You probably forgot that it existed as soon as it ended last year, and you will be reminded of it when you turn on the television Friday night and see the Nuggets playing on a jet-black court.

Yes, it’s the NBA Cup , that goofy and gimmicky in-season tournament played on obnoxious courts for cash prizes.

Denver got stuck with a brutal draw this year, beginning with Friday’s game at Portland. In the first two installments of this event, the Nuggets failed to make the knockout stage . But only eight teams do. As always, the 30 NBA teams were split into six groups of five. The first-place team in each group will advance, plus two “wild card” second-place teams (one from the West, one from the East).

Group games are built into the regular-season schedule between Halloween and the end

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