We’re just scratched the surface of the 2025 NBA Cup. Currently only eight games have gone down, but we’ve seen plenty more of what to expect in this year’s NBA season. Using that sample size of games from the tournament and the ones in the standard schedule, we’ve put together some thoughts on the group winners. Come check out these value picks for the mid-season tournament.
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2025 NBA Cup Futures – Group Winners
East Group B – Detroit Pistons (+270)
The Pistons were actually my pre-season pick to win the NBA Cup. They have all the right things in their profile. They are a team that is competitive, but probably a bit away from being a favorite in their conference. They have some young studs that could step up at the right time. Everything is pointing in their favor.
Additionally, they got some help when it comes to winning their group already. The frontrunner to take East Group B – the Philadelphia 76ers – dropped their first game of the tournament and will be playing catchup. What is even better about that, is that they lost to the Boston Celtics, who I believe are in line for a really ugly year – at least by their standards.
If that holds true, that leaves them competing with the underperforming Magic and the woeful Nets in group play.
East Group C – Chicago Bulls (+180)
Don’t look now, but the Bulls might actually be good.
After their come from behind victory over the aforementioned 76ers on Tuesday, they moved to 6-1. Currently they sit with the Thunder as one of two teams with just one loss on the year. However, we know that the regular season records don’t always bear fruit in the NBA Cup.
Still, they are in a great spot to make a run in this group. On one hand, they already have a win in the group over the Knicks, who were previously favored to win the group. The Heat seem to be underperforming and I can’t see the Hornets being a factor at all. That leaves their showdown with the Bucks on Friday as a possible decider. With as hot as Chicago has been, I wouldn’t pick against them in that one.
West Group C – Houston Rockets (+250)
The Rockets are another team that benefits from a group that has started without them. In the first group game, the Nuggets – who seemed like a decent pick to win the group – fell by two against Portland. In an already competitive group, that should make things pretty hard for the Nuggets to come back from.
Portland seems to be playing above their projections a bit too high, and I expect them to come back to Earth a bit in these next few games. That still leaves the Warriors and Spurs, but both of them have slipped a bit heading into their first games of the tournament. I think all of that sets the Rockets up for a good spot to grab this number one spot.
If you’d like even more picks for 2025 NBA Cup Group Winners Futures, be sure to check out the NBA Gambling Podcast. The guys are dropping plenty of episodes to make you the smartest guy/gal at the bar.
