Starting 5: Emirates NBA Cup 2026 Night 3 has plenty at stake

Stay cool and calm like Cade.

The Pistons’ superstar brings them home in double overtime.

5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

Cup Night 3: 18 teams, nine games, seven unbeatens in the tournament and 11 seeking their first win

Warriors at Spurs: How Wemby’s interior dominance is fueling San Antonio’s streak

Knicks at Pacers: Early takeaways from New York’s defense of their 2026 trophy ‘double’ before a rivalry clash

A Thriller: Cunningham’s career-high 52 points help Pistons survive Wizards’ buzzer-beating theatrics

Kia MVP Ladder: Why Luka & Wemby remain 1 & 2 on Shaun Powell’s latest list

BUT FIRST … ⏰

The third of five straight Friday ‘Cup Nights’ is headlined by a Prime doubleheader as the Knicks visit the Pacers (7 ET), before the Spurs seek their 11th straight win as they host the Warriors (9:30 ET).

1. WHAT’S AT STAKE ENTERING NBA CUP NIGHT 3

NBAE via Getty Images

The Emirates NBA Cup was designed to bring high-stakes games to the early months of the regular season.

And tonight, the consequences come down.

The nine-game slate features seven teams looking to improve to 2-0. Another 11 are seeking their first win in Group Play, with every matchup carrying major implications.

What makes tonight so important?

• In the first three years of this in-season competition, no team with two losses in Group Play has advanced to the Knockout Rounds
• That turns up the heat for the 11 teams looking to avoid an 0-2 start, with at least four guaranteed to suffer their second loss tonight
• And even one loss can prove costly: Eight teams have finished Group Play at 3-1 and still missed the Knockouts
• While 4-0 is huge … 10 of the 18 previous group winners went 4-0 in Group Play, giving tonight’s seven unbeaten teams even more incentive to stay perfect

So, what’s on tap tonight? The nine games fall into three categories, each with its own stakes:

Note: All games are on League Pass unless otherwise noted.

• Battle of Unbeatens: Cavs at Heat (8 ET); Warriors at Spurs (9:30 ET, Prime)
• 1-0 vs. 0-1: Magic vs. Bucks (7 ET); Hawks at Bulls (8 ET); Thunder at Clippers (10:30 ET)
• Both Targeting First Wins: Knicks at Pacers (7 ET, Prime); Grizzlies at Pelicans (8 ET); Jazz at Rockets (8:30 ET); Blazers at Kings (10 ET)

And the fireworks have already begun, with the first two Cup Nights delivering a slew of electrifying moments.

• The Warriors got scary hot on Halloween eve, flipping a 23-point deficit into a 17-point win, capping a historic 40-point swing
• One week later, Luka Dončić erupted for 53, the 2nd-most points scored in an NBA Cup game
• That same night, Victor Wembanyama (30 pts, 14 reb) and the Spurs extended their win streak, while Ajay Mitchell’s career night powered OKC
• Meanwhile, Cooper Flagg took flight alongside Kyrie Irving, as the Mavs joined the Celtics and Wolves as the only 2-0 teams

2. ON PRIME: SPURS SEEK 11TH STRAIGHT WIN, HOSTING WARRIORS

He’s made the extraordinary an expectation. Finger rolls from beyond the free-throw line. Three blocks in 13 seconds. Nightly stat lines that don’t seem real, yet somehow keep topping the last.

But Victor Wembanyama has never had a stretch like this.

Tonight on Prime, Wemby brings the hottest scoring run of his career – one unlike anything in 50-plus years – into a showdown with the Warriors, looking to lead San Antonio to its 11th straight win.

Both teams eye a 2-0 start in Group Play. For Golden State, that means playing without Stephen Curry while trying to solve one of basketball’s toughest puzzles: stopping Wembanyama.

The Tear: During San Antonio’s 10-game win streak, Wemby has amassed 326 points, 114 rebounds, 45 blocks and 21 3s – a combination no player has matched over any 10-game span since blocks were first tracked in 1973-74.

