The NBA Cup represents a significant addition to professional basketball in North America. Launched in 2023 as the In-Season Tournament, this competition brings an exciting new format to the NBA's regular season schedule. The tournament runs parallel to the regular season, with all 30 NBA teams participating. The NBA Cup scheduled for 2024 will be the second of its kind based on the foundation that brought on the first tournament. The competition comes with a format that involves group stages and knockout stages of competitions among the teams. During the group stage, teams are divided into six groups, with three groups in each conference containing five teams each. Every team plays four group-stage games, which serve a dual purpose - they count toward the NBA Cup standings and the regular season record.
The tournament's format ensures widespread participation and competitive balance. Teams that perform well in their groups advance to the knockout stages, with each group winner securing a spot. Additionally, one wild card team from each conference moves forward, creating an intense battle for qualification. The knockout rounds follow a single-elimination format, raising the stakes for each game. While most knockout games count toward the regular season standings, the championship game is a separate contest. After nearly 15 years of discussion and planning, the NBA introduced this tournament to add excitement to the middle portion of the regular season, when fan interest traditionally dips.
Related: List of NBA Cup champions
Where are the NBA Cup Finals?
The 2024 NBA Cup Finals will be hosted at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, December 14, followed by the championship game on Tuesday, December 17. This marks the second consecutive year that Las Vegas serves as the host city for the tournament's final rounds. T-Mobile Arena is a multipurpose arena in Nevada, United States. The WNBA team, The Las Vegas Aces has also played several games on this arena since 2023.
During the 2023 finals, the T-Mobile Arena featured a distinctive blue court with a red middle strip. This unique court design led to some uniform restrictions, as teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana Pacers had to modify their usual tournament attire to ensure sufficient contrast with the playing surface.
The T-Mobile Arena, with its modern facilities and Las Vegas location, continues to serve as the centerpiece venue for the NBA Cup's matches.
Related: How does NBA Cup work?
FAQs on NBA Cup Finals
A. The NBA Cup 2024 Finals are on December 17, 2024.
A. The NBA Cup was started in the 2023 season.
A. The NBA Cup tickets can be brought from the NBA Experiences website.
A. The NBA Cup is the knockout round with a single-elimination bracket.
