M.P. / KEVIN CARTER
Updated
The battle for the NBA Cup will begin on Friday, October 30 on Prime Video, with the start of the group stage in the NBA teams' markets. The New York Knicks will visit the Philadelphia 76ers at 7:30 p.m. (ET), followed by the matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors at 10:00 p.m. (ET). Both games will air on Prime Video.
Throughout the tournament, Emirates NBA Cup games will once again be played on custom, fully painted courts. These courts, with a strong visual impact, will be featured during the group stage, the quarterfinals, and the semifinals, bringing a distinctive and consistent look to Emirates NBA Cup games across the league.
Design Elements
Inspired by Nike’s “End of Ordinary”: Inspired by Nike Basketball’s Standard Issue 2026 collection, the courts bring the collection’s bold design concept to the hardwood, creating a cohesive look across the league.
Large-scale team names: The team names, inspired by the collection’s signature game jacket, are reproduced on both sides of each court.
Team identity at center court: Each court features the home team’s primary logo in the center circle.
Contrasting color designs: The courts’ color schemes are designed to contrast with the home team’s Statement Edition uniform, which will be worn in all Emirates NBA Cup games.
Cup elements spread across the court: The Emirates NBA Cup trophy will continue to be present both at center court and in the painted areas.
Title chase slogan: New for 2026, the tournament’s tagline, “30 teams. 8 advance. 1 champion,” will appear near the three-point line in the corners of the court.
For the Emirates NBA Cup, the 30 teams have been randomly drawn into groups of five within each conference, based on their win-loss records in the 2025-26 regular season. From Friday, October 30 through Friday, November 27, each team will play four group-stage games, scheduled on the so-called Cup Nights.
Eight teams will advance to the knockout rounds. The quarterfinals and semifinals will be played in the NBA teams' cities, before the tournament culminates with the Emirates NBA Cup final, in which there will be only one winner, on Friday, December 11, at Indianapolis' iconic Hinkle Fieldhouse. All knockout-round games will be broadcast exclusively on Prime Video.