Group play in the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament tips off on Friday, and no matter what was said in the preseason the players care and will want to win.
“I love it. In Europe, we always have some sort of tournament in preseason or during the year,” Boston Celtics big Kristaps Porzingis said. “When I was growing up, I always enjoyed those kind of tournaments. It kind of just put more of a spotlight on something that’s midseason and stuff like that.”
Not Just A Regular Friday Night Game
The league is split into six groups, each consisting of five teams. You’ll play each team in your group once. Two home games and two away games. The teams with the best record in each group automatically advance to the knockout round, and a wild card from each conference advances. The wild-card teams will be the best of the teams that finished second in their groups.
Group play will take place on Tuesday and Friday nights through Nov. 28. Group play games also count as regular-season games. Quarterfinal and semifinal games will also count towards regular season records. The semifinals and finals will be played in Las Vegas.
All 30 NBA teams unveiled their special courts for the tournament, and they look great. It will take a couple iterations to really work out the tweaks, but you’ll see some good competition.
Brooklyn Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn said that it’s new, but it gives the players something to compete for midseason.
“It’s a concept that, in my years of basketball, I haven’t seen,” head coach Jacque Vaughn said in Miami on Thursday. “It’s new to the players. I think they’ve embraced the idea of playing for something in the middle of the season.”
The Nets are in the East’s Group C, along with the Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic, Toronto Raptors and Celtics.
Teams That Want To Win Better Win Their Group
The Celtics are the favorites in that group and have been mauling teams. But the Raptors look good and might have two All-Stars this year in Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes. They’re capable of beating anyone in that group.
There is a prize pool that will be allocated to players based on how far their team makes it. An in-season tournament MVP and All-Tournament team will be named. The winning team claims the NBA Cup and $500,000 per player in prize money. For the super max and max guys that’s no big deal. But a rookie or a player on a two-way deal would love an extra $500K.
