The Philadelphia 76ers' 2025 NBA Cup dreams have come crashing down, as the team has been eliminated from contention for a spot in the eight-team, single-elimination bracket.
In a season that began with high hopes and promises of improvement from head coach Nick Nurse, the Sixers have struggled mightily in the in-season tournament. As someone who's witnessed similar events abroad, Coach Nurse is adamant about the value these competitions bring to the regular season, but his team has failed to live up to expectations.
"I'm at a loss for words," Coach Nurse admitted before their Group Play game on October 31st, "because we've played poorly in it. I think it's a great competition that adds some spice to our regular season, and I'd love us to play better in it." Those sentiments still ring hollow, as the Sixers have now failed to advance for the third time in three years.
Their loss to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday was the final nail in the coffin, leaving Philadelphia's team without a chance to compete for one of eight coveted spots in Las Vegas next month. Instead, they'll face two more games against teams that didn't make it to the Knockout Rounds in early December to complete their regular-season schedule – an 82-game slate that was already condensed due to the tournament's structure.
The NBA Cup, which offers a single-elimination bracket and cash prizes for the winners, has proven to be less than the ticket-taker's dream for the Sixers. With their elimination officially announced, fans are left wondering what could have been if the team had managed to capitalize on Coach Nurse's vision for improvement.
In a season that began with high hopes and promises of improvement from head coach Nick Nurse, the Sixers have struggled mightily in the in-season tournament. As someone who's witnessed similar events abroad, Coach Nurse is adamant about the value these competitions bring to the regular season, but his team has failed to live up to expectations.
"I'm at a loss for words," Coach Nurse admitted before their Group Play game on October 31st, "because we've played poorly in it. I think it's a great competition that adds some spice to our regular season, and I'd love us to play better in it." Those sentiments still ring hollow, as the Sixers have now failed to advance for the third time in three years.
Their loss to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday was the final nail in the coffin, leaving Philadelphia's team without a chance to compete for one of eight coveted spots in Las Vegas next month. Instead, they'll face two more games against teams that didn't make it to the Knockout Rounds in early December to complete their regular-season schedule – an 82-game slate that was already condensed due to the tournament's structure.
The NBA Cup, which offers a single-elimination bracket and cash prizes for the winners, has proven to be less than the ticket-taker's dream for the Sixers. With their elimination officially announced, fans are left wondering what could have been if the team had managed to capitalize on Coach Nurse's vision for improvement.
they gotta regroup and refocus if they wanna make a push for that nba cup spot next year
. I think what bothers me is that they invested so much energy into these in-season tournaments and yet they still can't seem to get it right 
. It's not just about the team, though - it's also about how this affects their players' growth and development 
. They're already playing an 82-game season, that's crazy enough, but add in a tournament with more games and less rest... I don't know if that's fair to them at all 
.
the 76ers season just went from high hopes to total disappointment so fast i feel bad for coach nurse and the players they must be super frustrated with not being able to live up to expectations especially after all that hype 
Those 3rd losses in 3 years is not cool, I'm still rooting for them tho 
! I mean, I get it, coach Nurse is all about the competition and regular season, but come on, a third straight miss-out? That's tough to swallow 
. Get your squad together, work on those skills, and maybe next year they'll be the ones hoisting that trophy 
!
Man, I feel bad for those 76ers fans... they must be super bummed out right now 
. They condensed the regular season, now they're playing 82 games and still can't get it together 
. I'm not buying that the competition "adds spice" to their regular season... sounds like an excuse 
. The NBA needs to take another look at this structure or something...