• The Buckets: His 32.6 ppg over that span marks the highest 10-game scoring stretch of his career, featuring two 40-pieces and a career-high 52
• The Scary Part? There’s more to his scoring explosion than the numbers suggest

The Spark: In San Antonio’s season-opening loss to OKC, Wemby was held to 12 points, going just 1-for-13 from the field. Half of his missed shots came from at least 16 feet out, including an 0-for-4 night from 3.

• “I was indecisive,” Wemby said of the tough shooting night. “I’ve got no reason to be hesitant … What I have to do is really let go. I don’t need to do more, I need to think less.”

Three weeks later, he’s averaging career highs in points (30.3) and field goal percentage (54.3%), yet shooting a career-low 32.4% from 3.

The difference? Less hesitation and more inside domination.

• More Touches: Last season, Wemby ranked 17th in paint touches per game with 6.9 (min. 60 GP). This season, he has the 3rd-most with a career-high 10.2
• More Damage: With those extra touches, Wemby has imposed his will: more than half of his points are coming from within the paint this season at 16.2 ppg – 5.1 more than his previous career high (11.1)

The Cheat Code: But it’s not just how often Wemby gets the ball in the paint. It’s how easily he can turn those touches into looks right at the rim, using his rare length to finish at a remarkable rate.

• Volume: This season, Wemby has made an NBA-best 86 field goals from within five feet of the basket. Only two other players have made more than 70: Giannis (85) and Walker Kessler (79)
• Efficiency: In total, 41 players have attempted 50+ shots from that range this season. Of that group, Wemby has the highest conversion rate, shooting 76.1% – on 113 attempts
• Force: A big reason why? Wemby’s 8-foot wingspan and interior assertiveness have helped him throw down an NBA-best 62 dunks this season – 20 more than the next-closest player (Kessler: 42)
• Even More Amazing? Those 62 dunks are more than 24 of the NBA’s 30 teams

And it’s paying off with more than just highlights. With Wemby eating inside, the Spurs boast an NBA-best 121.7 offensive rating during their 10-game win streak.

The Warriors rank 2nd in offensive rating over that same span, but enter tonight behind Kia Rookie of the Year candidate Yaxel Lendeborg after seeing their nine-game win streak end in Houston on Wednesday and losing Curry to an abdominal tear.

Now, they’ll look to rebound, while Wemby looks to keep pushing the limits of what’s possible.

3. ALSO ON PRIME: KNICKS VISIT RIVAL PACERS + EARLY NY TAKEAWAYS

Mike Brown heard the negative reactions. He heard the early concerns. When the defending champs started 0-3, some people didn’t like what they saw on the court.

But Brown saw something else.

“The house wasn’t burning down for us,” said the Knicks’ coach on Tuesday. “I enjoyed our start, because it was competitive… it reminded us how hard this is going to be.”

New York has since gone 6-2, including four straight from Nov. 2-10. Tonight on Prime, the team visits the Pacers after Wednesday’s eight-point loss to the Cavaliers.

With the first 10 games of the Knicks’ title defense in the rearview – and a four-game road trip up next – NBA.com’s John Schuhmann has five major takeaways on their early-season start. Here’s a glimpse at two positives:

• Towns Playing Strong From High Post: “[Karl-Anthony Towns has] scored more points than the 20.9 he’s averaging this season, but a true shooting percentage of 65.9% would make this the most efficient season of his career.”
• Dominance On The Glass: “The Knicks lead the league in offensive rebounding percentage (37.9%) and rank second in defensive rebounding percentage (72.6%). They’ve outscored their opponents by 7.4 points per game on second chances.” | Read More

4. ROUNDUP: CADE’S CAREER HIGH LIFTS DETROIT IN DOUBLE OT

The game finds its rhythm.

Cade Cunningham set his previous career high of 46 in the Pistons’ 11th game of the 2025-26 season.

He went for 52 in their 11th game of this season last night, carrying Detroit to a double-overtime win.

