Rui Hachimura was honest when asked about how he and the Los Angeles Lakers will be motivating themselves heading into the NBA Cup. He joked that the players on the team were focused on winning the NBA Cup for the cash prize that all the players are guaranteed.
“We just want the money. That’s it.”
Rui Hachimura on the NBA Cup: “We just want the money.” 🤣 #Lakeshow pic.twitter.com/08IHRNQze4
— LoJo Media (@LoJoMedia) November 14, 2024
Hachimura might have been joking, but there is no denying that the $500,000 that all players on the winning team receive from the NBA Cup is a great perk. The Lakers won the inaugural NBA Cup, then known as the In-Season Tournament, last year, and there is no doubt that the team would like to defend their crown this year.
The Lakers have a difficult group for the NBA Cup, as they have to overcome the San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, and Oklahoma City Thunder. Their first game in the group stage comes this Friday, as they play against the Spurs in San Antonio. You can find the entire NBA Cup schedule for the Lakers below:
Game 1 – vs. San Antonio Spurs – AT&T Center, San Antonio – Friday, November 15th, 7:30 PM EST
Game 2 – vs. Utah Jazz – Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles – Tuesday, November 19th, 10:30 PM EST
Game 3 – vs. Phoenix Suns – Footprint Center, Phoenix – Tuesday, November 26th, 10 PM EST
Game 4 – vs. Oklahoma City Thunder – Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles – Friday, November 29th, 10:30 PM EST
To advance in the tournament, the Lakers would have to finish first in their group or finish second in their group with a strong record across the tournament to enter as a wild card team. If they manage to do that, they will make it to the quarter-finals.
From there, they would have to win their knockout games all the way to the finals to win the NBA Cup.
Los Angeles Lakers Strong Contenders For NBA Cup
There is no doubt that the Lakers are big contenders to win the NBA Cup. They come into the tournament with the confidence of being the inaugural and defending winners of the tournament and will feel that they can do it again. On top of that, they have built strong momentum heading into the tournament.
The Lakers are currently 7-4 and are on a three-game winning streak heading into their first tournament game against the San Antonio Spurs. They look like a transformed team compared to how they played under Darvin Ham, and JJ Redick has shown that he has what it takes to coach them well.
On top of that, the Spurs are struggling right now, as they have started the season poorly. Should the Lakers perform to the level we know they are capable of, they should be able to get the win against the Spurs and start their NBA Cup campaign off with a win.
Stay tuned to Fadeaway World for all the coverage surrounding the NBA Cup, including instant analyses, fan reactions, and player grades.
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