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The San Antonio Spurs came one game away from winning the Emirates NBA Cup last season. They know their 2026 group now. Getting back to the final starts with West Group C.
The Los Angeles Lakers are the group’s most formidable opponent. Luka Doncic leads a retooled roster built around him and Austin Reaves, with new pieces added this offseason to address the depth issues that held Los Angeles back last season. The Lakers finished with back-to-back Pacific Division titles and won 50 games in consecutive seasons.
READ MORE: San Antonio Spurs 2026 NBA Free Agent Tracker
Golden State finished 37-45 and needed the play-in tournament, but Stephen Curry remains a player who takes over games in short tournament formats. Portland arrives with Deni Avdija coming off his first All-Star selection, Damian Lillard returning to full health and Ja Morant freshly acquired from Memphis. Sacramento finished 19-53 last season and enters a full rebuild around sixth overall pick Darius Acuff Jr., making the Kings the clear weak link in the group.
Of the five teams in this year’s group, only Sacramento is a completely new Cup opponent for San Antonio. The Lakers fell to the Spurs in the quarterfinals last year. Golden State and Portland were both in West Group C with San Antonio during the 2025 group stage. The Spurs went 3-1 in that group, won it outright, eliminated Oklahoma City in the semifinals and lost to the New York Knicks 124-113 in the championship game in Las Vegas.
That loss mattered more than anyone realized at the time. The Spurs and Knicks met again in June for the NBA Finals, making the 2025 NBA Cup a preview of the season’s biggest series before anyone knew it.
READ MORE: LeBron Leaves Lakers; Odds Of Signing with Wemby’s Spurs To Chase NBA Title?
Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper return with more experience and a clear sense of what winning at this level requires. Group Play games will be played every Friday from October 30 through November 27. The quarterfinals are Dec. 4 and 5, the semifinals are Dec. 8 and 9, and the championship is Dec. 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
San Antonio knows what this tournament feels like, and we all know this team's aggression toward winning, no matter if it's the NBA Cup or the playoffs. West Group C is the first step toward getting back there.
Continue reading...
The Los Angeles Lakers are the group’s most formidable opponent. Luka Doncic leads a retooled roster built around him and Austin Reaves, with new pieces added this offseason to address the depth issues that held Los Angeles back last season. The Lakers finished with back-to-back Pacific Division titles and won 50 games in consecutive seasons.
READ MORE: San Antonio Spurs 2026 NBA Free Agent Tracker
Golden State finished 37-45 and needed the play-in tournament, but Stephen Curry remains a player who takes over games in short tournament formats. Portland arrives with Deni Avdija coming off his first All-Star selection, Damian Lillard returning to full health and Ja Morant freshly acquired from Memphis. Sacramento finished 19-53 last season and enters a full rebuild around sixth overall pick Darius Acuff Jr., making the Kings the clear weak link in the group.
Of the five teams in this year’s group, only Sacramento is a completely new Cup opponent for San Antonio. The Lakers fell to the Spurs in the quarterfinals last year. Golden State and Portland were both in West Group C with San Antonio during the 2025 group stage. The Spurs went 3-1 in that group, won it outright, eliminated Oklahoma City in the semifinals and lost to the New York Knicks 124-113 in the championship game in Las Vegas.
That loss mattered more than anyone realized at the time. The Spurs and Knicks met again in June for the NBA Finals, making the 2025 NBA Cup a preview of the season’s biggest series before anyone knew it.
READ MORE: LeBron Leaves Lakers; Odds Of Signing with Wemby’s Spurs To Chase NBA Title?
Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper return with more experience and a clear sense of what winning at this level requires. Group Play games will be played every Friday from October 30 through November 27. The quarterfinals are Dec. 4 and 5, the semifinals are Dec. 8 and 9, and the championship is Dec. 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
San Antonio knows what this tournament feels like, and we all know this team's aggression toward winning, no matter if it's the NBA Cup or the playoffs. West Group C is the first step toward getting back there.
Continue reading...
