The Knicks’ next NBA Cup run starts Friday, and the path through group play is already loaded with familiar names. New York has been slotted into East Group B for the 2026 tournament, where it will meet the 76ers, Cavaliers, Heat, and Pacers once apiece between Oct. 30 and Nov. 27.
That group stage will decide everything. The winner of East Group B advances directly to the quarterfinals, while the second-place team can still sneak through as the conference’s lone wild card if its record stacks up well enough against the other runner-up teams. The top four teams in each conference move on to the quarterfinals and are seeded 1 through 4.
New York opens the group with a road game against Philadelphia on Oct. 30, then heads to Indiana on Nov. 13.
The final two tests come at home, with the Cavaliers visiting on Nov. 25 and the Heat coming to town on Nov. 27.
The knockout rounds are set for Dec. 4-5 in the quarterfinals, followed by the semifinals on Dec. 8 and/or Dec. 9. The NBA Cup Championship is scheduled for Dec. 11 at the neutral site of Hinkie Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
If the Knicks don’t make it out of group play, two regular-season games from Dec. 9 to 15 will still count toward the event schedule, though they won’t affect the Cup standings.
There’s also reason for New York to feel comfortable in this format. The Knicks own a 10-2 all-time NBA Cup record during the group stage and went 3-2 in group play overall, with losses in 2023 and 2024.
They then won in the quarterfinals, semifinals, and title game in 2025. The franchise remains one of only three NBA Cup champions so far, alongside the Lakers in 2023 and the Bucks in 2024.
This year’s group offers plenty of chances to stack wins and maybe build momentum after a slower start to the season. Philadelphia looms as the biggest swing game in the bracket; an undefeated run would almost certainly lock up a spot in the next round. Miami doesn’t look especially intimidating at 1-4, Indiana is dealing with injuries, and Cleveland is 3-2 without exactly striking fear into the league early on.
Still, the matchup slate brings real talent. The Knicks will see the Sixers again after opening night, plus Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo in Miami, Tyrese Haliburton in his first NBA action since his knee injury, and a Cavaliers team that could become dangerous if it starts clicking together.
There’s also a chance for some individual players to make noise. Tyler Kolek could get another chance to catch the Knicks’ eye, especially with Jose Alvarado injured. Mohamed Diawara and James Wiseman could also use the stage to show New York something positive, though how seriously Mike Brown approaches the tournament is still to be seen.
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