Cooper Flagg’s Mavericks will face Luka Doncic among others, in the league’s third iteration of the in-season tournament.
The NBA released groupings for the 2025 NBA Cup this week, the in-season tournament that takes place in the fall and culminates in a semifinal and final Dec. 13 and 16 in Las Vegas. The Dallas Mavericks will participate in West Group B alongside the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, and New Orleans Pelicans, facing each team in a round robin format. Group stage games kick-off Oct. 31, and lasts until Nov. 28.
The NBA Cup in its third year sees the 30 league teams split into six groups (three groups per conference). Each team will play four games, two home and two away, with eight teams advancing to the quarterfinals — the six group winners with an added wildcard winner from each conference based on cup record. In addition to group play, the quarterfinals and semifinals will count toward regular season record. For those that don’t advance to the knockout stages, substitute games will be added to fill out regular season schedules.
While it’s a stated random draw, the league put their randomizer to work and paired Cooper Flagg and the Mavericks with Luka Doncic and the Lakers. Expect the spotlight to lean in on that game. All things considered Dallas has a lighter group compared to West Group C which features: Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Portland Trail Blazers, and San Antonio Spurs.
The Mavericks improved from the inaugural cup, where they were eliminated in group play, by advancing to the quarterfinals. That round saw them face the eventual cup runner-up Oklahoma City Thunder, losing 118-104. Last year’s eventual winner was the Milwaukee Bucks.
Full schedules, which games will be home or road, and set dates will be announced in the future. Cooper Flagg can set his sights first on a summer league trophy before turning his attention to trophies elsewhere.