NBA Cup 2024: Who could make a surprise run? Which teams will advance to the knockout round?

The NBA’s in-season tournament is back! The 2024 Emirates NBA Cup begins Tuesday with group play. Which teams could make a surprise run? Which players could be breakout performers? Our writers weigh in on the festivities.

NBA Cup 2024 preview: Schedule, format and groups

1. What interests you most about this year’s NBA Cup?

Vincent Goodwill: It may sound silly, but it’s simple from here: Who will take this seriously? It takes a long time for traditions to become commonplace, and if the NBA Cup lasts, it won’t be this generation of players who don’t know a world without it. That said, we saw LeBron James and the Lakers take it seriously last year, and some took that as a signal the Lakers were really a threat in the West. The recent injuries around the league are annoying and take away some sizzle, but someone will sense there’s a real opportunity to gain some prestige here and even some season-long momentum.

Tom Haberstroh: Who gets to go to Sin City? I genuinely think there will be more player buy-in this season based on the major FOMO experienced for teams that didn’t get to go to Vegas last December. Teams were still trying to feel out the vibes last season. This year, I think the Vegas “vacation” is a real draw for teams looking for a winter getaway.

Which four teams will earn a trip to Vegas this year? (Photo by Tayfun Cokun/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Dan Devine: How much the spate of significant early-season injuries will impact the proceedings. Nearly every group has at least one team missing a top gun: the Magic without Paolo Banchero in East Group A; the Bucks with Damian Lillard now in concussion protocol and the Heat with Jimmy Butler out with an ankle sprain in East Group B; the Clippers sans Kawhi Leonard in West Group A; Kevin Durant and Chet Holmgren missing in West Group B; Zion Williamson and Ja Morant out in West Group C. Any one of those guys could tilt enough games in his team’s favor to propel them out of the groups and into the knockout round. Taking them off the board creates an opportunity for more players — on their own teams or others — to rise up and shake the table. Who…

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Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-11-12 18:16:00

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