NBA Emirates Cup 2024 Tips Off Nov. 12
The Association Announces Return of In-Season Tournament
Basketball news has been busy this week despite it being July. First, Kawhi Leonard exited Team USA. Then, Team USA began its practice for Paris with a win over Canada. And on July 11, the return of the 2024 NBA Emirates Cup 2024 was announced.
Who said anything about an offseason?
There will be plenty of intrigue on July 12 when the six groups of five teams are set for the 2024 NBA Emirates Cup. All 30 NBA teams will be randomly drawn into groups within their conference based on win-loss records from the 2023-24 regular season. ESPN will unveil the six groups at 7 p.m. ET on “NBA Today: Emirates NBA Cup Group Reveal.”
The details: The tournament starts with every team on Nov. 12. It will whittle down to the final four, who will play in Las Vegas on Dec. 14 and 17.
30 TEAMS. 8 ADVANCE. 1 CHAMPION 🏆
The second #EmiratesNBACup tips off with Group Play games from November 12 through December 3, with the semifinals and championship held in Las Vegas, December 14 and 17! https://t.co/JJyFCblgxM pic.twitter.com/1SfGx8ZuoG
— NBA (@NBA) July 11, 2024
According to NBA Communications
Group Play games in the 2024 NBA Emirates Cup will take place on “Cup Nights” across four Tuesdays (Nov. 12, 19, and 26 and Dec. 3) and three Fridays (Nov. 15, 22, and 29), with each team playing one game against each of the four opponents in its group.
The single-elimination Knockout Rounds will begin with the Quarterfinals on Tuesday, Dec. 10, and Wednesday, Dec. 11, in NBA team markets, followed by the Semifinals and Championship at T-Mobile Arena for the second year in a row.
The 22 teams that do not qualify for the Quarterfinals will each play two regular-season games (one home game and one road game) on Thursday, Dec. 12, or Friday, Dec. 13, and Sunday, Dec. 15, or Monday, Dec. 16. The losing teams in the Quarterfinals in each conference will play each other in a regular-season game on Dec. 12, 13, 15, or 16.
Last season, the Los Angeles Lakers won the inaugural in-season event. The Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Lakers, and New Orleans Pelicans advanced to Las Vegas. In the semifinals, the Lakers and Pacers won their games. Los Angeles then downed Indiana in the final for the first 2024 NBA Emirates Cup.
For those interested, if this is a harbinger of the future, the only team to advance to the final four of the NBA Playoffs in 2023 was the Pacers. The eventual league-champion Boston Celtics bounced them.
What teams should contend for the 2024 NBA Emirates Cup and are worth considering for sports betting?
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Boston Celtics: It doesn’t take a wizard—not a Washington Wizard—to figure out the reigning champs will be a force. One factor could be they are far more concerned with earning a meaningful ring than one in December.
New York Knicks: The Super (Villa)novas will be sharp and on edge. Tom Thibodeau will have this team ready for a big run in the 2024-25 season, and what better way to make a statement than to win the 2024 NBA Emirates Cup? For a team that hasn’t won since 1973, any trophy will be coveted.
Indiana Pacers: The Pacers were no match for the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. That said, they have a solid roster and will get better and more cohesive.
Washington Wizards: Kidding. This team doesn’t have to go to Vegas to lose.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Oklahoma City Thunder: This team is light years ahead of schedule and still has a stockpile of draft picks. They won 57 games last season. Nothing prevents the swift learning curve from continuing and seeing the Thunder win their way to Las Vegas and a shot at the 2024 NBA Emirates Cup.
Houston Rockets: Another team that took major steps toward success in 2023-24. Ime Udoka bounced from Boston and landed on his basketball shoes in Houston. He did a fine job there. Jalen Green, Fred VanVleet, and others should improve on a 41-41 season.
San Antonio Spurs: How much would the NBA love to have Victor Wembanyama & Co. in the Final Four teams in Sin City? Guess what? Not yet.
Denver Nuggets: Many thought the Nuggets were going to repeat as NBA champs in 2023-24. They looked like a strong contender and didn’t come close to going back-to-back. A team with plenty to prove, Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and others should bounce back, get hot, and win their way to Vegas.
It won’t be difficult to find NBA games during the season on television or streams. Check this out with the caveat some appearances won’t start until the NFL is done. This will further dent the wallets and bank accounts of sports-loving fans.
– Sunday: NBC, ESPN
– Mondays: Peacock
– Tuesdays: NBC
– Wednesday: ESPN
– Thursday: Amazon
– Friday: Amazon, ESPN
– Saturday: ABC, Amazon
For NBA odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
