The San Antonio Spurs have been placed in West Group C of the inaugural 2026 NBA Cup. The group pairs the Spurs with the Luka Dončić-led Los Angeles Lakers, the Stephen Curry-led Golden State Warriors, the Sacramento Kings and the Portland Trail Blazers. Group-play games begin on Oct. 30 and will be contested on a Friday each week through Nov. 27.
Last season’s tournament gave San Antonio a deep run. The Spurs knocked out the Lakers in the quarterfinals, then dispatched the Oklahoma City Thunder in the semifinals before falling to the New York Knicks in the championship game. Those victories provided the Spurs with high-pressure experience that will be fresh in the minds of players and coaches alike.
Each opponent brings a distinct identity. The Lakers entered the season with Luka Dončić anchoring their offense. The Warriors continue to rely on Stephen Curry’s scoring firepower. The Trail Blazers, a team the Spurs eliminated in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, will be looking to prove they belong among the West’s elite. The Kings round out the group, completing a lineup that mirrors the conference’s current power balance.
From a tactical standpoint, Victor Wembanyama’s presence forces every opponent to adjust spacing and defensive schemes. San Antonio’s perimeter shooters can exploit the Lakers’ rotations that often collapse around Dončić’s pick-and-roll. Meanwhile, the Warriors’ high-ball screens will test the Spurs’ ability to protect the three-point line, a challenge the team addressed during last year’s Cup run.
The tournament also serves as a proving ground for San Antonio’s young core. The experience of beating a Dončić-centered Lakers side in a knockout setting should bolster confidence as the regular season approaches. For the Lakers, the Cup offers an early look at how their roster gels after offseason moves, making each group-play game a barometer for chemistry.
Every Friday matchup will have direct implications for the group standings, with the top two teams advancing to the December quarterfinals. The Spurs will open on Oct. 30 and then face each of their four group opponents on the subsequent Fridays, making each game a pivotal moment in the league’s new mid-season tournament.
San Antonio Spurs 
