Here's what you need to know before the Celtics open Emirates NBA Cup play

The Emirates NBA Cup is finally upon us. Friday night marks the opening slate of group stage games, including the Boston Celtics’ visit to Wells Fargo Center to take on the Philadelphia 76ers.

This will be year three for the Cup, yet many fans still can’t (or don’t want to) comprehend how it all works. We’ve got you covered. Let’s dive into the majesty and mystique of the NBA Cup.

What is the NBA Cup?

The league introduced the NBA Cup back in 2023 to add some extra excitement to early-season games. All 30 teams are divided into six groups of five, three per conference, determined by a random lottery draw held in July. Teams are divided into different pots based on their place in the previous season’s standings. Each group gets a team from each pot to ensure that the groups are “even” (though offseason roster shifts can nullify this).

Throughout late October and November, teams will compete in group games every Friday, with additional “Cup Nights” scheduled for November 25 and 26.

Four teams from each conference (three group winners and a wild card team) compete in the knockout stage to determine a cup champion. If two teams are tied atop the group or wild card standings, head-to-head record and then point differential are used to break the tie.

The semifinal and final games are played at a neutral site in Las Vegas, with a winner being crowned on December 16.

The teams who do not reach the knockout stage will have additional regular-season games scheduled somewhere between December 7 and 14.

Why should I care about the NBA Cup?

In the years since the competition was first introduced, many fans have pushed back on the idea. They think the tournament is stupid and shouldn’t even be a thing.

I get it, I’m a hater myself, but quite enjoy the Cup, sorry not sorry.

If you’re one of the fans who doesn’t like it, that’s fine, but the games still count towards Boston’s regular-season record (except for the Cup Final, should they reach it). So, if you want the team to do well (or poorly for my tank commanders out there) then you should, in fact, care whether they win or lose these games.

Plus, point differential counting towards tiebreakers makes these games extra fun. Even if the result is decided, teams still play hard until the final buzzer. Under no other circumstance would you see the Celtics intentionally fouling Andre Drummond while up 30 points.

Pure magic.

Who is in the Celtics’ group?

The Celtics are in the Eastern Conference’s Group B, along with the 76ers, Orlando Magic, Brooklyn Nets, and Detroit Pistons.

Their full Group B schedule is as follows:

• Oct. 31, 7 p.m. ET, at Philadelphia (Amazon Prime)
• Nov. 7, 7 p.m. ET at Orlando
• Nov. 21, 7:30 p.m. ET vs. Brooklyn
• Nov. 26, 5 p.m. ET vs. Detroit (ESPN)

How can I tell that I’m watching an NBA Cup game?

Oh, you’ll know, don’t you worry. The NBA makes it impossible for there to be any confusion about what is/isn’t a Cup game. As soon as you turn on your TV, you’ll be met with the colorful court design of whichever team is hosting that night’s matchup.

Here’s a look at what Boston’s will look like: