The Emirates NBA Cup is fully underway, and just like last season, it has delivered. From the colorful courts to the extra weight on regular season games, the NBA Cup seems to be a success. The Golden State Warriors have already clinched a spot in the Quarterfinals, and the Houston Rockets have now done the same. As teams start to grab their spots to the Quarterfinals in the NBA Cup standings, we are going to look ahead at the NBA Cup schedule to see which games this Friday are an NBA schedule must-watch.
The Best Games On Friday’s NBA Cup Schedule
Tuesday’s Emirates NBA Cup Results and Standings
Tuesday’s NBA Cup action was another night of entertaining Group Play. In East Group C, the Bulls beat the Wizards, led by Nikola Vučević’s 19 points and 12 rebounds. Chicago’s win creates a three-way tie at 2-1 with Boston and Atlanta, while Washington remains winless at 0-3. Over in East Group B, Damian Lillard poured in 37 points and dished out 12 assists as the Bucks beat the Heat 106-103. Milwaukee remains perfect at 3-0 in NBA Cup play, while Miami drops to 1-2.
The West Group A saw the Rockets secure a 117-111 overtime win against the Timberwolves. Alperen Sengun recorded a 22-point triple-double to help Houston clinch a spot in the Quarterfinals. In West Group B, Victor Wembanyama’s 34-point performance helped the Spurs to a 128-115 win over the Jazz, improving San Antonio to 2-1 while eliminating Utah. Meanwhile, the Suns also moved to 2-1 after defeating the Lakers.
East Group C: Celtics vs Bulls
The first game to watch on Friday’s full slate of Emirates NBA Cup games is the Celtics vs Bulls. Both teams are 2-1 in the NBA Cup standings. The Celtics certainly have the upper hand on the Bulls as far as talent and experience, but the fun of the NBA Cup is that anything can happen. The Celtics were already upset by the Hawks in their first group play game. The Bulls are a young team with a lot to prove; they will come out firing on their homecourt to try to ruin the Celtics’ chances at winning their first NBA Cup after winning last season’s NBA Finals. Meanwhile, the Celtics are newly armed with Kristaps Porzingis returning from injury and are playing hard to try to regain the number one seed in the East.
West Group B: Thunder vs Lakers
The Thunder vs Lakers game is going to be a big one for multiple reasons. The Lakers have fallen in the NBA standings since their hot start, and a statement win against the top-seeded Thunder would be huge to prove that they are legit contenders. On top of that, the West Group B is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in the tournament. Right now, the Suns, Spurs, and Lakers are all tied at 2-1. The Thunder will be looking to keep their chances of continuing in the tournament alive, while the Lakers will aim for a win that will keep their chances at winning a second consecutive NBA Cup alive.
