Emirates NBA Cup 2024: Preview of West Group B

The countdown to the start of the Emirates NBA Cup 2024 is on, and as the teams gear up for the highly anticipated event, let's take a closer look at the teams in West Group B.

In December 2023, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers hoisted the first-ever NBA Cup as winners of the league’s inaugural in-season competition. Their path to defending the NBA Cup in 2024 features some stiff – and familiar – competition.

West Group B features the Lakers, Suns and Jazz, who were all in the same group a season ago. Also included are the Thunder (who finished first in the West last season) and Spurs (who are looking to make a leap in Wemby Year 2).

Last year, the Lakers went a perfect 7-0 to win the NBA Cup by sweeping Group Play 4-0, defeating the Suns again in the quarterfinals to head to Vegas, eliminating the Pelicans in the semifinals and the then the Pacers in the championship game.

 

Teamvs. Thundervs. Lakersvs. Sunsvs. Spursvs. JazzTotalThunderx1-33-03-13-110-5 (.667)Lakers3-1x3-22-12-110-5 (.667)Suns0-32-3x1-34-07-9 (.438)Spurs1-31-23-1x1-26-8 (.429)Jazz1-31-20-42-1x4-10 (.286)

When we look at head-to-head matchups from last season between teams in West Group B, the Thunder (10-5) and Lakers (10-5) were the only two teams to post winning records, with the Lakers being the only team to win the season series against all four West Group B opponents.

Meanwhile, the Suns (4-0 vs. Utah, 3-9 vs. the rest of the group), Spurs (3-1 vs. Phoenix, 3-7 vs. the rest of the group) and Jazz (2-1 vs. San Antonio, 2-9 vs. the rest of the group) each only won a single season series.

Teams Breakdown

Los Angeles Lakers: The Lakers return most of their roster from last season – with a new coach in JJ Redick – after winning the NBA Cup and being eliminated in the first round of the playoffsOklahoma City Thunder: After becoming the youngest team to earn a conference No. 1 seed, OKC bolstered its roster with the additions of Alex Caruso and Isaiah HartensteinPhoenix Suns: The Suns’ first season with its star-studded trio had its ups and downs, ending in a first-round elimination in the playoffs. With a new point guard in Tyus Jones, what does Year 2 look like?San Antonio Spurs: Victor Wembanyama’s spectacular debut season resulted in him winning Kia Rookie of the Year honors, but not winning very many games. With the additions of veterans Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes, how will his sophomore season look?Utah Jazz: After missing the playoffs the past two seasons, the Jazz enter the 2024-25 season in a rebuilding stage centered around re-signed All-Star forward Lauri Markkanen

Five Games To Watch

Lakers at Spurs, Nov. 15 (7:30 ET, ESPN): It’s not often that two generational talents face one another, so every LeBron vs. Wemby matchup is must-see TV. In three games against L.A. last season, Wembanyama averaged 23.3 points, 12.7 boards, 4.3 blocks and 3.3 steals. Anthony Davis (32.5 ppg, 11.5 rpg) missed the only game in the season series that the Lakers lost.

Suns at Thunder, Nov. 15 (8 ET, NBA League Pass): Oklahoma City swept the season series with the Suns last season, with Devin Booker appearing in only one of the three games for Phoenix. Kevin Durant (24.7 ppg) and Bradley Beal (20.3 ppg) combined to average 45 points in the matchup, but that production was offset by Shai Gilgeous Alexander’s 35 ppg on 57% shooting in two games.

Thunder at Spurs, Nov. 19 (9:30 ET, TNT): 2024 Rookie of the Year Wembanyama and runner-up Chet Holmgren had three head-to-head duels last season, with Wemby having the edge in stats (20 ppg, 13 rpg, 3.7 bpg), but Chet and the Thunder getting the wins (3-1 for the season, 2-1 in the three games that Wemby played). Will things play out in similar fashion in their sophomore seasons?

Lakers at Suns, Nov. 26 (10 ET, TNT): After not meeting for five years, LeBron James and Kevin Durant faced one another five times last season – including Lakers wins in both Group Play and the Quarterfinals on L.A.’s path to winning the NBA Cup. This game will also feature one quarter of the USA Olympic Team that won gold in Paris with LeBron, Davis, Durant and Booker going from summer teammates to opponents

Thunder at Lakers, Nov. 29 (10 ET, ESPN): On their road to the West’s No. 1 seed, the Thunder won or tied their season series with every team in the conference except one – the Los Angeles Lakers. L.A. went 3-1 against OKC a season ago, with LeBron and AD combining to average 53.3 points on 57.5% shooting. Can L.A. continue this success or will OKC turn the tables?

Prediction

The Thunder return the core of the team that finished first in the West last season and add two players in Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein that shouldn’t be difficult to fit in with their existing talent centered around MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The Suns enter the season with a healthy big three of Durant, Booker and Beal and a new point guard in Tyus Jones to help distribute and balance the offense.

The Lakers proved last season that they can succeed in this win-or-go home format and can’t be counted out of a single-elimination game when James and Anthony Davis are on the court together.

The Spurs will be interesting to watch after they finished 0-4 in Group Play a year ago. The Jazz finished third in their group last year, but that group also included the Lakers and Suns, who they will have to contend with again in 2024.

Prediction: Oklahoma City wins the group, with Phoenix and Los Angeles in the mix for a wild card.