Emirates NBA Cup returns with a knockout arc that rewards depth, health, and late-season momentum. LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the Cup’s marquee legacy figures, while Thunder and Pacers illustrate how a strong Cup run can fuel playoff climbs. The 30-team format unfolds Oct 31 through December, with group play feeding eight advancing teams and a knockout phase culminating in a Dec 16 final in Las Vegas. NBC and Peacock will carry marquee showdowns, including a Halloween doubleheader: Celtics vs. 76ers and Lakers vs. Grizzlies, signaling a playoff-minded energy around the sport. The slate features high-profile matchups to watch—Paolo Banchero vs. Franz Wagner against Paul George and Joel Embiid—alongside ongoing duels like Magic–76ers and Bucks–Knicks, plus Mavericks at Lakers and Warriors at Nuggets—transforming Cup results into immediate fantasy implications for the spring.