Image Courtesy: Sporting News
After years of consideration, NBA commissioner Adam Silver has finally decided to bring an in-season tournament the league. Will this tournament be important enough to contending teams to win games?Based on the format below, there are pros and cons to that answer. Here is what the NBA’s announcement stated on their Instagram page: All 30 teams are divided into six groups of five teams. The groups were determined by draw based on each team’s 2022-2023 regular season record. “Tournament nights” will occur every Tuesday and Friday from November 3-28 (with the exception of November 7, Election Day, when no games will be played). Each team will play the four teams in its group once (two home games and two away games). All tournament games will count toward the regular season standings, except the championship round. The quarterfinals will take place on December 4-5 at the home city of the higher seed. The final four of the tournament is set for December 7 and December 9 in Las Vegas. Statistics will count for the league’s regular season except for the championship game of the event. Teams will be competing for the NBA Cup. The NBA will name the most valuable player of the in-season tournament and the all-tournament team. A prize pool will be allocated to the players on the teams that participate in the knockout rounds.
Groups:
Eastern Conference
A
Atlanta Hawks
Cleveland Cavaliers
Detroit Pistons
Indiana Pacers
Philadelphia 76ers
B
Charlotte Hornets
Miami Heat
Milwaukee Bucks
New York Knicks
Washignton Wizards
C
Boston Celtics
Brooklyn Nets
Chicago Cubs
Orlando Magic
Toronto Raptors
Western Conference
A
Los Angeles Lakers
Memphis Grizzlies
Phoenix Suns
Portland Trail Blazers
Utah Jazz
B
Dallas Mavericks
Denver Nuggets
Houston Rockets
Los Angeles Clippers
New Orleans Pelicans
C
Golden State Warriors
Minnesota Timberwolves
Oklahoma City Thunder
Sacramento Kings
San Antonio Spurs
The Final Four of the tournament is set for December 7 and December 9 in Las Vegas. Statistics will count for the league’s regular season except for the championship game of the event.
