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Every NBA team has played at least two NBA Cup games, meaning we are over halfway through the Group Phase of the NBA's in-season tournament. It seems like action is just picking up, though, and the next slate of NBA Cup games is on Tuesday, Nov. 26. Although there will only be five games on Nov. 26, all of them are intriguing. In this article, we will detail everything that you need to know about the next Group Night for the NBA Cup.
Tuesday, Nov. 26 NBA Cup schedule
Chicago Bulls @ Washington Wizards at 7 p.m. ET
Milwaukee Bucks @ Miami Heat at 7:30 p.m. ET
Houston Rockets @ Minnesota Timberwolves at 8 p.m. ET
San Antonio Spurs @ Utah Jazz at 9 p.m. ET
Los Angeles Lakers @ Phoenix Suns at 10 p.m. ET
How to watch NBA Cup
Two of the Nov. 26 NBA Cup games will be nationally broadcasted. Both the Milwaukee Bucks vs. Miami Heat game and the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns games will be on TNT. The other games will be broadcasted locally or viewable on NBA League Pass.
*Watch NBA Cup games live with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
NBA Cup standings
West Group A
Houston Rockets: 2-0
Los Angeles Clippers: 1-1
Minnesota Timberwolves: 1-1
Portland Trail Blazers: 1-1
Sacramento Kings: 0-2
West Group B
Los Angeles Lakers: 2-0
Oklahoma City Thunder: 1-1
San Antonio Spurs: 1-1
Phoenix Suns: 1-1
Utah Jazz: 0-2
West Group C
Golden State Warriors: 3-0
Dallas Mavericks: 2-1
New Orleans Pelicans: 1-2
Denver Nuggets: 1-2
Memphis Grizzlies: 0-2
East Group A
Orlando Magic: 2-0
New York Knicks: 2-0
Philadelphia 76ers: 1-2
Brooklyn Nets: 1-2
Charlotte Hornets: 0-2
East Group B
Milwaukee Bucks: 2-0
Detroit Pistons: 2-0
Miami Heat: 1-1
Toronto Raptors: 0-2
Indiana Pacers: 0-2
East Group C
Atlanta Hawks: 2-1
Boston Celtics: 2-1
Cleveland Cavaliers: 1-1
Chicago Bulls: 1-1
Washington Wizards: 0-2
Eastern Conference storylines
The Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards are a combined 9-24 overall and 1-3 in NBA Cup play. Both teams have struggled to find wins this year, especially the Wizards team, which has the worst record in the NBA. One of the two will have a chance to right the ship in the first game of Nov. 26 NBA Cup action, though.
This could very well be a high scoring affair. The Wizards rank 29th in team defense, allowing 122.9 points per game. The only team worse than that is the Bulls, who are allowing 123.9 points per game. The Wizards are young and still figuring out the kinks on defense. The good news is Bilal Coulibaly has flashed as a star stopper in recent games. The Bulls have been outmuscled recently, largely due to their undersized small-ball lineups.
The Milwaukee Bucks also started off slow this season, but they've really turned things around. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are starting to look more like the elite duo that fans expected, and they've now won four straight games. The Bucks are taking on a Heat team that is never easy to best when healthy, though, and the team is right now.
Western Conference storylines
While there are only two Eastern Conference games for the NBA Cup on Nov. 26, there are three games out West. The first matchup is between the Houston Rockets and the Minnesota Timberwolves. At 12-6, the Rockets are soaring, and they are one of the most pleasant surprises in the NBA this year. The Timberwolves are 8-8 and still building chemistry after trading for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, but Anthony Edwards' team still has tons of potential, and they are playing this game at home.
The San Antonio Spurs also play the Utah Jazz. The Jazz are 4-12, so Victor Wembanyama could be in for a big game. The big man has improved his shooting numbers recently, and he is again leading the league in blocked shots per game (3.6).
The final game of the night is between the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns. This game will see the returns of Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, both of whom have been out with injuries. The Suns were 8-1 with Durant in the lineup, but they are 1-6 without him and have lost each of their last five games with both Durant and Beal out. The Lakers, meanwhile, are already 2-0 in this year's NBA Cup after winning the in-season tournament last year.
Predictions
Bulls beat the Wizards 117-108
Bucks beat the Heat 115-114
Timberwolves beat the Rockets 122-118
Spurs beat the Jazz 117-113
Lakers beat the Suns 126-118
