With Group Play of the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup tipping off Oct. 30, we’re breaking down each group as teams prepare to take the court, concluding with West Group C.

The team that represented the Western Conference in both the Emirates NBA Cup championship game and the NBA Finals — the San Antonio Spurs — headlines West Group C.

The group features three 2026 Playoff teams with the Lakers and Blazers (via the Play-In) joining the Spurs. After ending a four-year playoff drought, Portland was eliminated in the first round by the Spurs. Los Angeles reached the West Semis before being swept by OKC. And San Antonio reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014 but fell to the Knicks in a thrilling series.

The Kings and Warriors (who were eliminated in the Play-In) both headed to the Draft Lottery, where they added the No. 7 and No. 11 overall picks, respectively.

The Lakers and Spurs have achieved the most success in the NBA Cup among the group. L.A. won in the inaugural in-season competition in 2023, while the Spurs finished as runner-up in 2025 despite being without Victor Wembanyama until the Semifinals as he missed 12 games with a calf strain. Both teams won their respective groups a year ago and will look to repeat that success in 2026.

In head-to-head matchups among West Group C teams last season, the Spurs and Blazers finished with matching 10-4 records. Meanwhile, the Lakers finished one game over .500, losing their season series to San Antonio and Portland while racking up wins against the Kings and Warriors.

While the Spurs are running back nearly the same roster from last season, the Blazers and Lakers made significant moves in the offseason. Those new-look rosters will get an early test with the elevated stakes of NBA Cup games tipping off on Friday.

Teams breakdown

San Antonio Spurs: Their 2026 NBA Finals foibles can only serve as a lesson, albeit a painful one, for the Spurs this season as they find themselves once again qualified to play deep into June. This certainly applies to Victor Wembanyama; in his quest for greatness, Wemby resolves to return a stronger force, which is setting the bar high, considering his improved offense and stellar rim protection from a season ago. – Shaun Powell >>

Los Angeles Lakers: For the first time since 2017-18, the Lakers enter a season without LeBron James. But L.A. isn’t searching for its next centerpiece. It has one in Luka Dončić. In his first full season in purple and gold, Dončić led the Lakers to 53 wins, captured his second scoring title and earned Kia First Team All-NBA honors. But his supporting cast will look a lot different. Before re-signing Austin Reaves, the Lakers added Walker Kessler and Sandro Mamukelashvili this offseason. – Ian Dardani >>

Portland Trail Blazers: The Blazers have their third head coach in less than 12 months, with both Chauncey Billups and Tiago Splitter giving way to Micah Nori. The backcourt might be overstocked, assuming veterans Damian Lillard and Ja Morant can perform close to their former selves. The Blazers poked above .500 last season and ended their four-year playoff drought. – Steve Aschburner >>

Golden State Warriors: Golden State continues its mission to maximize the remaining win-now window of its own all-time talent in Steph Curry. The team is banking on health being a difference-maker this year, with the most high-impact offseason acquisition likely coming in the form of No. 11 pick Yaxel Lendeborg. The soon-to-be 24-year-old took home NBA Summer League MVP, to go with the Dubs’ Las Vegas title. – Casey Williams >>

Sacramento Kings: Improved health will go a long way in helping determine what this roster has in store for the future, with key returns expected from Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis. It’ll be a fresh start across the board, as head coach Doug Christie integrates those returners at the same time 7th overall pick Darius Acuff Jr. assumes control of the offense. – Casey Williams >>

Six games to watch

Lakers at Warriors (Friday, Oct. 30, 10 p.m. ET, Prime Video): In the Group Play opener for West Group C, reigning scoring champ Luka Dončić leads the Lakers into the Bay to take on Steph Curry and the Warriors. The regular season head-to-head record between the two star guards is knotted at 9-9. Who will get the edge on Halloween Eve and take an early lead in Group Play?

Blazers at Lakers (Friday, Nov. 6, 10 p.m. ET, Prime Video): This game delivers a marquee matchup of elite backcourts with Los Angeles’ Dončić and Austin Reaves hosting Portland’s Damian Lillard and Ja Morant. Both the Lakers (3-0) and Blazers (2-0) are unbeaten through Week 1 of the season.

Warriors at Spurs (Friday, Nov. 13, 9:30 p.m. ET, Prime Video): The Warriors were one of only five teams to beat the Spurs more than once last season, splitting their season series 2-2. Steph Curry only appeared in the two Golden State wins and went off in both: he dropped 46 points and five 3s on Nov. 12, followed by 49 points and nine 3s on Nov. 14.

Spurs at Blazers (Wednesday, Nov. 25, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN): This is the second matchup of the season between these teams (the first is on Nov. 7) after meeting in the first round of the 2026 Playoffs. San Antonio won that series 4-1 in the first step of their path to the NBA Finals. How will the new-look Blazers fare in this playoff rematch?

Kings at Warriors (Wednesday, Nov. 25, 10 p.m. ET, League Pass): These NorCal rivals have split their past three regular-season series following their 2023 Playoff clash that went seven games and featured a 50-point performance in the clincher by Curry. While there is history in this rivalry, both teams added lottery picks as foundational pieces for their future: No. 7 Darius Acuff Jr. in Sacramento and Yaxel Lendeborg in Golden State.

Lakers at Spurs (Friday, Nov. 27, 9:30 p.m. ET, Prime Video): Group Play concludes on Prime Video with a blockbuster matchup between Wembanyama and Dončić, who finished third and fourth, respectively, in Kia MVP voting last season. Luka holds a 5-1 head-to-head advantage over Wemby, but this matchup could very well decide the group.

Prediction

Dončić and the new-look Lakers have gotten off to a 3-0 start, capped by Dončić dropping the first 50-point game of the 2026-27 NBA season on Sunday against the Jazz. The Blazers are also unbeaten at 2-0, while the Spurs are 1-2, the Warriors are 1-3 and the Kings are 0-3.

Early-season momentum is on the side of Los Angeles and Portland, but San Antonio cannot be counted out. With the Lakers-Spurs and Warriors-Blazers matchups on the final night of Group Play, expect this group to go down to the wire.

Following his 52-point outburst on Sunday in Utah in just the third game of the season, look for Dončić to take over when the stakes are raised in the NBA Cup, with the Lakers edging the Spurs to win West Group C. The losing side will likely remain in the mix for a Wild Card berth.