Group play of the NBA Cup is over, and eight teams have advanced to the knockout stage. An assortment of teams are competing for the in-season tournament title this year. There is one of the NBA's biggest surprises in the Toronto Raptors, the defending NBA Finals champions in the Oklahoma City Thunder, and a team with an NBA Cup title to their name already in the Los Angeles Lakers. So, who will win the NBA Cup in 2025?
NBA Cup knockout stage schedule
Tuesday, Dec. 9: Quarterfinals
- Miami Heat @ Orlando Magic, 6 p.m. ET (Prime)
- New York Knicks @ Toronto Raptors, 8:30 p.m. ET (Prime)
Wednesday, Dec. 10: Quarterfinals
- Phoenix Suns @ Oklahoma City Thunder, 7:30 p.m. ET (Prime)
- San Antonio Spurs @ Los Angeles Lakers, 10 p.m. ET (Prime)
Saturday, Dec. 13: Semifinals
- TBD vs. TBD, 5:30 p.m. ET (Prime)
- TBD vs. TBD, 9 p.m. ET (Prime)
Tuesday, Dec. 16: Championship
- Western Conference winner vs. Eastern Conference winner, 8:30 p.m. ET (Prime)
NBA Cup predictions
The NBA Cup knockout stage has a wide mix of very different teams this year, which will make for thrilling action. The Thunder are 22-1 in their championship defense. Their only loss of the season happened to come in an in-season tournament game, but as of now, they seem nearly unbeatable. The team has star power in the form of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and plenty of depth in the form of role players who know how to help their team win games.
The Thunder are off to one of the best starts in NBA history, and they should only get better with Jalen Williams now back in the fold. The Thunder should win their quarterfinal game by a score of 115-102. The Phoenix Suns have overachieved this year, and while Devin Booker is back to thriving as the clear-cut top option, the team just doesn't have the firepower to stick with Oklahoma City.
The Lakers won the first-ever in-season tournament. The team has looked better than expected with LeBron James sidelined for much of the season. James is back, and his presence could lead to a deep NBA Cup run because Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic are already playing like potential NBA Cup MVPs. The Lakers play an up-and-coming San Antonio Spurs team, but the Spurs are still young and don't have a lot of experience in high-stakes games. It is unclear if Stephon Castle and/or Victor Wembanyama will be ready to go, either, so the Lakers could win by a score of 120-108.
This would lead to a semifinals clash between the Thunder and Lakers. James, Doncic, and Reaves would certainly give it their all, but the Thunder's combination of defense and shooting is tough to overcome. Oklahoma City would move on to the finals after a 118-114 win.
In the Eastern Conference, the Orlando Magic could best the Miami Heat. While Desmond Bane got off to a slow start, he has started to show why the Magic gave up a haul of picks to add him to the roster. His 3-point shooting pairs perfectly on a team loaded with slashers and defensive talents. Expect Orlando to win in a low-scoring affair, 101-97.
The Raptors and New York Knicks both have plenty of defensive weapons, too, so their game may also be low-scoring. Both teams have tons of length, but the Knicks have more scoring in the form of Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson, so they could win 107-103. In the quarterfinals, the Knicks will beat the Magic 121-110, which leads to a New York vs. Oklahoma City clash.
Everybody gives their all against the Thunder because of the massive target that is painted on their back, but actually walking away from games against the Thunder with a win is easier said than done. The Thunder will win 117-115 in a closely contested game to become the third NBA Cup champions in history.
