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The NBA's annual in-season tournament, the Emirates NBA Cup, kicks off tonight with the first 10 group stage games. Key matchups include the defending champion New York Knicks visiting the Philadelphia 76ers, the unbeaten Houston Rockets facing the Dallas Mavericks, and the Golden State Warriors hosting the Los Angeles Lakers. Group stage games will be played every Friday, with knockout rounds starting December 4 and the championship game scheduled for December 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
The Boston Celtics will begin their NBA Cup journey against the Chicago Bulls at TD Garden. The Celtics, who have won three straight games after an opening loss, are led by Jayson Tatum, who is averaging 28 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 8 assists per game. According to MassLive, the Celtics have an 86.7% chance of winning against the Bulls, who will be missing Nic Claxton due to a hamstring injury.
The tournament features 30 NBA teams divided into six groups of five, with three groups in each conference. The Celtics are in Eastern Conference Group C, along with the Bulls, Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards, and Charlotte Hornets. Each team will play four group stage games, two at home and two on the road. As reported by Yahoo Sports, teams that go 4-0 in group play have a perfect record of advancing to the elimination round.
In East Group A, the Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, and Orlando Magic are among the teams competing. The Pistons, who were the No. 1 seed in the East last season, will face the Raptors and Magic in key matchups. The Raptors, led by Kawhi Leonard, and the Magic, under new coach Sean Sweeney, will be without some of their star players due to injuries. For more details on East Group A, visit the NBA's official site.