Jul 12, 2025 4 min read

The 2025-26 NBA Emirates Cup is set to deliver fireworks well before the playoffs even begin. With the group-stage draws now official, fans and analysts are already dissecting the tournament’s most daunting matchups and for the Golden State Warriors, things are looking treacherous.

Warriors Re-enter the Fire: Group C Emerges as This Year’s “Group of Death”

For the second consecutive year, the Warriors find themselves in West Group C, which may be the toughest assembly of talent in the entire tournament. Last year’s Group C champions, the Warriors now face a brutal road to repeat that success.

Grouped with Kevin Durant’s retooled Houston Rockets, the 2023 NBA champion Denver Nuggets, the up-and-coming San Antonio Spurs, and the ever-unpredictable Portland Trail Blazers, Golden State will have to bring playoff intensity to every Cup Night.

The Rockets dominated headlines this offseason with a blockbuster trade for Durant, signaling a serious title push. Denver, not content with standing still, bolstered its depth by acquiring Cameron Johnson, adding wing support for Nikola Jokic. San Antonio, though just a 34-win team last year, expects a leap from Victor Wembanyama as he enters his third season. Portland may be the least favored, but this team showed significant improvement late last year.

Golden State’s own ambitions remain sky-high. With Jimmy Butler now pairing alongside Steph Curry, the Warriors are banking on veteran leadership and high-end scoring to push them through what many are calling this year’s “Group of Death.”

As anticipation builds, fans are already analyzing matchups, tracking injury reports, and eyeing early odds. Many basketball bettors are also exploring where to gamble in California to prepare for this stacked tournament slate, especially those rooting for the Warriors, Sacramento, and other Californian teams. With mid-season stakes this high, the in-season tournament has become a focal point not just for teams, but for sportsbooks and fans across the state.

Kings Draw Oklahoma City and 2024-25 MVP in West Group A

The Sacramento Kings have also landed in an unforgiving group. West Group A includes the Oklahoma City Thunder, who not only reached the 2024 NBA Cup final but went on to win the NBA championship in June. Their charge is led by 2024-25 MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a force the Kings failed to contain last season.

Also in the group are the Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, and Utah Jazz, all of whom carry playoff aspirations. The Kings finished a disappointing 1-3 in last year’s group stage and will need a sharp turnaround to challenge for advancement in 2025.

How the Emirates NBA Cup Works

The Emirates NBA Cup, previously known simply as the NBA In-Season Tournament, enters its third season this fall. The format remains unchanged: each conference features three groups of five teams, drawn randomly but weighted by last season’s win-loss records.

Each team will play four Group Play games, one against each opponent, with two at home and two away. These will be held on designated “Cup Nights” every Tuesday and Friday, starting Oct. 31 and ending Nov. 28. Additional Cup action is scheduled for the week of Thanksgiving.

Following Group Play, the six group winners and two wild card teams (one from each conference) will progress to the Knockout Rounds. The wild cards will be the best-performing runners-up across each conference.

The quarterfinals take place Dec. 9 and 10 in team markets, with the semifinals and finals slated for Las Vegas on Dec. 13 and 16, respectively. This year’s tournament will also enjoy broader visibility, with Amazon Prime set to broadcast all knockout stage games.

Group Breakdown & Must-Watch Matchups

All 30 teams have been split into six groups, three per conference, based on last season’s records.

The Western Conference features three stacked groups. Group A includes the Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, Sacramento Kings, Utah Jazz, and Phoenix Suns. Group B brings together the Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks, and New Orleans Pelicans. Group C rounds out the West with the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers, Golden State Warriors, and San Antonio Spurs.

In the Eastern Conference, Group A consists of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Washington Wizards. Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks, and Toronto Raptors. Group B features the Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons, Brooklyn Nets, and Philadelphia 76ers. Lastly, Group C includes the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, and Charlotte Hornets.

East Group C is led by the defending NBA Cup champions, the Milwaukee Bucks, who return as early favorites. East Group A is seen as the softest draw, especially with the Wizards rebuilding and Indiana missing Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner.

While the full tournament schedule is still pending, fans are already eyeing key dates between Oct. 31 and Nov. 28, when group-stage games will light up NBA arenas every week.