The NBA’s inaugural in-season tournament begins on Saturday [AEDT], with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers scheduled to be the first teams to tip off.
So how does the tournament work, what is in it for the players and what does the schedule look like? Plus, how will it impact the regular season?
Here is the answer to those questions and more in our ultimate guide with everything you need to know ahead of the tournament tipping off.
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HOW DOES IT WORK AND WHEN IS IT?
Six groups of five teams each, three from the Eastern Conference and three from the Western Conference, were randomly drawn based on last season’s records.
Each team will play two home and two road games in group play, facing each group rival once.
Those games will be played on Wednesdays and Saturdays [AEDT] in November starting November 4, regular-season contests counting as tournament play, except for US Election Day on November 8.
Three group winners and the next-best team overall from each conference will advance to the eight-team knockout quarter-finals round and games on December 5-6.
Those winners will advance to the semi-finals in Vegas on December 8 with the championship match two nights later.
WHAT IS ON THE LINE?
The 67 games across both stages of the in-season tournament will count toward the regular-season standings except the final. All clubs will continue to play 82 regular-season games in the 2023-24 season.
Teams that do not make it out of the group stages will play games on December 7 and 9 that count towards the regular season schedule.
As for the teams that lose in the East and West quarterfinals, they will play each other on December 8. The teams that lose in the semifinals, meanwhile, will have the 82 game slots filled by that point.
As for the teams that reach the championship, that will actually bring the season total to 83 games so the championship game will not count towards regular-season standings.
So, what is on the line for those two teams? Well, the team that wins the tournament will take home the NBA Cup.
Each player on the NBA in-season tournament championship squad will receive $500,000.
Meanwhile, players on the second-place team pocket $200,000 each while players on losing semi-finals teams get $100,000 each. The quarterfinalists will receive $50,000 per player.
In addition, a Most Valuable Player will be named following the conclusion of the tournament while an All-Tournament Team will also be selected.
Selection will be based on the players’ performance in both Group Play and the Knockout Rounds.
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WHO IS IN EACH GROUP?
Western Conference
Group A
Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz
Group B
Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Pelicans, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets
Group C
Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs
Eastern Conference
Group A
Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons
Group B
Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets
Group C
Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors
WHAT ABOUT THE NEW COURT DESIGNS?
The NBA also announced that all 30 teams would be playing on specially designed courts for the inaugural tournament, with those designs unveiled earlier this week.
The courts will be used for group and quarter-final games.
The NBA said in an official press release that the “bold and distinctive” designs would make it “instantly clear” to fans when a game being played is part of the in-season tournament.
The courts features the following design details, according to the NBA’s press release:
– A fully painted court, edge-to-edge
– A larger-than-life NBA Cup at centre court, prominently displaying to players and fans the new trophy that will be awarded to the champion
– A contrasting wash of colour from lane-to-lane, creating a 16-foot wide “runway” across the court
– NBA Cup silhouettes in the lanes
– Team logos across the NBA Cup at centre court and on the baselines
WHY CHANGE THINGS UP?
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said the idea had been discussed for 15 years by league officials before settling upon a format styled after European football league Cup events.
“What a perfect opportunity for a global league like the NBA,” Silver said.
“It’s a perfect fit for our game.”
Silver did sound a cautionary note in hopes NBA fans would be patient at the start of the new competition.
“It takes a little bit of time to establish a new tradition,” Silver said.
“All throughout sports we’re seeing new innovations and now is the time for this in-season tournament. So here we go.”
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IN-SEASON TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE (Times AEDT)
Friday, Nov.4
10am: Cleveland vs. Indiana — East A
10.30am: New York vs. Milwaukee — East B
11am: Washington vs. Miami — East B
11am: Brooklyn vs. Chicago — East C
11am: Golden State vs. Oklahoma City — West C
1pm: Memphis vs. Portland — West A
1pm: Dallas vs. Denver — West B
Friday, Nov. 11
11am: Philadelphia vs. Detroit — East A
11am: Charlotte vs. Washington — East B
11.30am: Brooklyn vs. Boston — East C
12pm: New Orleans vs. Houston — West B
12pm: Utah vs. Memphis — West A
12pm: Minnesota vs. San Antonio — West C
12:30pm: LA Clippers vs. Dallas — West B
2pm: Oklahoma City vs. Sacramento — West C
2pm: L.A. Lakers vs. Phoenix — West A
Wednesday, Nov. 15
11am: Miami vs. Charlotte — East B
11am: Atlanta vs. Detroit — East A
11am: Indiana vs. Philadelphia — East A
11.30am: San Antonio vs. Oklahoma City — West C
11.30am: Orlando vs. Brooklyn — East C
12pm: Dallas vs. New Orleans — West B
1pm: Portland vs. Utah — West A
2pm: LA Clippers vs. Denver — West B
2pm: Minnesota vs. Golden State — West C
2.30pm: Memphis vs. L.A. Lakers — West B
Friday, Nov. 17
11am: Milwaukee vs. Charlotte — East B
11am: New York vs. Washington — East B
11.30am: Philadelphia vs. Atlanta — East A
11.30am: Sacramento vs. San Antonio — West C
11.30am: Detroit vs. Cleveland — East A
11.30am: Boston vs. Toronto — East C
12pm: Orlando vs. Chicago — East C
12.30pm: Denver vs. New Orleans — West B
2pm: L.A. Lakers vs. Portland | West A
2pm: Phoenix vs. Utah — West A
2.30pm: Houston vs. LA Clippers — West A
Tuesday, Nov. 21
11am: Toronto vs. Orlando — East C
11.30am: Cleveland vs. Philadelphia — East A
11.30am: Indiana vs. Atlanta — East A
1pm: Portland vs. Phoenix — West A
2pm: Utah vs. L.A. Lakers — West B
Friday, Nov. 24
6.30am: Boston vs. Orlando — East C
9am: Phoenix vs. Memphis — West A
11.30am: Miami vs. New York — East B
11.30am: Chicago vs. Toronto — East C
12pm: Detroit vs. Indiana — East A
12pm: Denver vs. Houston — West B
12pm: Washington vs. Milwaukee — East B
12pm: Sacramento vs. Minnesota — West C
2pm: San Antonio vs. Golden State — West C
2.30pm: New Orleans vs. LA Clippers — West A
Tuesday, Nov. 28
11am: Oklahoma City vs. Minnesota — West C
11.30am: Milwaukee vs. Miami — East B
11.30am: Chicago vs. Boston — East C
11.30am: Toronto vs. Brooklyn — East C
11.30am: Atlanta vs. Cleveland — East A
11.30am: Charlotte vs. New York — East B
12.30pm: Houston vs. Dallas — West B
2pm: Golden State vs. Sacramento — West C