Philadelphia fans did not have a 76ers game to watch on Friday November 7th. If they tuned in around the NBA they found week two of the Emirates NBA Cup in full swing. The garish custom courts announce that these games matter just a bit more than an average night of basketball. After dropping their first in-season-tournament game to Boston on Halloween night, the 76ers will likely need some help to make it to the Cup's knockout rounds in Vegas, where previous 76ers rookies have showed out.
For the third edition of the tournament, Philadelphia drew Eastern Conference Group B, which consists of the rival Celtics, the Pistons and Magic (two young and successful teams), and the forever-tanking Nets. After two weeks of Cup games, the 76ers find themselves behind nearly their entire group. Orlando beat Boston by a baker's dozen last night, and Detroit blew out Brooklyn.
76ers best odds of advancing would come through a Wild Card spot
Unlike most NBA games, point differential matters in the NBA Cup, and wider margins of victory help one second place team in each conference advance through a "Wild Card" spot to the knockout rounds. This means that outside of standard rooting interests for tournament group play, like the Olympics, Philadelphia fans should also root for low-scoring, close games between teams like Atlanta, Cleveland, Milwaukee, and New York, in addition to big wins for the 76ers themselves.
Philadelphia needs to win out and win big in their remaining cup matchups, consisting of two Friday night road games in Detroit and Brooklyn while hosting Orlando in between. The 76ers will see the first seeded Detroit Pistons Sunday November 9th for a non-cup game before their cup matchup on the 14th. Philadelphia will be coming off a back-to-back for Sunday's matchup, but will have an opportunity to find out what works and doesn't against Cade Cunningham and Tobias Harris.
A 76ers run for the Cup could come with reinforcements
After facing Detroit, Philadelphia will host four of their next five games, ideally finding time to reintroduce injured contributors Paul George, Jared McCain, and Dominick Barlow against traditionally tough matchups like Miami and Milwaukee, both of which find themselves clawing early for seeding in a wide-open-yet-crowded Eastern Conference.
McCain returned from injury recently, though has yet to have a breakout performance this season. George and Barlow are both expected to return during the month of November and could theoretically be available in the knockout rounds. Embiid's health will forever be a question, though no remaining NBA Cup games include any back-to-backs. Maxey has consistently shown out in big moments, and this will be another opportunity for The Franchise to put his mark on 76ers history.