The Timberwolves are heading into Friday with a little something extra on the line. Their NBA Cup run begins with a group-play matchup against the Clippers, and for Minnesota, the timing matters as it tries to sort out life without Anthony Edwards. The tighter format of the Cup could speed that process up.
Minnesota landed in West Group B for the 2026 NBA Cup, alongside the Thunder, Pelicans, Clippers and Grizzlies. Each team in the group plays the others once - two games at home and two on the road - over the stretch from Oct. 30 to Nov. 27.
The setup is simple enough: win the group and you advance to the quarterfinals. The second-place team can still sneak into the knockout round, but only if it posts the best record among the three second-place teams across the groups.
The Timberwolves open group play on Oct. 30 at home against the Clippers. After that, they travel to face the Pelicans on Nov. 6, then take on the Thunder on ESPN on Nov. 25, before closing group play at home against the Grizzlies on Nov. 27.
The quarterfinals of the 2026 NBA Cup are scheduled for Dec. 4-5, with the semifinals following on Dec. 8 and/or Dec. 9. The championship is set for Dec. 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Minnesota’s history in the event has been solid in the group stage, but the breakthrough has not arrived yet. The Timberwolves are 7-5 all-time in NBA Cup group play.
They have never reached the knockout round. Their closest brush came in 2023, when they went 3-1 and finished second, but still missed out on the wild card because of the point-differential tiebreaker after ending up tied with the 3-1 Suns.
This year’s slate also gives Minnesota a chance to see how LaMelo Ball handles the pressure of being the lead option with stakes attached. That is a useful test for a player the Timberwolves hope can fill that role again when April arrives.
Ball did not have a clean first game without Edwards after the trade that brought him to Minnesota, so the next month should offer a clearer read on how he manages the Cup schedule while carrying the offense as the No. 1 option.
There are also some favorable spots in the group. The Pelicans and Clippers have both stumbled out of the gate, which gives Minnesota a chance to build momentum after losing Edwards.
The Thunder offer an early look at one of the West’s top teams, even with injury-related absences trimming some of their talent in recent days. And the Grizzlies, off to a 5-0 start, should provide a strong final test for both clubs.
Edwards’ absence from the NBA Cup is a setback, especially because the kind of high-pressure environment the event creates seems tailor-made for him. It also means more minutes and more responsibility for Terrence Shannon Jr., Ayo Dosunmu and Bones Hyland, all of whom should get a better chance to contribute during the tournament.
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