This season’s NBA Cup In-Season Tournament group play and schedule were announced this week. Although it’s still a few months away, let’s look ahead at who has a shot of winning. Will a new team rise up? Or will the LA Lakers repeat as champions?
2024 NBA Cup In-Season Tournament: 4 Teams That Could Win
Tournament Debut Met With Controversy
The NBA Cup will showcase its second go-around this year. As the league debuted its brand-new mid-season initiative last year, speculation and mixed reactions ran every which way. Across the media landscape, sports talk shows, and amongst fans, the in-season tournament was either loved or hated. For some, the courts were awful and over the top. For others, the tournament was unnecessary and carried no value. The added competition inserted fire and drive to the players to play hard and keep the competitive nature of the league alive because we all know that the All-Star did away with that years ago.
In the end, the Los Angeles Lakers took the title, winning the NBA’s first-ever in-season tournament in Las Vegas. The Lakers defeated a surprise opponent, the Indiana Pacers, 123–109. LeBron James was awarded tournament MVP.
This Season’s NBA In-Season Tournament Outlook
ESPN Senior NBA analyst Brian Windhorst convincingly pointed out last year that the in-season tournament will mean more to the players down the road, and this tournament will eventually become a proud accomplishment for players and teams around the league.
As this season’s groups were announced recently, it’s fair to question whether the public or media perception has changed since last year. According to the NBA, the ratings proved that last year’s in-season tournament was successful. Many of the league’s best players also backed the tournament, which had to have been a significant boost for the league.
All of that being said, it’s fun to speculate who this season’s NBA Cup winner could be. Will the Lakers repeat? Will a new team rise up? Here are two teams from each respective conference with legitimate chances of coming out on top.
Eastern Conference
Boston Celtics & New York Knicks
The Celtics are the newly crowned NBA Champions and are an obvious choice to take the tournament this year. Their team’s starting five and core, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and Derrick White, are all back with the team. There is also a good chance that the Celtics will roll through the NBA again, competing in both the in-season tournament and the NBA finals, winning both.
We can’t sleep on the Knicks. Their run in the postseason last year may have just been the beginning of something awesome coming out of Madison Square Garden. Jalen Brunson is the superstar who’s not quite a superstar, and his running mates from Villanova pack a punch. With the offseason addition of Mikal Bridges, the Knicks are primed to have an outstanding season. Striving to win the NBA Cup should be in their periscope.
Western Conference
LA Lakers & Minnesota Timberwolves
Yes, seeing the purple and gold repeat next year is entirely plausible. The Lakers are the only NBA team with two top-ten players on their roster. LeBron James is still playing better than 98% of the league, and Anthony Davis is capable of being the league’s best center if he wants it every night. How can you count them out? Plus, been there, do it again, right? The Lakers went undefeated in last year’s in-season tournament. Chances are, they can replicate that this year.
Anthony Edwards. He’s got it all, and he wants to win. Minnesota could find themselves right back at the top of the conference around the start of the tournament, and there would be no shame in going for the title. A win here could do much for their playoff push and championship chase later in the season. With Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert seemingly finding their fit last year and being a young, energetic team, the Timberwolves are a legitimate threat for the NBA Cup. After securing his first Olympic gold medal, I think it’s in Antman’s blood to want to win everything he can.
