One of the major additions the NBA introduced in an attempt to spice up the regular season was the NBA In-Season Tournament. In its first season, the tournament was a rousing success; hence, it was a no-brainer for the league to bring it back for its second season, this time under a different branding — the NBA Cup. While Group C in the Western Conference is the unquestioned “group of death” and Group B is the home of the reigning NBA Cup champion Los Angeles Lakers, Group A should provide plenty of incredibly competitive basketball nonetheless.
Two playoff teams from last season, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Clippers, headline the group. However, those two teams better be careful, as two upstart teams in the Sacramento Kings and Houston Rockets will be gunning for their heads as well. No one should count out the Portland Trail Blazers too; despite finishing with the worst record in the conference last season, a year of progression could do their youngsters a world of good.
In a round-robin group stage format where every game matters, anything can happen. But one look at the group would show that there is one team that stands out as the head and shoulders favorite to advance to the quarterfinals of the 2024 NBA Cup.
2024 NBA Cup West Group A Predictions
The Timberwolves are the best team in West Group A of the NBA Cup, and it's not particularly close. This Timberwolves team made it all the way to the Conference Finals last season, and they're only getting better, with Anthony Edwards looking like he's ready to take another huge jump in his development.
Minnesota has the tools to flourish early on in the regular season. They have the motivation to perform to the best of their abilities after being humbled by the Dallas Mavericks in the WCF, and Edwards will want his first taste of silverware after an impressive stint for Team USA in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
In the regular season, teams aren't reconfiguring their defense to prepare for a specific matchup. With that said, the Timberwolves have the defensive system and personnel in place to defeat the teams in their group.
Their perimeter defense is suffocating, with Jaden McDaniels, Edwards, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker hounding opposing ballhandlers and wings. Meanwhile, Rudy Gobert, despite being cast aside amid France's revival in the Olympics, should still be able to handle the likes of Domantas Sabonis, Alperen Sengun, Ivica Zubac, and Deandre Ayton — the opposing centers he'll be facing in this group.
Of course, nothing is guaranteed. The Timberwolves could end up tripping on a banana peel, as any team in the group could give them a scare on any given night.
It is worth mentioning that the Kings went 2-1 in the season series against Minnesota last season, and they were the team from their group that made it to the quarterfinals last season. De'Aaron Fox torched the Timberwolves last year in their NBA In-Season Tournament matchup, scoring 36 points to lead the Kings to a 124-111 win. In their most recent matchup back in March, it was Malik Monk's turn to dominate, tallying 39 points to give the Kings a victory in overtime.
But the addition of DeMar DeRozan could lead to some early-season growing pains for the Kings. While the addition of DeRozan is an unequivocal net-positive, will the Kings have integrated him into their offense by the time the NBA Cup rolls along?
The Rockets could be a sleeper pick in this group; they showed that they are on the cusp of making the playoffs after their solid run to end last season. But the Timberwolves disposed of them with ease last season, going 3-0 in the season series. The Timberwolves' defense swallowed up the Rockets last season; can improvements from their youngsters be enough for them to mount a threat to the best team in the group?
And then there are the Clippers. Kawhi Leonard, when healthy, remains one of the most unstoppable players in the association. He goes about his business with surgical precision, and he doesn't feel pressure; in fact, he raises his game when the lights are at their brightest.
Alas, losing Paul George hurts the Clippers' offense a lot. There were times last season when they wouldn't begin initiating their offense until the shot clock was winding down, and they remain a jumpshot-heavy team despite losing one of the best volume shooters in the association. They will be prone to nights where they simply couldn't buy a bucket. The Timberwolves' defense should handle this matchup handily.
The Blazers may have improved this offseason thanks to the addition of Deni Avdija, but their roster is simply lacking in elite two-way play to compete with the giants of the group.
In the end, the Timberwolves should advance to the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup, but not before the Kings push them to the brink.
Final predictions for NBA Cup West Group C:
- Minnesota Timberwolves (4-0)
- Sacramento Kings (3-1)
- Houston Rockets (2-2)
- Los Angeles Clippers (1-3)
- Portland Trail Blazers (0-4)
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