Finding the Thunder’s NBA Cup schedule shouldn’t take three open tabs. Yet most listings quote Central time only, label three of the four games as plain “local” TV, and stop at the dates — leaving the real questions unanswered: what time is tip-off where you live, how do you actually watch, and what does each game mean for Oklahoma City’s run back to the final?
Four games decide it: Friday, Nov 6 at Memphis, Friday, Nov 13 at the LA Clippers, Friday, Nov 20 against New Orleans at home, and Wednesday, Nov 25 against Minnesota at home on ESPN. Everything below — dates, tip times in every US timezone, broadcasts, the group, and the path to Indianapolis — is checked against the league’s official schedule release.
Oklahoma City’s Four Cup Nights
What Time Is Tip-Off Where You Are?
National listings quote one zone and leave the rest to guesswork. Rows are the games, columns are the zones — find yours and you’re set.
| Game | Eastern | Central | Mountain | Pacific | Watch on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 6 at Grizzlies | 8:00 PM | 7:00 PM | 6:00 PM | 5:00 PM | NBA League Pass |
| Nov 13 at Clippers | 10:30 PM | 9:30 PM | 8:30 PM | 7:30 PM | NBA League Pass |
| Nov 20 vs Pelicans | 8:00 PM | 7:00 PM | 6:00 PM | 5:00 PM | NBA League Pass |
| Nov 25 vs Timberwolves | 7:30 PM | 6:30 PM | 5:30 PM | 4:30 PM | ESPN |
The Group in Front of Them
Oklahoma City landed in West Group B with Minnesota, the LA Clippers, New Orleans, and Memphis. Last season’s records explain why the Thunder opened as the group’s favorite — and why anything less than winning it would sting.
| 2025–26 West finish | Team | Record | Meets OKC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Oklahoma City Thunder | 64–18 | — |
| 6th | Minnesota Timberwolves | 49–33 | Nov 25, home |
| 9th | LA Clippers | 42–40 | Nov 13, away |
| 11th | New Orleans Pelicans | 26–56 | Nov 20, home |
| 13th | Memphis Grizzlies | 25–57 | Nov 6, away |
A 64-win favorite, two playoff teams, two lottery teams. See how West Group B compares with the other five groups.
How the Thunder Reach the Knockout Rounds
Four games, and the math is kinder than it looks. Oklahoma City advances if any of these happen:
Oklahoma City advances if…
- It finishes with the best record in West Group B after the four games;
- It finishes second but owns the best record among the West’s non-winners — the wild card; or
- Tiebreakers fall its way: head-to-head results first, then point differential.
That last line is why margin matters — a comfortable win can outweigh a one-point escape if teams finish tied. From there it’s single elimination: quarterfinals Dec 4–5 and semifinals Dec 8–9, both hosted by the higher seed. The championship is the one game that doesn’t count in the standings.
November to December: The Key Dates
November 24 and 27 are Oklahoma City’s nights off — the full Group Play schedule covers everything happening around the league those nights, including Philadelphia closing East Group B at Indiana on the 76ers’ Cup schedule. New York is in the East, so the Thunder can’t face the defending champion Knicks until a potential Dec 11 final. Out West, a semifinal could deliver a rematch with San Antonio, the team that ended last year’s run; the Spurs share West Group C with the Lakers.
Why These Four Games Matter
A national TV spotlight on Thanksgiving Eve
Three of the four games stream quietly on League Pass. The fourth — Minnesota at home on ESPN — is the showcase. It’s also the probable decider of West Group B: the Timberwolves are the only group rival coming off a winning season besides the Thunder themselves.
Unfinished business from two straight runs
Oklahoma City has reached for this trophy twice and come up short twice: a 97–81 loss to Milwaukee in the 2024 final, then a 4–0 group stage followed by a 111–109 semifinal defeat to San Antonio in Las Vegas last year. The champions and MVPs history keeps the full record — and the gap in it where a Thunder title would go.
The Christmas rematch with Minnesota
Exactly one month after the November 25 meeting, the same two teams meet again — this time in Minnesota on Christmas Day (ABC/ESPN). Whatever happens Nov 25 sets the tone for the holiday rematch, and both games double as regular-season results.
Watching and Attending
How to watch
November 25 is straightforward: ESPN at 6:30 PM CT. The other three need NBA League Pass, and the Dec 11 championship streams on Prime Video. To compare apps, prices, and setup for each service, see the NBA Cup streaming guide.
How to attend
Two home dates at Paycom Center: Friday, Nov 20 vs New Orleans and Wednesday, Nov 25 vs Minnesota. Single-game tickets went on sale September 24 through okcthunder.com and Ticketmaster.
Save the four dates in your own timezone before November 6. Track results, the Western wild-card race, and the bracket all season on nbacuplive.com.
Questions Fans Ask
When is Oklahoma City’s first 2026 NBA Cup game?
Friday, Nov 6 at the Memphis Grizzlies — 7:00 PM CT (8:00 ET) at FedExForum, on NBA League Pass.
What channel is Thunder vs Timberwolves on Nov 25?
ESPN. Tip-off is 6:30 PM CT from Paycom Center.
Are the other three games on national TV?
No. The Nov 6, 13, and 20 games are on NBA League Pass; the local channel was still to be announced.
What happens if the Thunder lose a group game?
Nothing fatal. Four games leave room for a loss, and the best second-place team in the West still reaches the quarterfinals. A loss would, however, hand the head-to-head edge to that opponent if the two finish tied.
Do NBA Cup games count in the regular-season standings?
Yes — every game except the Dec 11 championship counts toward the regular-season record.
Where is the 2026 NBA Cup final?
If Oklahoma City gets there: Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Friday, Dec 11, streaming on Prime Video.
Have the Thunder ever won the NBA Cup?
Not yet — Milwaukee beat them in the 2024 final and San Antonio ended their 2025 run in the semifinals.
Four games, two at home, one trophy that has slipped away twice. November decides whether the third try is the one — and December in Indianapolis is where it would end.
Schedule, tip times, and TV assignments reflect the league’s official group-play release, checked in early October 2026. Times and broadcasts can change, so confirm closer to game day.