The regular season may just be 10 days old, but the first night of the NBA Cup is upon us.
The fourth iteration of the league’s annual in-season tournament tips off Friday, Oct. 30, with a slate of 10 games, all of which are part of the Cup.
Among the highlights are a rematch of the marquee regular season opener between the defending NBA champion and defending NBA Cup champion New York Knicks and the new-look Philadelphia 76ers. Just 10 days ago, the Sixers won that matchup, 106-100, in Madison Square Garden, but Friday’s game will be played at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.
The nightcap features another rematch of a season opener between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers. It’s also the re-up of a feisty matchup between Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg and Lakers star Luka Dončić, both of whom were engaged in a battle of words during the opener.
Follow along below for live scores from the 10 games, as well as winners and losers from the first night of NBA Cup action:
NBA CUP EXPLAINED: 2026 schedule, format, groups and more
Stream select NBA Cup games on Prime Video
- Washington Wizards 95, Charlotte Hornets 79 | FINAL
- Boston Celtics 125, Chicago Bulls 111 | FINAL
- Detroit Pistons 110, Brooklyn Nets 94 | FINAL
- Philadelphia 76ers 98, New York Knicks 93 | FINAL
- Orlando Magic 121, Toronto Raptors 114 | FINAL
- Miami Heat 145, Indiana Pacers 125 | FINAL
- Dallas Mavericks 116, Houston Rockets 111 | FINAL
- Minnesota Timberwolves 127, Los Angeles Clippers 101 | FINAL
- Golden State Warriors 112, Los Angeles Lakers 95 | FINAL
- Denver Nuggets 127, Phoenix Suns 120, FINAL
After dropping the first four games of the Giannis Antetokounmpo era, the Heat have course corrected. Miami has leaned into pick-and-rolls some more, though it hasn’t abandoned its desire to play in transition. But the biggest development for the Heat is that they are making their perimeter shots.
Klay Thompson erupted Friday night, making 9-of-14 attempts, including 7-of-12 from 3-point range, en route to a season-high 25 points. The Heat shot 18-of-40 (45%) from beyond the arc, and Antetokounmpo recorded his second triple-double of the season, on a 31-17-10 stat line. Antetokounmpo is averaging 16.3 rebounds per game over his last three, but Miami is allowing captain Bam Adebayo to play more to his strengths; whereas he was hanging around the perimeter in the first week of the season, Adebayo is operating far more with the ball in his hands and is getting to his preferred spots in the paint and at the elbow. The Heat need to sustain this, but dropping 145 points is a very good sign.
For the first time this season, Philadelphia was without forward Jaylen Brown, whom it acquired in a blockbuster trade this offseason with the Boston Celtics. It was not an issue, not even against the defending NBA (and NBA Cup) champion Knicks.
The Sixers withstood New York’s late attempt at a comeback, which is notable because the Knicks last season became known for their ability to erase massive deficits. It was also notable because Philadelphia got big contributions from its other stars; LeBron James put in a huge tip-in with 12 seconds left that put the game out of reach. Joel Embiid had several solid defensive possessions against Karl-Anthony Towns. Tyrese Maxey led all players with 27 points. The 76ers (5-1) have shown they can beat the best teams in the East. They’ve also showed they can do that with key players sidelined.
There could be a case made for West B (Thunder, Timberwolves, Clippers, Pelicans, Grizzlies) being the lightest group in the NBA Cup, particularly with the injuries facing Oklahoma City and Minnesota, but the Celtics – and the Hawks, to an extent – have the luck of the draw. East C also features the Hornets, Bulls and Wizards, unproven teams that do lack some elite star-level talent. Boston, however, should capitalize and come out on top, perhaps comfortably, which is nice for the Celtics, considering they’re also still incorporating new pieces into the lineup.
Once the Warriors dropped their first three games, there was concern over what type of season they would have. It was an early overreaction. They have since rattled off three consecutive wins and are beginning to look like a team that can compete down the line.
The Warriors will go as far as Stephen Curry will go. He's turned it up in the previous three games, scoring 24 points in a win against Denver while shooting 100% from the floor; scoring 44 points against the Timberwolves; and adding in a 31-point flurry against the Lakers.
But even when Curry is on, it's a team game and the Warriors' strength is in their depth. Other Warriors have stepped up in the previous games. They've leaned on Brandin Podziemski, Yaxel Lendeborg, De'Anthony Melton and Georges Niang. There's now a chance to build consistency and capitalize on their momentum. − Marcus D. Smith
And a key absence was a big reason why. Houston was without Alperen Şengün, who was managing lower back soreness. Making matters worse, the Rockets held an 11-point lead late in the third quarter, but the offense collapsed as Dallas’ defensive intensity ratcheted up and as Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving made clutch shot after clutch shot.
The return of Fred VanVleet at point guard was a massive boost to stabilize the offense and the point guard position. But Şengün has been Houston’s anchor and is averaging 24.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game. He can orchestrate the offense from the top of the key and find open teammates. As the Mavericks closed the gap and eventually took the lead, they could’ve used exactly that.
It has now been three games that Toronto has been without Kawhi Leonard, who is battling knee inflammation. The Raptors have lost two of those, and the latest came against an Orlando Magic team that’s without its best player: Paolo Banchero.
Toronto needed a 41-point showing from forward Scottie Barnes, and yet, they could barely stay in this one. The Raptors held a lead for just 2:10, but the offense simply could not find a steady rhythm. Barnes took 34 shots. And while he did connect on 55.9% of them, the offense was disjointed as Toronto tried to sustain scoring. Leonard was averaging 19.5 points per game before he got hurt, so it’s not like he was dropping massive scoring numbers. But without his presence, Toronto loses its offensive complexity.
If there’s one group in the entire NBA Cup that is overly stacked, it’s easily East B. Not only does it feature the defending NBA champion New York Knicks, it also showcases the runners up in the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals, the Cleveland Cavaliers, as well as the Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers.
Philly, of course, retooled this offseason and added LeBron James and Jaylen Brown, making the Sixers a popular preseason pick for the NBA title. Miami acquired Giannis Antetokounmpo and has struggled to start the season, but a victory Oct. 28 against the Hawks showed that the Heat have plenty of potential if they lean into pick-and-rolls. And the Pacers may be without Tyrese Haliburton, who is nursing a hamstring injury, but Indiana still has plenty of talent. If there’s a group of death in the NBA Cup, it’s this one.
Brooks was tossed from the Phoenix Suns' game against the Denver Nuggets during the third quarter after he received a flagrant 2 foul.
The longtime NBA pest "overtly" − in the words of official Tyler Ford − kicked the Nuggets' Jamal Murray in the groin area while attempting a shot. Initially Brooks was just assessed an offensive foul but it was upgraded upon review.
It was the Lakers' game to win after building a 23-point lead after 12 minutes. Instead, they crumbled and Golden State's momentum carried the Warriors through the remainder of the game. It's early, so there's no need to get worked up, but there's a pattern developing with the Lakers. They have lacked the focus to keep their foot on the gas in multiple games where leads have slipped.
Los Angeles has high expectations but will be its own worst enemy if it has lapses during games. Leads evaporate quick in the NBA. The Lakers got a dose of that on Friday. − Marcus D. Smith
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA Cup winners, losers: Dillon Brooks ejected for groin kick; Giannis, Heat get hot
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