CCD Cup

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Poll update (22 votes):
- Yes 16
- No 6

[jimw]

The in-season tournament will be rebranded as CCD Cup and starting this year, we would like to propose the introduction of a small prize (in picks) in particular for the lottery teams. Please use the poll to approve or not the proposal.

Basically, the elimination round will be split in 4 divisions based on previous season rankings. Group 1 includes teams ranked from 25 to 30.

The winner of Group 1 earns an extra pick in the second round that corresponds to the inverse of their previous year's ranking. In essence, if the Nets (ranked 30) win Group 1, they get pick 31 (or 2.1) in the 2025/26 draft and all other second-round picks move down. If the Pelicans (ranked 25) win instead, they get pick 40 (2.6) and again all the other second-round picks will move down. No prize is awarded to the winners of Groups 2, 3, and 4.

The winner of the CCD Cup is then awarded another second-round pick, which again corresponds to the inverse of the previous season ranking.
In summary, if the Nets win not only Group 1 but also the entire tournament, they get two extra picks at the beginning of the second round, and all other second-round picks move down. If the Spurs win the tournament instead, they get a pick at the end of the second round.

Basically, two extra second round picks will be assigned in the in-season tournament and in the 2025/26 draft there will be 62 picks.


The CCD Cup is a knockout tournament that will start in the first week of November (NBA week 3) and last for 5 weeks. The Finals will take place in NBA week 7 (early December).
Please note that scoring method is the same of the standard league apart that the home team (in each matchup, the team that ranked worse last year) gets 1 additional point and if the matchup ends in a tie (5-5) home team will advance.
Scoring for each team in the 5 rounds will simply be taken by our standard league on Fantrax (therefore no additional activity is required to the owners for this tournament) and reported here in the tournament section

But what's the likelihood that a lottery team wins this.  Isn't this most likely just a give away to a good team?

[Interpaga]

The division of the tournament into 4 groups, with a prize awarded only to the winner of Group 1 (teams ranked 25-30 in the previous season), is designed to create a small incentive (an early second-round pick) for lower-ranked teams.

As for the second pick assigned, the one for the overall tournament winner, the chance of a fully rebuilding team winning is obviously not high (and that's why a prize for Group 1 winner was introduced), but, given the tournament format, it's not at all impossible to imagine a lottery team, that has strengthened in the offseason, winning the CCD Cup.

And in any case the inverse correlation between the pick position and the previous season ranking serves to keep the reward for a top team almost null (the Spurs would get a pick 60), while making the prize more attractive if the winning team was a team that finished, for example, in the middle of the standings the previous year (which would get a mid-second round pick)

[Interpaga]

Since its introduction last year, the In-Season Tournament (now CCD Cup) has been designed in a format that would make participation more competitive for lower-ranked teams.
The addition of a pick for the winner of Group 1 and a reverse-ranked pick for the overall tournament winner is again primarily designed to favor and provide an incentive for lower-ranked teams in the event of a victory

[Interpaga]

Poll closed. The proposal has been approved with 16 votes in favor

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Please remind that the CCD Cup begins today, don't forget to set your lineup.

First round matchups:
DIVISION 1
Brooklyn Nets and Charlotte Hornets bye
1. Los Angeles Clippers - Denver Nuggets
2. Los Angeles Lakers - New Orleans Pelicans

DIVISION 2
3. Milwaukee Bucks - Chicago Bulls
4. Phoenix Suns - Indiana Pacers
5. Orlando Magic - Boston Celtics
6. Toronto Raptors - Golden State Warriors

DIVISION 3
7. Cleveland Cavaliers - Miami Heat
8. Utah Jazz - Philadelphia 76ers
9. Washington Wizards - Oklahoma City Thunder
10. Houston Rockets - Dallas Mavericks

DIVISION 4
11. New York Knicks - Memphis Grizzlies
12. Minnesota Timberwolves - Portland Trail Blazers
13. Atlanta Hawks - Detroit Pistons
14. Sacramento Kings - San Antonio Spurs

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Round 1 results:

DIVISION 1
Brooklyn Nets and Charlotte Hornets bye
1. Los Angeles Clippers - Denver Nuggets 1-9
2. Los Angeles Lakers - New Orleans Pelicans 4-6

DIVISION 2
3. Milwaukee Bucks - Chicago Bulls 5-5
4. Phoenix Suns - Indiana Pacers  4-6
5. Orlando Magic - Boston Celtics 4-6
6. Toronto Raptors - Golden State Warriors 7-3

DIVISION 3
7. Cleveland Cavaliers - Miami Heat 2-8
8. Utah Jazz - Philadelphia 76ers 6-3
9. Washington Wizards - Oklahoma City Thunder 6-4
10. Houston Rockets - Dallas Mavericks 7-2

DIVISION 4
11. New York Knicks - Memphis Grizzlies 7-3
12. Minnesota Timberwolves - Portland Trail Blazers 7-2
13. Atlanta Hawks - Detroit Pistons 3-7
14. Sacramento Kings - San Antonio Spurs 3-7

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Second round matchups:

DIVISION 1
1. Brooklyn Nets - Charlotte Hornets
2. Denver Nuggets - New Orleans Pelicans

DIVISION 2
3. Milwaukee Bucks - Indiana Pacers
4. Boston Celtics - Toronto Raptors

DIVISION 3
5. Miami Heat - Utah Jazz
6. Washington Wizards - Houston Rockets

DIVISION 4
7. New York Knicks - Minnesota Timberwolves
8. Detroit Pistons - San Antonio Spurs

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Second round results:

DIVISION 1
1. Brooklyn Nets - Charlotte Hornets 7-2
2. Denver Nuggets - New Orleans Pelicans 8-2

DIVISION 2
3. Milwaukee Bucks - Indiana Pacers 4-6
4. Boston Celtics - Toronto Raptors 6-4

DIVISION 3
5. Miami Heat - Utah Jazz 5-4
6. Washington Wizards - Houston Rockets 7-2

DIVISION 4
7. New York Knicks - Minnesota Timberwolves 8-2
8. Detroit Pistons - San Antonio Spurs 4-6

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Division Finals:

DIVISION 1
1. Brooklyn Nets - Denver Nuggets

DIVISION 2
2. Indiana Pacers - Boston Celtics

DIVISION 3
3. Miami Heat - Washington Wizards

DIVISION 4
4. New York Knicks - San Antonio Spurs