The New York Knicks entered last season’s NBA Cup as a team with good-not-great odds of conquering it. They left it with the trophy and outright refused to raise a banner, but will ultimately find themselves hanging up two, not one, by the end of October. Ah, life.
Now, the defending NBA Cup champions know exactly what stands between them and another deep tournament run, ideally back-to-back tourney chips, after the NBA unveiled the full group-play schedule for the 2026 NBA Cup on Wednesday.
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The NBA already suspiciously placed New York in East Group B back on July 1, alongside the Philadelphia 76ers, Indiana Pacers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, with group play running from Oct. 30 through Nov. 27. The group winner, along with one Eastern Conference wild card, will advance to the knockout stage.
The Knicks will open group play on Oct. 30 in Philadelphia against a royally revamped 76ers team featuring LeBron James and C’s odd-man-out Jaylen Brown. They then travel to Indiana on Nov. 13 to face a Pacers squad expected to welcome back — but not much more — Tyrese Haliburton after he missed last season recovering from an Achilles injury.
New York’s final two games come at Madison Square Garden, beginning with a Nov. 25 rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference Finals against Donovan Mitchell and the Wannabe Contenders Cavaliers before closing group play on Nov. 27 against a Miami team that added Giannis Antetokounmpo and depleted its four-to-12 depth in the process.
Knicks’ NBA Cup Group Breakdown
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Philadelphia 76ers (Oct. 30, Away): The Sixers added LeBron James and Jaylen Brown and look like the strongest opponent out there. Not only that, but they also boast franchise player Tyrese Maxey and an extraordinary young man in VJ Edgecombe.
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Indiana Pacers (Nov. 13, Away): Yes, they will have Tyrese Haliburton back, but this Pacers team is lottery bound for me until they prove they were not a one-year fluke. And you bet I’m betting on my belief.
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Cleveland Cavaliers (Nov. 25, Home): Eastern Conference Finals rematch after New York swept Cleveland. It will be good to extend the streak, won’t it?
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Miami Heat (Nov. 27, Home): Now led by two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo following a blockbuster offseason trade, it’s unknown whether the Heat will be able to field any playable dude besides Giannis, Adebayo, and Wiggins — depending on how you see the latter.
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Anyway, for what matters here, the NBA Cup knockout stage will begin with the quarterfinals on Dec. 4 and Dec. 5, followed by the semifinals on Dec. 8 and/or Dec. 9. This year’s championship game — mark it on your calendars if you’re a Knicks fan — is scheduled for Dec. 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis after the event moved from Las Vegas.
Full 2026 NBA Cup Schedule
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Nov. 13: Knicks at Pacers
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Nov. 25: Cavaliers at Knicks
New York will enter the tournament with a chance to become the first franchise to successfully defend the NBA Cup title after defeating the San Antonio Spurs in last year’s championship game, and will have a shot at putting together three consecutive championship victories (a mini three-peat? three-peat lite?) for the first time since the 2000-2002 LA Lakers.
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