The NBA announced the groups and schedules for all 30 NBA teams in the league’s third NBA In-Season Tournament. The Washington Wizards have found themselves in the mix of a heavyweight group, featuring three teams that played in some postseason action last season. Can the Wizards push themselves into the race for the Emirates Cup?
Wizards NBA Cup Preview: Real Hardware Opportunity?
Last season, the Wizards were swept in their group stage, going 0-4 throughout their 2024 NBA Cup run. However, this season, Washington has been revamped and has a real chance to do some damage. Could they sneak into the cup bracket?
Washington’s Cup Schedule
The Wizards will be playing in the East A group this season. Four teams: Toronto Raptors, Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, and Cleveland Cavaliers are the four teams they will face off against for a spot in the quarterfinals. Let’s dive into the matchups and how Washington should approach each game.
Our @NBA Cup schedule just dropped
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— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) August 13, 2025
Cleveland Cavaliers
Washington’s first matchup is against the Cavaliers on November 7th in the nation’s capital. The Cavs are coming off one of their best seasons in recent memory, winning 64 games and winning the eastern conference for the first time since the 2015-16 season thanks in part to Kenny Atkinson.
Washington will need to stop the dynamic tandem of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, while also hitting the glass hard to try and slow the elite rebounding duo of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. Alex Sarr will be the Wizards’ X-Factor in this game, with his outside scoring needing to be on the mark if Washington wants to come out on top.
Toronto Raptors
The Wizards will take on the Raptors in the second game of the group stage in Toronto on November 21st. This game will highlight two top-ten picks in Tre Johnson and Collin Murray-Boyles. However, both squads feature impressive young talent all around. Washington will get plenty of chances for revenge on Toronto after losing the season series last year. They will play multiple times during the season, plus have an early matchup in the preseason.
Washington will need to attack the glass early. Toronto ranked fourth last season in offensive rebounds per game (12.6), and a big reason for that is the team’s physicality, with big man Jakob Poeltl being their key piece on the boards. If the Wizards can attack the rack early, they could secure the win. Toronto ranked 19th in the league last season in points in the paint, and Washington could use that to their advantage. Washington scored almost half of their points last season in the paint, and should look to force the ball inside.
Atlanta Hawks
Washington will be back at home for their third group stage match against the Hawks on November 25th. The Hawks have revamped themselves for real contention chances in the weak and wide-open Eastern Conference. Atlanta is coming off a somewhat disappointing campaign, being knocked out of the Play-In.
Atlanta will be a tough matchup, both on offense and defense. Headlined by Trae Young and Kristaps Porzingis, the Hawks will have a tough outside and inside scoring game. Defensively, Dyson Daniels and Nickeil-Alexander Walker will be a considerable challenge for the entire Wizards roster. Look for Johnson to either light it up or freeze, with possibly both Daniels and NAW getting matched onto him.
Indiana Pacers
The Wizards’ last cup group stage match will be played on November 28th against the Pacers in Indiana. Without Tyrese Haliburton running the offense, the Pacers will look to a variety of different players to bring the ball up and push the tempo. While Indiana will still be that fast-paced offense, it will be extremely turnover-prone, and Washington needs to take full advantage.
Washington’s defense will no doubt see an improvement from last season. Sarr will lock up the paint, with a variety of other players like Kyshawn George and Bilal Coulibaly locking up the perimeter. While Pascal Siakam will be in position all season for great opportunities, this may end up being Washington’s easiest game in the group. The tempo will need to be controlled by Washington, but if they play their brand of basketball, it should be an easy win.
The Last Word
Does Washington have a chance to make the NBA Cup bracket? Absolutely. Two of these teams may look at the regular season as a warmup to the playoffs, while the other two will be towards the bottom of the conference. All four of these games are very winnable for the new-look Wizards. Washington may not end up being the overall winner of East A, but could also sneak in as the conference’s wild card. While the NBA Cup isn’t the hardware Washington is chasing in the long run, it’s a great start.
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