NBA Cup 2026 Schedule in Pakistan Time: All 6 Groups, Every Cup Night and the 11 December Final
NBA Cup 2026 in Pakistan time: next Cup Night is 5:30 am and 8 am PKT on 7 November, quarterfinals 4 and 5 December, final 11 December. All six groups listed.
The NBA Cup 2026, officially the Emirates NBA Cup, has its next Cup Night on Friday 6 November in the US, which is 5:30 am and 8:00 am PKT on Saturday 7 November in Pakistan. Group Play runs until 27 November, the quarterfinals are on 4 and 5 December, and the final is on Friday 11 December at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Almost every Cup game falls between 3 am and 9 am in Pakistan.
We read the group draw, the Group Play schedule, the key dates and the tournament rules on the NBA's own site on 1 November 2026. The NBA lists times in US Eastern Time. The US moved its clocks back on 1 November, so from now on Pakistan is ten hours ahead of Eastern Time. Every PKT time below is our own conversion.
Thirty teams play in six groups of five
The NBA split all 30 teams into three groups in each conference, five teams per group, based on last season's records. Each team plays the other four teams in its group once, two at home and two away, between 30 October and 27 November.
| Group | Teams |
|---|---|
| East Group A | Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic, Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets |
| East Group B | New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, Indiana Pacers |
| East Group C | Boston Celtics, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards |
| West Group A | Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz |
| West Group B | Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, LA Clippers, New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis Grizzlies |
| West Group C | San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings |
East Group B is the one to watch. It holds the Knicks, who won both the NBA Cup and the NBA title last season, plus a 76ers side that now has LeBron James, and a Heat side that now has Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to the NBA's previews.
Eight teams reach the knockouts: six group winners and two wild cards
The winner of each group goes through, and so does the best second-placed team in each conference, called the wild card. The wild card is decided by Group Play record and point differential. That makes eight teams for the quarterfinals.
Margins matter more than fans think. The NBA notes that in the first three years, eight teams finished Group Play 3-1 and still missed the knockouts. So a team that wins by 25 instead of 5 may be helping itself.
All Cup games except the final count in the regular-season standings. Teams that do not reach the knockouts play two extra regular-season games during the knockout week, so every team still plays 82 games.
The Cup Nights fall early on Saturday mornings in Pakistan
The NBA has picked a featured doubleheader for every Friday of Group Play, plus extra games on Thanksgiving week. On Fridays in the US, the first game starts around 5 am PKT on Saturday and the second around 8 am.
| US date and featured game | US Eastern time | Pakistan time (PKT) |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 6 Nov: 76ers at Cavaliers | 7:30 pm | Sat 7 Nov, 5:30 am |
| Fri 6 Nov: Trail Blazers at Lakers | 10:00 pm | Sat 7 Nov, 8:00 am |
| Fri 13 Nov: Knicks at Pacers | 7:00 pm | Sat 14 Nov, 5:00 am |
| Fri 13 Nov: Warriors at Spurs | 9:30 pm | Sat 14 Nov, 7:30 am |
| Fri 20 Nov: Raptors at Pistons | 7:30 pm | Sat 21 Nov, 5:30 am |
| Fri 20 Nov: Rockets at Nuggets | 10:00 pm | Sat 21 Nov, 8:00 am |
| Tue 24 Nov: Celtics at Wizards | 8:00 pm | Wed 25 Nov, 6:00 am |
| Tue 24 Nov: Mavericks at Nuggets | 10:00 pm | Wed 25 Nov, 8:00 am |
| Wed 25 Nov: Heat at 76ers | 5:00 pm | Thu 26 Nov, 3:00 am |
| Wed 25 Nov: Timberwolves at Thunder | 7:30 pm | Thu 26 Nov, 5:30 am |
| Wed 25 Nov: Spurs at Trail Blazers | 10:00 pm | Thu 26 Nov, 8:00 am |
| Fri 27 Nov: Heat at Knicks | 7:00 pm | Sat 28 Nov, 5:00 am |
| Fri 27 Nov: Lakers at Spurs | 9:30 pm | Sat 28 Nov, 7:30 am |
The 8 am games are the friendliest for Pakistani fans, because they run over breakfast on a Saturday or before work on a weekday. LeBron James's return to Cleveland with the 76ers is the first game on 7 November at 5:30 am PKT.
These are the national TV games only. Group Play has 60 games in all: 15 are on national TV in the US, including the two on opening night, and the other 45 are spread across the same seven nights. The full regular-season schedule, including Christmas Day, is on our NBA schedule in Pakistan time page.
Opening night went to the Rockets, 76ers and a Warriors comeback
Group Play began on Friday 30 October in the US, early on Saturday 31 October in Pakistan, with ten games. The NBA's own reports show Houston beat Dallas 128-110, Philadelphia beat New York 106-100, and Golden State came back from 23 points down to beat the Lakers by 17.
That 76ers win matters in East Group B. The Knicks start their title defence 0-1, with Cleveland, Miami and Indiana still to play. One loss does not end a run, but it takes away the margin for error.
The quarterfinals are on 4 and 5 December and the final on 11 December
The knockouts are single games. The quarterfinals and semifinals are played in NBA team cities, and the championship game is at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The NBA says all knockout games stream on Prime.
- Group Play ends: Friday 27 November (US), early Saturday 28 November in Pakistan.
- Quarterfinals: Friday 4 and Saturday 5 December (US), early 5 and 6 December in Pakistan.
- Semifinals: Tuesday 8 and/or Wednesday 9 December (US).
- Championship: Friday 11 December (US) at Hinkle Fieldhouse, early Saturday 12 December in Pakistan.
In Pakistan, the NBA's own streaming service, League Pass, is the main legal option. The NBA's League Pass page showed prices to us in Saudi riyals and did not mention Pakistan, so check the price in your own app before you pay.
Common questions
When is the NBA Cup 2026 final?
Friday 11 December 2026 in the US, at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. That is early on Saturday 12 December in Pakistan.
What time are NBA Cup games in Pakistan?
Mostly between 3 am and 9 am PKT. Friday Cup Night games start around 5 am and 8 am PKT on Saturday.
How many teams reach the NBA Cup knockouts?
Eight: the six group winners plus the best second-placed team in each conference.
Do NBA Cup games count in the regular season?
Yes, every Cup game counts except the championship game, according to the NBA.
Who won the NBA Cup last year?
The New York Knicks, who also won the NBA title in the same season.
Which group are the Lakers in?
West Group C, with the Spurs, Trail Blazers, Warriors and Kings.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
We read the groups on the NBA's group announcement, the featured games on the NBA's Group Play schedule article of 12 August 2026, and the rules on the NBA's Cup FAQ, all on 1 November 2026. Opening-night scores are from the NBA's own game previews and reports updated on 30 and 31 October. Pakistan times are US Eastern Standard Time plus ten hours, which applies from 1 November. League Pass pricing is from our 28 October read of the NBA's page. We did not verify the exact tip-off times of non-featured Cup games or the Pakistan price of League Pass.
About the author
Senior Writer, Public Services and Technology
Shahid joined us in 2024 as an author. He is a senior contributor to Pakistan's leading technology websites. He writes detailed articles, mostly covering his expertise in the latest tech, mobiles, apps, gadgets, and step-by-step guides. His ideology is to help people understand the latest trends and explain complex methods through very easy-to-understand guides.
