On Wednesday afternoon, the NBA released the groups for the third annual Emirates NBA Cup. The Boston Celtics will be a part of the Eastern Conference’s “Group B” along with the Brooklyn Nets, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, and Philadelphia 76ers.
The Cup’s group stage begins on Oct. 31 and will run every Friday through Nov. 28. There will be a pair of additional “Cup Nights” on Tuesday, Nov. 25, and Wednesday, Nov. 26.
Should the Celtics advance from the group stage, then they’d move on to the Knockout Rounds on Dec. 9 & 10. Past that point, the Semifinals will be played in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Dec. 13 and the Championship on Dec. 16.
How tough is Group B going to be for the Celtics?
Before Boston even thinks about advancement, they’ll have their work cut out for them in the group stage. Excluding Brooklyn, the rest of the bunch all have grounds to believe they have a real shot at being contenders in the Eastern Conference next season. There’s probably room for everyone but the Magic to fall completely flat, but the group should be a tough one, nonetheless.
Orlando acquired Desmond Bane last month in exchange for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, and five potential first-round picks. Bane, along with Tyus Jones, will add to an already impressive Magic core of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs. Considering that Orlando managed to finish seventh in the conference last year despite battling injuries the entire time, they’ll be a tough out in the Cup and should have an exciting year ahead.
Detroit shocked just about everyone last year when they went from a 14-win team to the East’s sixth seed. Cade Cunningham’s All-NBA leap, paired with the added shooting of Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley, catapulted them back into relevancy for the first time in over a decade. While Detroit hasn’t had the greatest offseason, losing both of the aforementioned shooters, they’ve done enough to stay afloat and will look to be competitive again in the 2025-26 campaign.
Philly had themselves a cursed season in 2024-25. Much like Orlando, they dealt with injuries to key players like Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and Jared McCain. The difference was that they actually looked like an injury-riddled team, while the Magic still fought their way into the playoffs. The 76ers took advantage of their misfortune and tanked their way to the No. 3 overall pick in last month’s draft, which they used to draft VJ Edgecombe out of Baylor. Assuming (which is a risk in itself) that their core returns for full strength, the Sixers might be looking at their best chance to win the East in recent memory.
Again, there’s a chance that the Pistons and 76ers fall short of their expectations, but Group B is full of competitive teams.
Does that mean that the Celtics don’t have a chance to win the group, or at least the East’s Wild Card spot for the Cup?
No, not at all.
Although Boston’s roster isn’t the powerhouse that it’s been for the past two years, it’s still not a “bad roster.” There are holes in places where there previously were not, like the center position, but core pieces like Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard should give them a chance to compete.
Plus, the NBA Cup leaves room for chaos. One win or loss can sway the outcome of a group, which means beating the Magic, who are probably projected to be the best team of the five, could open the door for Boston to advance.
If nothing else, the Cup could be a fun experience for a fanbase with little to be excited about as they watch their championship core be torn apart by the league’s CBA.