Detroit Pistons 15-3 Toronto Raptors 14-5 Miami Heat 13-6 New York Knicks 11-6 Cleveland Cavaliers 12-7 Atlanta Hawks 11-8 Orlando Magic 11-8 Boston Celtics 10-8 Chicago Bulls 9-8 Philadelphia 76ers 9-8 Milwaukee Bucks 8-11 Charlotte Hornets 4-14 Brooklyn Nets 3-14 Washington Wizards 2-15 Indiana Pacers 2-16

Conference: Western Conference

Oklahoma City Thunder 18-1 Los Angeles Lakers 13-4 Denver Nuggets 13-4 Houston Rockets 12-4 San Antonio Spurs 12-5 Phoenix Suns 12-7 Minnesota Timberwolves 10-8 Golden State Warriors 10-10 Portland Trail Blazers 8-11 Memphis Grizzlies 7-12 Utah Jazz 5-12 LA Clippers 5-13 Sacramento Kings 5-14 Dallas Mavericks 5-14 New Orleans Pelicans 3-16

Here’s a detailed, up-to-date breakdown of the 2025 Emirates NBA Cup standings and the major storylines as we head into the final stretch of group play — with what it all means for who’s heading to the knockout rounds, who’s on the bubble, and who’s already out. I try to weave in context, implications, and what to watch out for.

First, remember: the NBA Cup uses a group-stage format: 30 teams divided into 6 groups (3 Eastern, 3 Western), five teams per group. Each team plays four games (one against each group rival). At the end of group play, the six group winners — plus two “wild cards” (the best second-place teams, one per conference) — advance to a knockout bracket. (Fox Sports)

Also — because of the small sample (only 4 games) — point differential (margin of victory across games) matters a lot for tiebreakers, along with head-to-head. (Fox Sports)

Where Things Stand: Group Play Recap

West – Group A

As of the most recent update:

• Oklahoma City Thunder lead the group at 2–0, with a whopping +63 point differential — the best in their group. (bet365 News)
• Phoenix Suns are also 2–0, but with a smaller margin at +23. (bet365 News)
• Minnesota Timberwolves are currently 2–1, with a strong +53 — better differential than Phoenix, which complicates things a bit. (Yahoo Sports)
• Sacramento Kings sit at 0–2 (-45), and Utah Jazz are 0–3 (–94), both effectively eliminated from contention unless something extraordinary happens. (Yahoo Sports)

So this group is largely a two-team race between Thunder and Suns — but Minnesota’s good differential keeps them mathematically alive, especially if they win out and one of the leaders slips.

West – Group B

• Los Angeles Lakers have clinched 2–0, +19 differential. (Fox Sports)
• LA Clippers are also 2–0, though only +2 differential — meaning the group is extremely tight. (Fox Sports)
• Memphis Grizzlies are 1–1 (+9), Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans are behind, making this group more contested than it might look at first glance. (Fox Sports)

Because the differential margin is slim — especially between Lakers and Clippers — final group-play games will matter a lot. A Clippers win over Lakers, or a poor Lakers performance, could swing the group.

West – Group C

At last full standings we have: (Fox Sports)

• San Antonio Spurs: 1–1, +10
• Houston Rockets: 1–1, +13
• Portland Trail Blazers: 1–1, –22
• Denver Nuggets: 1–1, +23
• Golden State Warriors: 1–1, –24

This is a very messy, balanced group where any of the top ~4 could still clinch — depending on how the last games go and point differentials. A single blowout win or loss could decide who advances.

Recent Developments, Big Moves & Eliminations

• On November 25, Los Angeles Lakers clinched West Group B thanks to a commanding 135–118 win over the LA Clippers. In that game, scoring came in droves: Luka Doncic dropped 43 points (including 24 in the first quarter) and near triple-double with 13 assists and 9 rebounds; Austin Reaves added 31; and LeBron James contributed 25. (Reuters)
• That same day — late November 25 — the group standings shook up dramatically: both Lakers and Toronto Raptors secured knockout-round berths, while six other teams across various groups remained in contention for the last spots. (Red94)
• Meanwhile, in the Eastern Conference, disappointing news for Boston Celtics: they’ve been officially eliminated from the Cup despite finishing group play 2–2. Their final win — even vs. a strong opponent — wasn’t enough to overcome earlier losses and tiebreaker disadvantages. (CelticsBlog)
• At the same time, Houston Rockets also saw their Cup hopes end, despite a close win over the Golden State Warriors in their last group-stage game. Their 2–2 record and a crowded group meant no wild-card berth. (Houston Chronicle)
• In a notable West Group C game, Portland Trail Blazers were eliminated after losing 115–102 to San Antonio Spurs. Despite a 37-point effort by Deni Avdija, Blazers struggled badly with turnovers and rebounding, and couldn’t overcome Spurs’ efficiency. (Blazer’s Edge)

So — as of now — Lakers and Raptors are locked in to the knockout rounds. Celtics, Rockets, Blazers are eliminated. Other groups (especially West Group A and West Group C) still have multiple teams vying for those last few spots.

What’s at Stake / What to Watch

Because of how few games there are in Cup group play and how important point differential is, a few factors can make or break a team’s path to knockout rounds:

• Blowout wins — or losses. A 20-plus point win (or especially a blowout) not only helps a group-standing win-loss column, but also builds a safe cushion in point differential — crucial if two teams end up with the same record. Conversely, a close win might not be enough if a rival runs up the score elsewhere.
• Consistency across all games. There’s almost no room for error: four games only. A single loss with a poor margin could sink a team, even if they win the other three.
• Head-to-head matchups matter hugely. If two teams in the same group wind up tied, whoever beat the other likely has the better seed (unless differential turns things weird).
• Remaining schedule / matchups. Some groups and teams still have harder opponents, some easier — which may influence how they approach games (blowout lines, benching, resting starters).

Given those dynamics: groups — especially West A and West C — still look open and competitive. Teams like Thunder, Suns, Timberwolves, Nuggets, Spurs, Rockets etc. all remain in play.

In East, while some groups seem more settled, the wild-card spot could still shake out depending on final games and results.

Big-Picture Thoughts: What This Cup Means

The Cup — still relatively new — is already creating some high-stakes drama. For many teams, it offers an early-season “mini-playoff” to compete for a trophy, meaning:

• Teams pushed harder early — not just for regular-season wins, but for margin and dominance.
• Some squads look different under Cup pressure: rotations, intensity, Green-light offense/defense.
• It’s giving fans a taste of competitive urgency at a time when early regular-season games can otherwise feel slow or meaningless.

For the rest of the Cup: expect elimination games to be intense, especially for wild-card contenders and close groups. A single blowout, an injury or a cold shooting night could swing things hard.