For the 2023-2024 regular season, the NBA has decided to experiment with the unveiling of the new In-Season Tournament. All 15 teams from both the Eastern and Western conference are battling it out in hopes of claiming the first-ever In-Season Tournament trophy.
Despite the excitement behind this new format, thoughts from fans across the country have been mixed. Some are all for it and think it can bring more action for the league. But others may question its relevance and wonder if it is really worth it.
How does it work? The In-Season Tournament consists of two stages: Group Play and Knockout rounds.
In group play, we’ve seen all 15 teams from each conference be drafted into groups of five out of a random drawing. Group play began on Nov. 3 and will continue until Nov. 28. Each team is playing their opponents once at home and once on the road.
All Tournament games will count towards the team’s regular season record. The team’s record in the group play games determines if they’ll qualify for knockout rounds.
In total, eight teams will qualify for knockout rounds. It will be the six teams with the best record and two wild card teams. From there on out, we’ll see single-elimination games that begin with quarterfinals from Dec. 4-5. Semifinals will take place on Dec.7, followed the championship game on Dec. 9 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The champions of the In-Season Tournament will be able to add the win to their trophy cabinet, with each player earning an additional $500,000.
With this much on the line, it’s difficult to argue that players won’t give it their all. It’s another exciting opportunity for fans to get more basketball action while not costing any time off from the regular season play we’ve all grown used to seeing.
We’ve already seen our hometown Golden State Warriors vouch for this opinion. They defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in thrilling fashion on Nov. 3. Steph Curry was able to drive past OKC guard Luguentz Dort and convert a lay up over a towering Chet Holmgren as time expired to secure the Warriors a 141-139 victory.
This wasn’t the first time we saw Curry break the hearts of the OKC crowd. It’s eerily reminiscent of his game-winning three-point heave in Oklahoma City on Feb. 27, 2016.
Had it not been for the In-Season Tournament, basketball fans in the Bay Area and across the nation wouldn’t have been able to experience this vintage Steph Curry moment. After all, there’s no guarantee that we’ll be seeing this level of production from him for much longer with him currently being in his 15th NBA season at 35-years-old.
This can also be said for many other stars across the league, as players like Lebron James and Kevin Durant are entering their mid 30s. It gives us as fans more opportunities to appreciate these players’ greatness before they inevitably exit their prime.
With that being said, the NBA In-Season Tournament is an excellent format and a win-win situation. Fans get to see their favorite team battle it out in a playoff-like atmosphere without separating itself from regular season play.
