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, continuing with West Group A.

West Group A features three 2026 Playoff teams — the Nuggets, Rockets, and Suns (via the Play-In), all of whom were eliminated in the first round — as well as two lottery teams. The Jazz and Mavericks each secured top-10 picks, with Darryn Peterson going to Utah at No. 2 and Morez Johnson Jr. landing in Dallas as No. 9.

Meanwhile, both Texas teams welcome back a veteran point guard after missing all of last season with a torn ACL: Kyrie Irving returns for the Mavs and Fred VanVleet is back for the Rockets.

The Suns were the only team to make it out of Group Play in last year’s NBA Cup. Phoenix secured the West Wild Card before being eliminated in the Quarterfinals by Oklahoma City. The Thunder not only ended Phoenix’s run for the Cup, but they also ended Phoenix’s season with a first-round playoff sweep.

In head-to-head matchups among West Group A teams last season, the Nuggets and Rockets were the only teams with winning records. Denver posted a group-best 12-3 mark thanks to sweeps of the Suns and Jazz, a 3-1 series victory over the Rockets, and a split with Dallas.

Can the Nuggets, who have the Western Conference’s longest active streak of 50+ win seasons with four straight, find similar success against the teams in this group as they had last season? Or will a new contender emerge and make an early-season statement in Group Play?

Teams breakdown

Denver Nuggets: Denver has high hopes again this season, reasonable enough for a team that boasts arguably the NBA’s top player in Nikola Jokić, as well as battle-tested cohorts Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon to complete its Big Three. The supporting cast will look different, though, with DeMar DeRozan entering the mix and the departures of Peyton Watson, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown this offseason. – Steve Aschburner >>

Houston Rockets: The distance to which the Rockets will travel in the postseason (they’ve lost in the first round two years straight) will depend on a number of ifs. Kevin Durant defying Father Time is chief among them. But also Fred VanVleet’s return from missing a season to injury, Alperen Sengun’s upward development, Amen Thompson’s potential star turn and if Jabari Smith Jr. is real or a tease. – Shaun Powell >>

Phoenix Suns: The Suns hit reset last offseason, trading Kevin Durant for Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green while hiring first-time head coach Jordan Ott. The moves helped Phoenix forge a new identity. While Devin Booker led the way offensively, the Suns made a major leap defensively. It led to a nine-win jump. But after reaching the 2026 NBA Playoffs through the SoFi Play-In Tournament, the Suns were swept in the first round by the Thunder. Now, they’re looking for more. – Ian Dardani >>

Dallas Mavericks: The Mavericks have officially shed their questionable past and are ready to surge in a new direction, in every way. Masai Ujiri, who built a championship team in Toronto, was hired to run the basketball operation, and he in turn hired Dusty May, a first-time NBA coach who won a national championship at Michigan. The goal is obvious — build a contender with Cooper Flagg as the centerpiece. – Shaun Powell >>

Utah Jazz: Jumping from fourth to second in the Draft Lottery allowed Utah to grab Kansas guard Darryn Peterson in the Draft, adding a play-ready talent to a young group that has been ripening since the team’s last playoff appearance in 2022. Coach Will Hardy has enough tent-pole guys like Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Keyonte George to mix ‘n’ match for various sizes, styles and strengths. – Steve Aschburner >>

Five games to watch

Rockets at Mavericks (Friday, Oct. 30, 8 p.m. ET, League Pass): It’s an all-Texas clash on the opening night of Group Play as Dallas hosts Houston. This matchup sees former teammates Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving face one another for the 20th time, with Irving entering with a slight 10-9 advantage in all-time head-to-head meetings.

Jazz at Mavericks (Friday, Nov. 6, 8 p.m. ET, League Pass): This serves as a potential matchup between last year’s Kia Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg and a top contender for this year’s award, No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson (though Flagg’s status remains questionable due to a shoulder injury). The guard battle between Peterson and Irving is also a must-see.

Rockets at Nuggets (Friday, Nov. 20, 10 p.m. ET, Prime Video): It’s a matchup between two of the league’s most versatile big men — Denver’s Nikola Jokić and Houston’s Alperen Sengun are the only centers to average 20 points, six rebounds and six assists last season. If Jokić is the master (he averaged a triple-double last season while leading the league in rebounds and assists), Sengun is a talented student ready to challenge his throne.

Mavericks at Nuggets (Tuesday, Nov. 24, 10 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock): The nightcap of NBC/Peacock’s only NBA Cup doubleheader sees Jokić and the Nuggets host Flagg and the Mavs. A total of 40 picks separate the draft position of these two franchise cornerstones with Flagg selected No. 1 overall in 2025 and Jokić taken 41st in 2014.

Suns at Rockets (Wednesday, Nov. 25, 10 p.m. ET, League Pass): In the 2025 offseason, the Suns and Rockets executed a trade that shook up both rosters, with Durant leaving Phoenix for Houston in exchange for Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green. Now, those three players will face their former teams in the final week of Group Play.

Prediction

The Rockets are 3-0 through the opening week of the season, and already have a signature win thanks to Amen Thompson’s game-sealing block on Victor Wembanyama as Houston defeated the defending Western Conference champion Spurs on Friday.

The growth of Thompson, Sengun, and Jabari Smith Jr., Durant’s ongoing defiance of Father Time, and the floor generalship of VanVleet have the Rockets looking strong as Group Play approaches. Will that momentum be enough to carry them to the Quarterfinals? The Nov. 20 matchup with Denver could prove to be the deciding factor.