Pistons 144, Wizards 140: Cunningham (52 pts, 11 ast, 0 TO) was in control all night and dominant when Detroit needed him most. | Recap

It was a career-high scoring performance for the Pistons’ All-Star, but well in keeping with his character as a lead creator. Since the beginning of the 2024-25 season, Cade ranks second in total assists (1,359) while averaging 25.1 ppg.

The Wizards closed regulation on an 11-5 run, with Trae Young (37 pts, 14 ast) sinking a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to send the game to overtime.

Washington then ran out with seven straight points in OT. Cunningham responded, leading Detroit on an 11-2 run to get back in the game, including a crucial transition 3-pointer and an assist to Duncan Robinson for the go-ahead three.

But AJ Dybantsa was not about to go quietly, calmly pump-faking Javonte Green and getting to a clean mid-range pullup, which rolled home to send the game to double OT, tied at 132.

Cade led Detroit with five points in the second overtime, as the Pistons outlasted the Wizards in a thriller on the road.

“He’s one of the best leaders I’ve ever seen,” Coach JB Bickerstaff said of Cunningham. “His ability to choose the moment and then get his teammates to go along with him is just special, and that’s why he is who he is.”

• Surgical: Cunningham is the first player in NBA history to have 50+ points, 10+ assists and zero turnovers since turnovers began being tracked in 1977-78. He put up 30 in the fourth quarter and OT — the 13th player since 2000 to do so
• Ausar Accrues: Ausar Thompson (17 pts, 11 reb, 11 ast) posted his first career triple-double in the win
• Bulletin: The Wizards last had three starters score 30+ points when they were the Baltimore Bullets. Earl Monroe, Mike Davis and Gus Johnson did it on Nov. 18, 1969
• Young History: Trae Young posted his 200th game with 20+ points and 10+ assists, becoming the eighth player in NBA history to reach the milestone

Nathaniel S. Butler + David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images

76ers 123, Raptors 112: Tyrese Maxey (27 pts, 8 ast) and the Sixers came back from 17 down to beat Toronto, with their floor general dropping nine in a pivotal third quarter. Joel Embiid (20 pts) and VJ Edgecombe (15 pts, 8 reb, 8 ast) led the supporting cast as Philly reached 10 wins on the season. | Recap

Timberwolves 133, Mavericks 94: LaMelo Ball (22 pts, 9 ast, 6 3PM) and Bones Hyland (24 pts, 8 ast, 5 3PM) went off as the Timberwolves limited the Mavericks to a season-low in scoring to take their fifth straight win. | Recap

• A Defense With Teeth: Minnesota held its opponent to fewer than 100 points for the third time this season — tied with Oklahoma City for most in the West

Suns 101, Hornets 96: Charlotte hung around, but Devin Booker (30 pts, 7 ast) sank the dagger with 22.9 remaining to prevail in Phoenix. | Recap

• Rising: After starting 1-5, the Suns have won three of their last four

5. KIA MVP LADDER: LUKA & WEMBY HOLD 1 & 2

Joe Boatman + Michael Reaves//NBAE via Getty Images

A new Kia MVP Ladder drops today, and two familiar names are at the top.

One is averaging an NBA-best 38.6 ppg. The other is in the midst of the hottest scoring stretch of his career. And both are turning their individual brilliance into team success.

That’s what really sets them apart, writes NBA.com’s Shaun Powell.

“The best way to judge the top of this week’s MVP Ladder is to look at the Western Conference.

“The Lakers and Spurs are this close for a reason, and the same goes for Luka Dončić and Victor Wembanyama.

“Yes, No. 1 and No. 2 in the West reflect who is No. 1 and No. 2 on the Ladder, and for good reason — those players are obviously the primary reason for the early success of their teams.

“And that carries much weight when it comes to the MVP discussion, because what separates those players from the general population is their ability to elevate their teams.”

Read the rest of Shaun Powell’s MVP Ladder later today in the NBA App.

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