The Trail Blazers will open their 2026 Emirates NBA Cup schedule on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers before closing Group Play with two games at Moda Center. Portland’s four-game West Group C slate runs from Nov. 6 through Nov. 27 and includes matchups with the Lakers, Kings, Spurs and Warriors.
Key Takeaways
- Portland opens NBA Cup Group Play at the Los Angeles Lakers on Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. PT.
- The Trail Blazers visit the Sacramento Kings on Nov. 13 before returning to Portland.
- San Antonio visits Moda Center on Nov. 25 in a nationally televised ESPN matchup.
- Portland closes Group Play against Golden State at home on Nov. 27.
- The winner of West Group C automatically advances to the NBA Cup Knockout Rounds.
The Trail Blazers learned their complete 2026 NBA Cup Group Play schedule as the NBA released the tournament slate on Aug. 12. Portland begins Friday, Nov. 6, against the Lakers in Los Angeles at 10 p.m. ET, or 7 p.m. PT. Prime Video will carry the game.
The opener immediately places Portland into West Group C competition against one of four Western Conference opponents it must face once during the tournament’s opening stage. The Lakers, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors make up the rest of Portland’s group.
The NBA created the six five-team groups through a draw based on records from the 2025-26 regular season. Each team plays four Group Play games, with two at home and two on the road.
Portland’s Los Angeles date is also one of two Group Play games on its schedule that will receive national distribution. The Nov. 6 matchup is the second game of a Prime Video doubleheader, following Philadelphia at Cleveland.
The schedule announcement arrives during an active offseason for the organization. Earlier developments included the Trail Blazers coaching search, one of several organizational storylines preceding the 2026-27 season.
Two Road Games Shape Portland’s Opening Stretch
Portland remains on the road for its second Cup game, traveling to Sacramento on Friday, Nov. 13. The Trail Blazers and Kings are scheduled for a 10 p.m. ET, or 7 p.m. PT, tip at Golden 1 Center, with the game listed on NBA League Pass.
That gives the Trail Blazers both of their Group Play road assignments before either of their home games.
The four-game structure gives each result added relevance to the tournament standings. Teams do not have a long group schedule to recover from an early loss. Records from the four head-to-head games determine the initial order within each five-team group.
Tiebreakers also give the final scores added importance. If teams finish Group Play with identical records, the NBA first uses head-to-head results, followed by point differential and total points scored. The previous regular-season record and, if necessary, a random drawing follow later in the sequence.
Those rules mean Portland’s games in Los Angeles and Sacramento will affect more than the basic win-loss column. They can also influence the standings calculations that become relevant if West Group C finishes with multiple teams holding the same record.
Trail Blazers Finish Group Play With Two Home Games
The second half of the Trail Blazers’ NBA Cup schedule moves to Moda Center.
San Antonio visits Portland on Wednesday, Nov. 25, at 10 p.m. ET, or 7 p.m. PT. ESPN will televise the game as the final matchup of a Thanksgiving Eve NBA Cup tripleheader.
Portland then has only one day between Cup games before Golden State arrives Friday, Nov. 27. The Warriors-Trail Blazers matchup is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET, or 6:30 p.m. PT, on NBA League Pass. It is Portland’s final game in West Group C.
The two-game home finish creates the most compressed portion of Portland’s Group Play schedule. By the time the Spurs arrive, the standings should provide a clearer picture of what Portland needs over its final two games.
Both contests will be played at Moda Center, placing the tournament schedule alongside broader developments involving the arena. The venue has been the subject of ongoing Moda Center negotiations involving its long-term use and proposed renovation framework.
NBA Cup Format Raises the Stakes of Four Games
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The 2026 Emirates NBA Cup begins Oct. 30, with Group Play continuing through Nov. 27. The league scheduled 60 Group Play games, including 15 nationally distributed matchups across Prime Video, NBC and ESPN.
Eight teams advance to the Knockout Rounds. The six group winners qualify automatically, while the best second-place team from each conference earns a wild-card berth.
Quarterfinal games are scheduled for Dec. 4 and Dec. 5, followed by semifinals on Dec. 8 and/or Dec. 9. The championship game is scheduled for Dec. 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
NBA Cup games also have regular-season consequences. Every Group Play game counts toward the regular-season standings, as do the quarterfinals and semifinals. Only the championship game is excluded from regular-season records and statistics.
That format leaves the Trail Blazers with a defined four-game route through West Group C. Portland opens with two road tests against the Lakers and Kings, then returns to Moda Center for a 48-hour closing stretch against San Antonio and Golden State.
Frequently Asked Questions
When Does the Trail Blazers’ 2026 NBA Cup Schedule Begin?
The Trail Blazers begin Group Play on Friday, Nov. 6, against the Los Angeles Lakers in Los Angeles. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. PT and will be available on Prime Video.
Who Are the Trail Blazers Playing in the 2026 NBA Cup?
Portland faces the Lakers, Kings, Spurs and Warriors in West Group C. The Trail Blazers play Los Angeles and Sacramento on the road, then host San Antonio and Golden State.
When Are Portland’s Home NBA Cup Games?
The Trail Blazers host San Antonio on Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. PT and Golden State on Nov. 27 at 6:30 p.m. PT. Both games are scheduled for Moda Center.
How Do Teams Advance From NBA Cup Group Play?
The team with the best record in each of the six groups advances to the Knockout Rounds. One additional second-place team from each conference qualifies as a wild card, creating an eight-team field.
