Cavs NBA Cup schedule revealed
The Cavs hope to qualify for the tournament this year.
The Cleveland Cavaliers will have four games to qualify for this season's second annual NBA Cup. Last year, their 3-1 record in the qualifying games was not enough to reach the elimination stage of the In-Season tournament.
If you need a refresher on the format, this guide will do the trick. This season, Cleveland is in Group C, joined by the following four teams. The team with the best record in group play will earn a spot in the tournament.
Nov. 15 vs Chicago Bulls
The group stage begins with the Cavaliers defending their homecourt against the Chicago Bulls. Cleveland went 3-1 versus the Bulls last season, going undefeated at home and suffering their only loss in a double overtime disaster.
This should be an easy way for the Cavs to get started on the right track against a team in the thick of a rebuilding stage. The Bulls lost both Alex Caruso and six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan this summer.
Nov. 19 at Boston Celtics
Drawing the defending champs in your group isn’t ideal. But the Cavaliers have remained consistently competitive in matchups with the Boston Celtics. The Cavs went 3-1 against Boston the season before and secured an impressive comeback victory behind Dean Wade’s masterful fourth quarter in March 2024.
Cleveland played Boston tough for five games in the NBA Playoffs even despite injuries to Jarrett Allen and Donovan Mitchell. There is no doubt the Cavs will be hungry for another shot against the Celtics with their full roster available.
All things being equal, it’s safe to assume this matchup could determine who survives the group stage. These two squads will be favored in every other game — meaning this battle could be the only obstacle to an undefeated record for Boston or Cleveland. If you want playoff intensity in a regular season game, this is the date to mark on your calendars.
Nov. 29 at Atlanta Hawks
If the Cavs win their matchup with Boston then a meeting with the Atlanta Hawks is the last realistic hurdle for them to clear.
While the Cavs finished 3-1 versus the Hawks last season, Trae Young has always dealt a bizarre matchup that has given them problems in the past. The scar he left in the 2022 Play-In Tournament isn’t healing any time soon. Say what you will about Young, he is still a star who has frequently risen to the occasion in big games.
The Cavaliers are the better team and should feel confident in this matchup. Yet, I wouldn’t blame anyone who felt oddly uneasy heading into Atlanta.
Dec. 3 vs Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards finished 15-67 last season as the second-worst team in the conference. If the Cavs have survived the first three games of the group stage — this final matchup should be a formality.
Cleveland swept the Wizards with ease last season. There’s nothing that Washington has done to make you think this matchup will be any different this year. At the least, a frontcourt battle between No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr and the Cleveland duo of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen will be worth tuning into.