The NBA introduced the In-Season Tournament last year to a rousing success. Players gave it their all to earn the cash prize, and fans appreciated the increased intensity. The Los Angeles Lakers ended up taking home the first-ever In-Season Tournament over the Indiana Pacers in the finals. In the offseason, the league renamed the tournament to the NBA Emirates Cup which will begin play on Tuesday night. We’re going to predict a winner for each of the six groups and try to determine which team will end up winning the 2024 NBA Cup.
East Group A: Nets, Knicks, Magic, 76ers, Hornets
If you like high-scoring games you probably want to avoid this group. These teams all rank outside the top 6 in PPG in the Eastern Conference. The 76ers are last in scoring the East but should get a boost for some of these games with Joel Embiid back in the fold. The Magic would be my obvious pick if Paolo Banchero was playing. Instead, the Knicks seem like a solid bet. Tom Thibodeaux treats most games like the playoffs by playing his stars 40-plus minutes every night. This will be no different.
Winner: Knicks
East Group B: Pistons, Pacers, Heat, Bucks, Raptors
There’s no better time than now for the Bucks to go on a run. However, their putrid defense will find it difficult to keep up with some of these teams — mostly the Pacers and Raptors. Indiana is built for this format. They love to get up-and-down the court and are very difficult to gameplan for at a moment’s notice. It’s one of the reasons why they made the Finals last year. Tyrese Haliburton has started slow, but he plays better when the lights are brightest. The Pacers make it out of their pool again.
Winner: Pacers
East Group C: Hawks, Celtics, Bulls, Cavaliers, Wizards
With all due respect to the Hawks, Bulls, and Wizards, this is a two-team pool. The Celtics and Cavaliers have been the two best teams in the league through the early season. Their first matchup will be next Tuesday in Boston. The Celtics getting home-court advantage for that one might be the difference. Cleveland’s offense is massively improved, but Boston is battle-tested and very tough to beat at home. The Celtics narrowly make it out of East Group C, but Cleveland should beat the other teams handily and earn the Eastern Conference Wild Card spot.
Winner: Celtics, Cavaliers win a Wild Card Spot
West Group A: Rockets, Clippers, Timberwolves, Trail Blazers, Kings
The Kings were one of the darlings of the In-Season Tournament a season ago, going 4-0 in group play with some dominant victories. They’re akin to Indiana — a fast-paced team that can upend any team on any given night. Houston has young legs who are hungry to prove themselves, but coach Ime Udoka is still searching for the right rotation. The Blazers are the Blazers, we don’t see them as much of a threat. The Clippers are a dark horse pick. They’re a great three-point shooting team and Norman Powell is the type of player who can go off in a tournament setting. However, we’re siding with Minnesota. Anthony Edwards never backs down from a challenge and is currently leading the league in three-pointers made at a 45-percent clip.
Winner: Timberwolves
West Group B: Lakers, Suns, Spurs, Thunder, Jazz
The Spurs and Jazz are a bit outmatched here. The two clear favorites would be the Suns and Thunder, but both are dealing with major injuries (Kevin Durant for Phoenix and Chet Holmgren for Oklahoma City). And just like that, here come the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers were clicking on all cylinders during last year’s tournament. Their stars never shy away in big moments, and JJ Redick may have stumbled on an improved rotation by sliding D’Angelo Russell to the bench. The Lakers win in one of the more exciting pools.
Winner: Lakers
West Group C: Pelicans, Mavericks, Nuggets, Warriors, Grizzlies
Too bad for the Pelicans who are dealing with more injuries than any team in the league. The Grizz aren’t too far behind with Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Marcus Smart all currently out. What we have left is a three-team race between Dallas, Denver, and Golden State. These teams all have a history against each other, but the Nuggets have the best player and are currently riding a winning streak. Nikola Jokic is on an absolute heater and will carry Denver to the knockout round. Looking across all groups, it seems like the wild card should also come out of this pool.
Winner: Nuggets, Warriors win a Wild Card Spot
Finals: Cavaliers vs. Timberwolves
Cavaliers dethrone the Celtics in the rematch. Boston has the guards to keep up with Cleveland’s backcourt, but the duo of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen gives the Cavaliers a massive size advantage up front. Out West, we expect a slobber knocker between the four teams that advance. A matchup between LeBron James’ Lakers and Stephen Curry’s Warriors with stakes on the line is always a treat. However, Edwards and the Timberwolves make it out of the West to challenge Cleveland. These teams aren’t set to face off in a regular season matchup until January, so fans will get an early treat. After a hard-fought matchup, the Cavs prevail to continue their hot streak. Cleveland’s improved offense has made them one of the most well-rounded teams in the league and will earn them the 2024 NBA Cup. All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell will be named MVP of the tournament.
Winner: Cavaliers
