Schedule, predictions for the knockout stage

Group game NBA Cup ended, and eight teams advanced to the knockout stage. An assortment of teams are competing for the season tournament title this year. There is one of the NBA’s biggest surprises in the Toronto Raptors, Defending NBA Finals title at Oklahoma City Thunderand a team with an NBA Cup title already in the Los Angeles Lakers. So, who will win the NBA Cup in 2025?

NBA Cup Knockout Stage Schedule

Tuesday, December 9: Quarter-finals

• Miami Heat @ Orlando Magic, 6:00 PM ET (prime)
• New York Knicks @ Toronto Raptors, 8:30 PM ET (Prime)

Wednesday, December 10: Quarter-finals

• Phoenix Suns @ Oklahoma City Thunder, 7:30 PM ET (prime)
• San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Lakers, 10 p.m. ET (Prime)

Saturday, December 13: Semi-finals

• TBD vs. TBD, 5:30 PM ET (prime)
• TBD vs. TBD, 9 p.m. ET (prime)

Tuesday, December 16: Championship

• Western Conference winner vs. Eastern Conference winner, 8:30 p.m. ET (Prime)

NBA Cup Predictions

The NBA Cup Knockout Stage this year has a wide mix of very different teams, which will be exciting action. The Thunder are 22-1 in defending their championship. Their only loss of the season came in the tournament game of the season, but so far they look nearly unbeatable. The team has star power in the form of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and plenty of depth in the form of players who know how to help their team win.

The Thunder are off to one of the best starts in NBA history, and they should only get better with it Jalen Williams is now back in the lineup. The Thunder should win the quarterfinal game 115-102. The Phoenix Suns have had too much success this year, and while Devin Booker is back to being the clear best option, the team just doesn’t have the firepower to keep up with Oklahoma City.

The Lakers won the first tournament of the season. The team looked better than expected with LeBron James sidelined for most of the season. James is back, and his presence could lead to a deep NBA Cup run as Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic are already playing as potential MVP of the NBA Cup. The Lakers are playing an up-and-coming San Antonio Spurs team, but the Spurs are still young and don’t have much experience in high-stakes games. It is unclear whether Castle Stephon and/or Victor Vembanyama will be ready to go either, so the Lakers could win 120-108.

This would set up a semifinal matchup between the Thunder and the Lakers. James, Doncic and Reaves would surely give their all, but the Thunder’s combination of defense and shooting is difficult to overcome. Oklahoma City would advance to the finals after a 118-114 victory.

In the Eastern Conference, the Orlando Magic could beat the Miami Heat. While Desmond Bane got off to a slow start, he began to show why the Magic gave up a number of picks to add him to the roster. His 3-point shooting pairings fit perfectly on a team loaded with shooting and defensive talent. Expect Orlando to win the low-scoring affair, 101-97.

The Raptors and New York Knicks also have plenty of defensive weapons, so their play can be poor as well. Both teams have a ton of length, but the Knicks have more scoring in Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Branson, so they could win 107-103. In the quarterfinals, the Knicks will defeat the Magic 121-110, which leads to a clash between New York and Oklahoma City.

Everyone is going all out against the Thunder because of the massive target painted on their back, but it’s actually easier said than done to walk away from games against the Thunder with a win. The Thunder will win 117-115 in a tough game and become the third NBA Cup champion in history.