all fantasy formats.

Zach LaVine Mon Nov 11 6:00pm

Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (groin) is available ahead of Monday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. LaVine was tagged as probable coming into this game, but there was some doubt surrounding his status after playing 31 minutes in their last game. He missed three games due to this groin issue, but appears to be good to go now. The oft-injured guard has his problems staying on the court, but he's a reliable option when healthy. Fantasy managers should feel comfortable getting him back in their lineups for Monday.

Trae Young Mon Nov 11 5:50pm

Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (Achilles) won't play in Tuesday's meeting with the Celtics. He's dealing with right Achilles Tendinitis, with Tuesday's absence marking his first of the 2024-25 campaign. Outside of Young's turnover woes and 33.3% shooting from behind the arc, he has played well this season, averaging 23.9 points and 11.5 assists. As such, the Hawks will need others to step up without him on the floor on Tuesday (and possibly beyond). Keaton Wallace, averaging 5.4 points this season, will likely slide into the starting lineup and draw streaming attention from fantasy managers. At the same time, Zaccharie Risacher, Jalen Johnson, and Dyson Daniels should see an uptick in scoring chances.

Al Horford Mon Nov 11 5:50pm

Boston Celtics center Al Horford (toe) is currently listed as questionable ahead of Tuesday's game against the Atlanta Hawks. It's the first night of a back-to-back set, so it wouldn't be shocking to see the Celtics rest Horford here. The absence of Horford would mean that Neemias Queta, Luke Kornet, and Xavier Tillman Sr. should see more time in the rotation. Out of the trio, Queta is the best streaming choice if Horford misses this game. Queta is a solid rebounder with seven boards or more in each of his last four games. He has double-double potential with more playing time, so fantasy managers should keep that in mind.

Dorian Finney-Smith Mon Nov 11 5:40pm

Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith (ankle) has been ruled out ahead of Monday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans. Finney-Smith was a late addition to the injury report due to a left ankle sprain. The team has decided to hold him out on Monday, but hopefully it won't be a long term issue. The absence of Finney-Smith will leave a big hole to fill in the rotation. Noah Clowney, Jalen Wilson, and Ziaire Williams could all benefit from the loss of Finney-Smith. None of these players are viable streaming options ahead of Monday's slate. Williams might have the most upside out of the three, but it's a great option even with an extended look.

Wendell Carter Jr. Mon Nov 11 5:30pm

Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (foot) won't play on Tuesday versus the Charlotte Hornets. This will mark his fifth-straight absence, so his next chance to get on the floor will be on Wednesday against the Pacers. In the meantime, Goga Bitadze will likely remain with the first five, with the 25-year-old averaging 10.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks in four starts this season. Moritz Wagner, who had 16 points, six rebounds, and one steal in Sunday's meeting with the Wizards, has streaming value in deep fantasy setups.

De'Andre Hunter Mon Nov 11 5:30pm

Atlanta Hawks forward De'Andre Hunter (personal) has been ruled out ahead of Tuesday's game against the Boston Celtics. Hunter has missed the last nine games due to personal reasons. It sounds like him and his partner have welcomed their first child, but the baby was born two months premature. It's unclear when Hunter is going to return to the court. In the meantime, Zaccharie Risacher should continue starting for the Hawks. The rookie forward has put together some nice performances and is worth a look with the Hawks shorthanded right now.


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