The NBA is set to host the second year of its in-season tournament, now rebranded as the Emirates NBA Cup. The league announced on Thursday that the tournament will kick off on November 12th, with regular-season games designated as NBA Cup fixtures. Similar to last year’s competition, teams will be divided into six groups of five, engaging in a single round-robin format. Group play matches will be spread across four Tuesdays (November 12th, 19th, 26th, and December 3rd) and three Fridays (November 15th, 22nd, and 29th).
The single-elimination knockout bracket’s quarterfinals will take place on December 10th and 11th. The tournament will then shift from NBA team markets to Las Vegas, where T-Mobile Arena (home of the NHL’s Golden Knights) will host the semifinals on December 14th and the championship game on December 17th. The NBA Cup groups will be determined during a live ESPN broadcast on Friday night.
The Los Angeles Lakers emerged victorious in the inaugural in-season tournament, defeating the Indiana Pacers in the championship game. In February, the NBA revealed a new partnership with Emirates, incorporating the airline’s branding into the in-season tournament starting with the upcoming season.
