In or out: the NBA cup enters the elimination phase, between quarterfinals at home of the best ranked teams and the final act in Sin City
The Emirates NBA Cup enters its decisive moment: format inside or outsidequarter-finals on the parquet of the teams with the best record, then semi-finals and final in Las Vegas. The start in the night between Tuesday and Wednesday with Magic vs Heat (00:00)followed by Raptors vs Knicks (02:30); the following night it’s the West’s turn with Thunder vs Suns (01:30) e Lakers vs Spurs (04:00).
All matches, from the quarterfinals to the final, are broadcast on Amazon Prime.
The cup has already carved out a stable space for itself in the NBA calendar, with adjustments in progress but a winning underlying idea: every game can be “last”, and the competitive energy benefits from this.
The semi-finals will be played in Las Vegas Saturday (11.30pm) e Sunday (03:00)with the finale on the night between Tuesday and Wednesday starting from 02:30always live on Amazon Prime.
All against Oklahoma City Thunder: vice-champions of the last edition, reigning NBA champions and best regular season team with a 23-1 which undermines the historic start of the Warriors (29-1).
The open strip of 15 victories makes them favourites, but “game-time” absences can have an impact in one-off matches: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz there e Alex Caruso I’m in doubt, Isaiah Hartenstein out.
Watch out Lakerson the other side of the board: they will have to overcome the Spurs and then Thunder (o Suns). LeBron James He returned in great condition and with a Luka Doncic almost unstoppable they aim for an encore, after having won the first edition; to the East, Knicks growing (three successes in a row) ahead of Raptors declining, while the challenge Magic (4-0 in the group, but without Franz Wagner) vs Heat it smells like trap. In the West, in addition to the Thunder and Lakers, there are the Suns started strong after the “cleaning” of the roster but without Devin Booker e Jalen Greenthey Spurs without Victor Wembanyama.
