The NBA Cup (formerly In-Season Tournament) is in its second year and is quickly becoming a tentpole event on the NBA schedule. And while it is a major part of the schedule, fans and players are still learning how it impacts the NBA calendar.
For the second straight year, NBA teams enter the season with 80 games on their schedule while Games 81 and 82 are determined by performance during NBA Cup games. The two teams that advance to the NBA Cup championship effectively play an 83rd regular-season game, though it does not count as such.
What does the NBA Cup championship count as? Here is what the season’s final NBA Cup game will mean for the Bucks and Thunder.
SN’s NBA HQ: Live NBA scores | Updated NBA standings | Full NBA schedule
NBA Cup standings, explained
Milwaukee and Oklahoma City took similar paths to the NBA Cup championship. Both teams won their respective groups to advance to the Knockout Round of the NBA Cup.
The Bucks’ 81st game of the season was their win over the Magic in the Quarterfinals and their Semifinal win over the Hawks was their 82nd game of the season. For the Thunder, Game 81 came in the Quarterfinals against the Mavericks and Game 82 was against the Rockets in the Semifinals.
When Milwaukee and Oklahoma City face off Tuesday in Las Vegas, it will be an extra game on their respective schedules. The NBA Cup championship will not count to either team’s regular-season record and stats accumulated in the game will not count to players’ regular-season averages.
The NBA Cup championship will be a one-off with stats falling in their own category.
MORE: Revisiting Anthony Davis’ epic performance in the 2023 NBA Cup championship
What happens to stats from the NBA Cup championship?
Stats from the NBA Cup championship do not tabulate toward regular-season or NBA Playoffs stats but stand alone as stats compiled in the championship game.
This will be similar to stats from the NBA’s Play-In Tournament, which also fall in a separate category.
NBA Cup championship statistics will take longer to build out because it is only one game annually, while there are a total of six Play-In Tournament games each season.
MORE: Why LeBron James spent time away from Lakers during NBA Cup break
NBA Cup championship game records
The Lakers won the inaugural NBA Cup championship behind a 41-point, 20-rebound performance from star big man Anthony Davis. Davis set a few record marks with his performance.
Individual stats
| Stat | Record |
| Minutes | 41 — Anthony Davis, 2023 |
| Points | 41 — Anthony Davis, 2023 |
| Rebounds | 20 — Anthony Davis, 2023 |
| Assists | 11 — Tyrese Haliburton, 2023 |
| Steals | 3 — T.J. McConnell, 2023 |
| Blocks | 4 —A. Davis & I. Jackson, 2023 |
| Turnovers | 6 — LeBron James, 2023 |
| Fouls | 6 — Myles Turner, 2023 |
| 3PM | 3 — Obi Toppin, 2023 |
| FGM | 16 — Anthony Davis, 2023 |
| FTM | 10 —Austin Reaves, 2023 |
Bucks forward Taurean Prince is the only player who will have played in both championship games. As a member of the Lakers, Prince scored six points, pulled down three rebounds and dished out two assists. He’ll add to his all-time NBA Cup championship tally in the 2024 game.
MORE NBA NEWS: