Lakers to Begin NBA Title Defense vs. Spurs on Nov. 15

The NBA has officially announced the schedule for the inaugural NBA Cup, set to kick off on November 12. The Los Angeles Lakers will begin their title defense against the San Antonio Spurs, featuring rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama. Meanwhile, Klay Thompson will make his return to Golden State as a member of the Dallas Mavericks on the same day. The group play games will take place on Tuesdays and Fridays, concluding on December 3. Each of the 30 NBA teams has been assigned to a five-team group, where they will compete against the other four teams in their group once. Notably, all games played during the NBA Cup will count towards the regular-season standings, with the exception of the championship game, which will be held in Las Vegas. This title game will serve as an additional 83rd game for the finalists, diverging from the traditional 82-game season format. In addition to the group play, teams that do not advance to the quarterfinals will have the opportunity to play two additional games, either in the NBA Cup playoffs or in scheduled matchups against other eliminated teams. This structure ensures that all teams have a full schedule, with those losing in the quarterfinals participating in what will effectively be their 82nd game of the season. Key matchups to watch include New York at Philadelphia and Charlotte at Orlando on November 12, followed by a series of exciting games throughout the month, including Chicago at Cleveland and Denver at New Orleans on November 15.