In the 2023-2024 NBA season, the NBA introduced a new in-season tournament, similar to European football. The NBA’s tournament received mixed reviews, but overall, many favored the new mid-season event. With the Los Angeles Lakers winning the inaugural NBA Cup last season, the new-look Los Angeles Clippers will look to try to hang their first banner in the Inuit dome.
Los Angeles Clippers: Emirates NBA Cup Schedule Announced
Clippers Offseason Review
The Los Angeles Clippers reworked their roster in the 2024 offseason. The Clippers have 11 players returning, with seven of those players playing in over half of the Clippers’ games. Of those seven players, only four started in over 15 games. The Clippers will rely heavily on former MVP James Harden and two-time Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard. For the first time since the 2018-2019 NBA season, the Clippers will be without Paul George, who went to the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency. As a result, the Clippers added more depth, signing guards Kevin Porter Jr. and Kris Dunn (Dunn via sign-and-trade). The Clippers also brought in former top-10 pick Mo Bamba and brought back former Clipper and fan favorite Nicolas Batum.
LAC @ HOU 11/15
The Clippers will compete in the “West A” group of the NBA Cup, which kicks off November 12th, but the Clippers will have to wait a few more days, as they are scheduled to play the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center. The game will be played on Friday, November 15. Houston is led by young stars Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun, as well as third overall pick Reed Sheppard. Additionally, Houston has seasoned veterans and former Clipper Jeff Green on its roster. The Clippers won the season series against the Rockets 2-1 last season, with the Rockets win coming without George, Leonard, or Harden playing.
SAC @ LAC 11/22
A week later, the Clippers will be in the Intuit Dome to face the Sacramento Kings. This will be the Clippers’ second game in the group stage of the NBA Cup. This offseason, the Kings added a third star to pair alongside De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, in six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan from the Chicago Bulls. Sacramento missed the playoffs by one game last season, and are looking to make a deep playoff run this season. The Kings and the Clippers both won two games against each other last season, and should be competitive once again this season.
LAC @ MIN 11/29
On Friday, November 29, the Clippers will travel to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves for their third NBA Cup game. Minnesota has one of the best young cores in the NBA, built around Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns. The Timberwolves surprised many NBA fans by reaching the Western Conference Finals last season, and are the biggest threat to the Clippers in their group. New acquisition Kris Dunn should help slow down Edwards, and rotating Ivica Zubac and Mo Bamba should help contain Towns. Last season, Minnesota took the season series 3-1, with the Clippers lone win by just one point.
POR @ LAC 12/3
The Clippers will finish NBA Cup group play on Tuesday, December 3, at home against the Portland Trail Blazers. Portland was a bottom-five team in the NBA last season, and their roster got younger after trading away Malcolm Brogdon. With the Trail Blazers committing to a rebuild, forwards Jerami Grant and Matisse Thybulle could be traded, and the Clippers could potentially target either of them. The Clippers swept the season series against the Trail Blazers last season, and should match up well against them again this season.
