# Portland Trail Blazers Face Tough Opponents in NBA Cup Schedule
The Portland Trail Blazers will face some of the brightest stars in the league when the NBA Cup takes place in November and December. The team was drawn into West Group C and now the schedule for those games has been released.
What to Expect
The Blazers will kick off their NBA Cup journey in Tinseltown when they take on Luka Doncic and the new-look Los Angeles Lakers on November 6. The Lakers will be without LeBron James for the first time since 2018, and the Blazers are making some adjustments of their own. Both of these could be viewed as positives rather than negatives.
Losing LeBron will hurt the Lakers, but building the team more around Doncic and Austin Reeves in the backcourt will still form a challenge for Portland. The Blazers have a new-look backcourt of their own, with Ja Morant and Damian Lillard teaming up. This should be an exciting game that is worthy of the prime-time treatment, and it will set the tone for Portland as they look to experience their first taste of NBA Cup success.
Why it Matters for Portland Trail Blazers
Facing off against the Sacramento Kings on the road will be an important game for the Blazers in hopes of moving forward in the NBA Cup. Every game matters, and point differential can come into play. Portland needs to take advantage of playing the arguably weakest opponent in the group by taking care of them on the road and trying to drum up the scoreboard as much as possible.
Just because the Kings are viewed as the weakest team in the group doesn't mean they won't put up a fight. Rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr. is expected to lead the team, and although he is just a first-year pro, he has the ability to drum up points in droves. Containing him will be key to the matchup as the Blazers look to grab an all-important win in California's capital city.
What Comes Next?
The Blazers will close their NBA Cup slate at home against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors on November 27. This could be the first time Lillard is facing off against the Warriors, and it will be a thrilling matchup for the fans at the Moda Center.
The Blazers have a tough road ahead of them, but they are ready to take on the challenge. With a new-look backcourt and a strong team defense, they are confident that they can make a deep run in the NBA Cup.
Last result: San Antonio Spurs 114-95 Portland Trail Blazers (2026-04-29). Recent form (last 5): 0W-0D-5L (LLLLL, most recent first); lost the last 5.
