As we head toward the semifinals of the second annual NBA Cup in Las Vegas, the format of the tournament makes it easy to overreact.
Unlike a best-of-seven playoff series, which test teams' endurance and ability to adjust, the NBA Cup's short group stage (four games) followed by a single-elimination knockout bracket makes it easy for teams such as the Atlanta Hawks to catch fire and advance.
On the flip side, losing teams such as the Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks won't get an immediate opportunity to atone for their poor performances Wednesday. Meanwhile, several of the league's top title contenders -- including two of the top three teams so far, the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers -- will watch the semifinals from home.
To avoid falling victim to recency bias, let's examine several potential conclusions about this season's NBA Cup and the format of the tournament as a whole. Are they short-lived overreactions to what's happening early in the 2024-25 NBA season? Or meaningful trends that might carry on beyond next Tuesday's championship?
