The 2025 NBA Cup group play started last Friday, and the Oklahoma City Thunder, who finished the last tournament as runners-up, opens their run with a road game against the Sacramento Kings at 9 p.m. on Nov. 7.

The Thunder fell to the Milwaukee Bucks 97-81 in last year’s finals.

The NBA Cup is an in-season tournament where all teams compete in a group stage of six groups of five, followed by a single-elimination knockout round. Each group’s winners and two wild card teams, which are the two non-winners with the best record in each conference, advance to the quarter finals.

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Do NBA Cup games count towards regular season record?

All Cup games, group stage and knockout round, but the Championship count towards the team’s regular season records. The championship does not count in order to keep the schedule at 82 games for all teams. 

Only teams that advance to the knockout round receive a share of the roughly $18 million prize pool, earning more money the further they go in the tournament.

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What’s the NBA Cup?

Introduced in the 2023-24 season, the NBA Cup serves as an additional competition to generate more interest in the league in its early months of the season. Players and teams receive the financial motivation of advancing to the knockouts and earning a share of the prize money, in addition to living in a playoff environment early on. Winning an extra trophy is always motivating as well.

For fans, it creates more competition and new storylines, giving them a chance to see their team play for a trophy in the first few months of the NBA season. Of course, it also generates a good amount of revenue for the league.

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Where is the NBA Cup in 2025?

The earlier group stage games are played in team markets, while the quarterfinals are played in the higher-seed team’s arena. In the group stage, teams play two games at home and two on the road.

The semi-finals and the final are played at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

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When is the NBA Cup knockout stage?Quarterfinals: Dec. 8 and 9Semifinals: Saturday, Dec. 13Championship: Tuesday, Dec. 16Do NBA Cup winners get rings?

No. NBA Cup winners do not get rings; instead, they receive a special tournament medal and the team gets to hold the NBA Cup trophy. Players also receive cash bonuses.

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OKC Thunder NBA Cup scheduleFriday, Nov. 7: at Sacramento Kings, 9 p.m. (FanDuel Sports Network)Friday, Nov. 21: at Utah Jazz, 9 p.m. (FanDuel Sports Network)Wednesday, Nov. 26: vs. Minnesota Timberwolves, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN)Friday, Nov. 28: vs. Phoenix Suns, 8:30 p.m. (FanDuel Sports Network)