It seems like every season the NBA is enhancing its excitement in one way or another. This year fans will see an addition like no other with the introduction of the unique in-season tournament. This concept currently does not exist in any other American sports league, making it a revolutionary change.
Adam Silver, the NBA’s current commissioner, aims to make it more like European football, in a sense that there’s always more than one competition occurring at once. Players will have the opportunity to chase a new trophy after the announcement of the tournament back in August. The winning team of the in-season tournament will receive the NBA Cup and a bonus of $500,000 for each player.
There’s one catch that goes along with these games. Not only will teams be playing for dominance within their groups, but each game will also go towards their regular season records. With two goals in mind, players will have an increased sense of motivation, making the games all the more exciting.
Three groups of five different teams were created within each conference who will all play each other one time in the group stage. Think of it like the World Cup where each side plays one game against every other team. These games will all happen on designated group play nights which will occur every Tuesday and Friday, apart from election day in the United States on the seventh of November.
Group play will begin on the third of November and last until the 28th, ranging anywhere up to 11 games per night. Once group play is complete, the top eight teams, four from each conference, will advance to the quarterfinals. These will be determined by the leading team in each group, and two wildcards decided by the best second place record amongst the groups.
Teams playing in the knockout stages will face single elimination matchups, meaning these games will be a one and done. This differs from the traditional American style of playoffs which often sees teams playing a series of games up to a best of seven. The classic NBA playoffs will still be played this way, but the tournament offers an unconventional playoff style to American sports that may be adopted soon by other leagues.
After the quarter finals will be the semi-finals and of course a tournament final. Every game of the tournament will count towards a team’s regular season record except the final. Everyone who makes the in-season playoffs has the opportunity to earn a prize, with different sums of money on the line.
As mentioned, the players of the winning team will receive an extra $500,000 along with the leagues new trophy. Teams who are eliminated in the quarter finals will see $50,000 offered to their players, while semi-finalists will make at least $100,000. The team that loses the final and places second will see $200,000 awarded to each of its players. Incentives are high as not only will players simply want to win games, but they probably would not mind the extra pay day as well.
With the in-season tournament, Silver not only wants to give players the opportunity to compete for something more, but perhaps change the dynamic of American sports. Take European football teams for example, who are not only competing in their assigned leagues but many other tournaments as well. A team in the Premier League can be competing in up to four different championships at a time if you take into account games for the FA Cup, Champions League, and EFL cup.
The in-season tournament took plenty of convincing from Silver, as the idea had been with him for years. The tournament will not only increase fan turnout and engagement, but popularize the league across the globe more than ever. This season, the tournament will serve as a test run for what may be an iconic addition to the NBA in years to come.
Each team has been placed in a random group with four other teams from their conference. These groups were based on the win-loss record of each side last season so that every group remained balanced. Teams were placed in pots based on their position in their respective conference last season and drawn one by one.
The groups for the in-season tournament are as follows:
East Conference Groups:
A: Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons
B: Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat, Charlotte Hornets, Kew York Knicks, Washington Wizards
C: Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic, Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors
Western Conference Groups:
A: Portland Trail Blazers, Memphis Grizzlies, Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns
B: Los Angeles Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Pelicans Houston Rockets,
C: Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Oakland City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors
The NBA has already released brand new courts that each team will use specifically for in-season tournament games. Action will kick off this Friday with a slate of seven games across the league. The tournament final is on the ninth of December, with one team from the East and one from the West competing in the championship game.
Here’s every game this Friday tipping off the inaugural in-season tournament:
East Group A:
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Indiana Pacers (11:00 p.m. GMT)
East Group B:
New York Knicks vs. Milwaukee Bucks (11:30 p.m. GMT)
Washington Wizards vs. Miami Heat (12:00 a.m. GMT)
East Group C:
Brooklyn Nets vs. Chicago Bulls (12:00 a.m. GMT)
West Group A:
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Portland Trail Blazers (2:00 a.m. GMT)
West Group B:
Dallas Mavericks vs. Denver Nuggets (2:00 a.m. GMT)
West Group C:
Golden State Warriors vs. Oakland City Thunder (12:00 a.m. GMT)
