Later during the regular season, the entire league will undergo the Emirates NBA Cup to see which team comes out on top of the tournament. The Milwaukee Bucks, however, are not projected to come out on top of their own group when that time comes.
The Emirates NBA Cup, the league’s second annual in-season competition, is set to tip off on November 12, 2024. The tournament will consist of two stages: Group Play and Knockout Rounds.
In the Group Play stage, all 30 NBA teams will be randomly drawn into groups of five within their respective conferences based on their 2023-24 regular season win-loss records. Each team will play four designated “Cup Night” games against their group opponents, with two games at home and two on the road.
The Knockout Rounds will feature the top teams from each group, along with two “wild card” teams from each conference with the best Group Play records. The Quarterfinals and Semifinals will be played in NBA team markets, while the Championship will take place in Las Vegas on December 17.
All 67 games across both stages will count towards the regular season standings, except for the Championship. Fourteen Group Play games and all Knockout Round games will be televised nationally.
Milwaukee Bucks Not Projected To Dominate East Group B of Emirates NBA Cup
In November, the usual format will be replaced by the tournament, which involves Milwaukee playing against the Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Toronto Raptors, and Miami Heat in East Group B. In an article by Andy Bailey for Bleacher Report, the Giannis Antetokounmpo-led team isn’t projected to dominate their group.
“The Miami Heat have a pair of superstars with multiple deep playoff runs in Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, but they also have some intriguing young talents who should be taking on more responsibility next season.
Tyler Herro will take a slight step forward next season, while Jaime Jaquez Jr. will take a big one. And their performance in this tournament will be a big part of that,” Bailey wrote.
Along with the Heat, Indiana also pose a threat to the Bucks after the Tyrese Haliburton-led squad made the Eastern Conference Finals earlier this year. Add the possibility of injuries and there’s a strong chance Milwaukee won’t conquer their group in the tournament.
It remains to be seen how the Bucks will perform later this year. If head coach Doc Rivers has both Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard healthy and productive, there’s a chance this projection won’t come true at all.
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