SI
NBA
One-loss Oklahoma City unsurprisingly leads the way as the knockout round begins, but each of the seven other teams has a case for the Cup title.
Liam McKeone|

NBA HEADLINES

OPEN FLOOR
James Harden Passes Melo On Top 10 Scoring List
00:09:56 | Dec 9, 2025
James Harden Passes Melo On Top 10 Scoring List
NOW PLAYING
James Harden Passes Melo On Top 10 Scoring List
Dec 9, 2025
Should The Winning Mavs Still Trade A.D.?
UP NEXT
Should The Winning Mavs Still Trade A.D.?
Dec 9, 2025
The Knicks Are Playing Like The Favorites in the East
The Knicks Are Playing Like The Favorites in the East
Dec 9, 2025
The Celtics Are Simply Too Good to Tank
The Celtics Are Simply Too Good to Tank
Dec 9, 2025
;

FEATURES

The opinionated point guard has been a shadow of his former self, but deserved better than a middle-of-the-night meeting to discuss his departure.
Chris Mannix|
Chris Mannix|
Chris Mannix|
Chris Mannix|
Chris Mannix|

NBA 100

LeBron James remains in elite territory and the arguments for the top three spots could get spicier this season.
Chris Mannix, Liam McKeone|
Also, see where veterans like Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard and Stephen Curry land just outside of the top 10.
Chris Mannix, Liam McKeone|
Veterans like Bradley Beal, CJ McCollum, Jrue Holiday and Klay Thompson still bring a lot of value, while younger players like Dyson Daniels and Brandon Miller have room to grow.
Chris Mannix, Liam McKeone|
Rick Carlisle has shifted into the next phase of his career putting him at the top of the list, while champions round out the best of the best.
Chris Mannix|
The third-year star is ready to build off his stellar first two seasons and carry the Spurs into their next era of sustained success.
Liam McKeone|

BETTING

Betting odds, pick and prediction for the Miami Heat-Orlando Magic matchup in the NBA Cup Quarterfinals.
Peter Dewey|
Peter Dewey|
Peter Dewey|
Peter Dewey|
Peter Dewey|

MORE NBA

Desmond Bane throws basketballs at people.
Stephen Douglas|
Franz Wagner was helped off the floor after suffering a leg injury during Knicks-Magic on Sunday.
Liam McKeone|
The veteran and rookie will meet again next month.
Madison Williams|
One Clippers assistant coach was not a fan of Paul’s suggestion to Leonard.
Tim Capurso|
The Los Angeles guard briefly stepped away from the team.
Patrick Andres|
Can the Thunder win an NBA-record 74 games? Here's how Oklahoma City is pacing compared to the 73-win Warriors and 72-win Bulls.
Tim Capurso|
The world has changed a lot since the last time LeBron James was held to single digits in a regular season game.
Stephen Douglas|
LeBron James fell short of double-digit points but made the game-winning assist.
Eva Geitheim|
LeBron James made an incredible selfless play to give the Los Angeles Lakers the win against the Toronto Raptors at the expense of his historic streak of consecutive games with 10 or more points.
Blake Silverman|
The 76ers earned one of the most dramatic wins of the season.
Eva Geitheim|
Next

MUST READS 🔥

A Look Behind the NBA’s Curtain at Player-Ref Dynamics
How Kevin Durant and the Rockets Created a Perfect Match
2025 SI NBA 100 Rankings, Nos. 10–1: Victor Wembanyama Has Arrived
Cooper Flagg’s Natural Talent Through His Hoops Journey Portends Limitless NBA Potential