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Nov 29, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) dribbles the ball past Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) during the first quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

Hawks Announce Dates For NBA Cup Matchups, Including Game Against NBA Finals Participant

Originally posted on Atlanta Hawks on SI
By Jackson Caudell | Last updated Aug 13, 2025 4:07 PM ET

While the full NBA schedule is going to be released tomorrow, the Atlanta Hawks announced the dates of their NBA Cup matchups. Atlanta is in East Group A and will face the following teams:

10/31: @ Indiana
11/07: vs. Toronto
11/25: @ Washington
11/28: vs. Cleveland

Atlanta will open the preseason on Oct. 6th in Houston against the Rockets, they face Memphis on the road on Oct. 11th, they host the Miami Heat on Oct. 13th, and then they face the Rockets again on Oct. 16th.

The Oct. 6 and Oct. 16 contests will be broadcast on the Hawks radio flagship, Sports Radio 92-9 The Game and the Hawks Radio Network, with Voice of the Hawks Steve Holman and pregame, halftime and postgame host Mike Conti. The preseason broadcast schedule on FanDuel Sports Network Southeast will be announced at a later date.

Time to lock in our NBA Cup matchups pic.twitter.com/BfqGnt0uZf
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) August 13, 2025

This is a very winnable group and it might come down to the Hawks and the Cavaliers matchup on Black Friday. The Pacers are going to be missing Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner this season while Toronto and Washington are projected to be among the worst teams in the Eastern Conference, though the Raptors are the team that is closest to playoff worthy.

Repeat of last season?

Atlanta was one of the stories of last year's NBA Cup. The Hawks were heavy underdogs in their group, but used big upsets against Boston and Cleveland to propel them to the next stage, where they knocked off the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden to advance to the semifinals in Las Vegas, where they would lose to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Can the Hawks repeat that success? They certainly have the team to be able to do that.

After trading for Kristaps Porzingis and drafting Asa Newell, Atlanta reached a pair of huge free agent signings on the first day of the free agency period. The Hawks signed Wolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker to a four-year, $62 million deal in a sign and trade that sent a 2027 2nd-round pick (via CLE) to the Wolves. Then, the Hawks signed free agent guard Luke Kennard to a one-year, $11 million deal. Not only that, but they got an unprotected first-round pick from the New Orleans Pelicans in a draft-night trade. Given the massive injuries in the Eastern Conference next season, it seems that the Atlanta Hawks are going for it and making moves to put themselves in a position to contend. One area they could still use some depth is at small forward, a third center. or another ball-handler. They have one roster spot remaining after signing last year's second-round pick Nikola Durisic to a standard contract and reportedly signing Magic forward Caleb Houstan to a one-year deal.

Atlanta is expected to be among the top teams in the Eastern Conference, along with the Cavaliers, Knicks, and Magic. Atlanta is likely going to have to go through at least two of those teams if they want to get back to the NBA Cup Semifinals.

The rest of the NBA schedule will be released tomorrow.