NBA Cup Odds & Favorites 2026: Thunder Favored to Win In-Season Tournament
The Thunder are a +285 betting favorite in the 2026 NBA Cup odds.
Last season's tournament runners-up, the Spurs, have the second-shortest odds at +450, followed by the Celtics (+1100) and the defending NBA Cup champion Knicks (+1300).
🔢 NBA Cup opening odds
NBA odds via DraftKings, as of July 21.
| Team | Odds | Team | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thunder | +285 | Trail Blazers | +4500 |
| Spurs | +450 | Pacers | +4500 |
| Celtics | +1100 | Warriors | +4500 |
| Knicks | +1300 | Suns | +5000 |
| Pistons | +1400 | Hornets | +6000 |
| Raptors | +1600 | Wizards | +7000 |
| Timberwolves | +2000 | Mavericks | +10000 |
| Nuggets | +2000 | Jazz | +30000 |
| 76ers | +2200 | Clippers | +40000 |
| Magic | +2500 | Pelicans | +50000 |
| Lakers | +2500 | Bulls | +80000 |
| Hawks | +2800 | Grizzlies | +90000 |
| Heat | +3000 | Kings | +100000 |
| Rockets | +3000 | Bucks | +100000 |
| Cavaliers | +3000 | Nets | +100000 |
🏆 NBA Cup betting history
| Year | Team | Preseason odds |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Knicks | +550 |
| 2024 | Bucks | +850 |
| 2023 | Lakers | +1300 |
❓ NBA Cup FAQs
Who is the NBA Cup favorite?
The Thunder are a +285 betting favorite to win the 2026 NBA Cup.
Who won the NBA Cup last season?
The Knicks beat the Spurs in the 2025 NBA Cup final.
How does the NBA In-Season Tournament work?
All 30 teams are randomly drawn into six groups of five (three groups per conference) based on their win-loss records from the 2025-26 regular season.
Beginning in late October and continuing through late November, each team plays four designated group-stage games on Cup Nights (held on Tuesdays and Fridays) - one game against each opponent in its group. Two games are played at home and two on the road.
Eight teams advance to the single-elimination knockout rounds: The six group winners plus two Wild Cards (the team in each conference with the best standing among second-place finishers).
The knockout stage begins with the quarterfinals hosted in local NBA team markets. The tournament then culminates with the semifinals and the championship game in December at a designated host venue. All games (except the championship) count toward regular-season standings.
What do you get for winning the NBA In-Season Tournament?
Teams compete for a prize pool and the NBA Cup championship trophy.
When will the NBA Cup be decided?
The 2025 NBA Cup final was on Dec. 16, so expect the 2026 in-season tournament to finish in mid-December.
Do NBA In-Season Tournament games count toward team records?
All 67 games across both stages of the NBA Cup will count toward the regular season standings, except the championship.
Each team will continue to play 82 regular-season games in the 2026-27 season, including those games that are part of group play and the knockout rounds.
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