Philadelphia 76ers 2025 NBA Cup East Group B predictions

Last year, the 76ers fell out of NBA Cup contention rather early after suffering two straight defeats to the New York Knicks and Orlando Magic to open the group stage. They then bounced back to finish the competition with two straight wins against two bad teams in the Brooklyn Nets and Charlotte Hornets.

This year, however, the group won’t be as easy as it was last year. The 76ers will be facing three teams that made the playoffs last year in the Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, and the Magic. To round out the group, the 76ers were once again grouped with the Nets, a team that is in the running for the worst in the association.

Being grouped with three playoff teams is a consequence of the 76ers’ poor 2024-25 season, where they won just 24 games. That is not indicative of how good their roster is, particularly when healthy. But full health has been difficult to come by for the 76ers over the past year or so.

But if they manage to field a full roster for the NBA Cup group stage games, then they are certainly in the running to win Group B of the Eastern Conference.

76ers game-by-game predictions for 2025 NBA Cup

Game 1: 76ers vs. Celtics, October 31 at 7:00 PM E.T.

This rivalry will not feel the same, as the Celtics will not be full-strength for the entirety of the 2025-26 season, as one would presume. Jayson Tatum is 100 percent going to be out for his early NBA Cup battle, and the Celtics are going to be fielding a depleted roster relative to years past.

It will all depend on health as to whether or not the 76ers will be favored in this game. After all, it might be a level playing field if Embiid weren’t to be healthy.

But assuming that Embiid is back to full strength (or at least close to it), he should have a field day against this Celtics team. Boston will be without Kristaps Porzingis, whom they traded to duck under the second apron, Al Horford, who is slated to sign with the Golden State Warriors, and Luke Kornet, whom the Spurs signed to a four-year, $41 million deal in this year’s free agency.

That leaves the Celtics with Neemias Queta, Chris Boucher, Xavier Tillman, or Luka Garza as their starting center options. Embiid should be licking his chops in this matchup.

Since 76ers fans deserve nice things after the misery they experienced last season, in this hypothetical, Embiid is presumed healthy and Philly, as a result, takes care of business at home against the Celtics to open their NBA Cup run with a huge victory.

Prediction: 76ers win comfortably, but not by double-digits

Game 2: 76ers @ Pistons, November 14 at 7:30 PM E.T.

This Pistons team is no longer the doormat of yore. Cade Cunningham has blossomed into a legitimate superstar, finishing the previous campaign as a member of the All-NBA Third Team, and he deserved such an acclaim after averaging 26.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 9.1 assists per game.

With Cunningham leading the way, the Pistons won 44 games and pushed eventual Eastern Conference Finalist Knicks to six games in the first round of the playoffs. Suffice to say, the 76ers should have deep respect for the Pistons in this group stage matchup — especially when they’re facing a young team raring to prove itself on a national level.

The Pistons aren’t a one-man show as well. They have Jalen Duren to anchor the paint (he was much-improved to end the season), Ausar Thompson to make life hell for opposing ballhandlers, and Jaden Ivey will be back to provide an extra scoring punch to complement Cunningham in the backcourt.

With this game being on the road, the 76ers will have a difficult time against a team that they lost the season series to last year.

Prediction: 76ers lose by 8+ points

Game 3: 76ers vs. Magic, November 25 at 8:00 PM E.T.

Last year, the Magic won the season series against the 76ers, 3-1, with Embiid playing in just one of those four games. This year, Orlando should be even better. They added Desmond Bane to try and solve their three-point shooting woes while maintaining the same defensive core that earned them the second-best defense in the league last season in terms of defensive rating.

Orlando has the personnel to match up every which way against the 76ers; Philly’s chances of winning will all boil down to whether or not Embiid plays at an MVP-caliber level and dominates the Magic frontcourt consisting of Wendell Carter Jr., Goga Bitadze, and Jonathan Isaac, just to name a few.

But even with Paolo Banchero playing in just one of those games last season, the Magic overwhelmed the 76ers, holding them to 86, 102, and 99 points in those three wins. In fact, the 76ers scored just 102 points in their lone win against Orlando last year, with the Magic’s offensive woes proving to be their undoing.

With Bane now around to help solve a lot of the Magic’s offensive issues, they should be an even tougher nut to crack this year.

Prediction: 76ers fail to score more than 100 points, lose by 7+

Game 4: 76ers @ Nets, November 28 at 7:30 PM E.T.

When looking at the Nets’ roster, it’s easy to deem them as the worst team in the NBA. They might not win more than 15 games — that’s how dire things are looking for Brooklyn.

They are relying on so many rookies and so many wild cards (Michael Porter Jr., Cam Thomas) that it might not take head coach Jordi Fernandez a week before he blows a gasket.

The 76ers, even if they’re without Embiid or George, should handle this matchup rather easily.

Prediction: 76ers win by 15+ points despite being without Embiid

Final prediction: 76ers finish the group stage with a 2-2 record, miss out on the knockout stage