Nov 24, 2023; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (19) and Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) on the tip-off during the first half on the In-Season Tournament floor at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
The NBA In-Season Tournament has the quarterfinals set. After group play over the past couple of weeks, we have the eight teams that will compete for the first-ever in-season championship. While many were skeptical about whether this tournament would work, it has been a rousing success.
NBA In-Season Tournament
The main criticisms were valid. Would players actually care about this tournament? The incentive is a $500,000 prize for every player and the bragging rights that come with a trophy. A trip to Las Vegas for the final four isn’t a bad thing either. Many said that this would not be enough. If players didn’t care about this, then fans wouldn’t either. The other criticism was how convoluted the group play was. I was excited about the tournament and I had trouble following how the eight teams would be chosen. Now that we have seen the group play, here are three reasons the NBA In-Season Tournament has been a smashing success.
The Players Care About The NBA In-Season Tournament
There is no question the players care about this tournament. On the final day, players were openly talking about following other games and teams they needed to win. When I watched the games, the players were playing hard and many of the games had a playoff atmosphere. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to people that players care about winning a trophy. College basketball does this at the beginning of the season. Mini-tournaments kick off the season like the Maui Invitational. Players definitely care about winning that tournament even though it means nothing in the grand scheme of the season.
What we forget is that many of these players are extremely competitive. They don’t just want to dominate on a basketball court. Players tell stories of highly competitive players who would bring that passion to card games on the bus. These players want to win and this tournament gives a clear goal for a team. The players care so the fans care.
Introductions To Lesser Known Stars
Basketball junkies know who every player is. These are the people (like myself) who will watch whatever basketball game is on regardless of who is playing. The casual fan wants to tune in for big names. This tournament is the chance for the casual fan to be introduced to lesser-known stars. Take Tyrese Haliburton for example. He has been fabulous to watch this season but because of the lack of national attention, fans don’t know his game. With the Pacers making the tournament, the casual fan will now get a front-row seat to see exactly how good this guy is.
Sacramento is another team that could get some love from casual fans. They are a fun team to watch and to root for. If they go on a run, some fans may latch onto them for the rest of the season. These lesser-known stars will go up against some of the most recognizable stars in the game which helps draw people in. The NBA In-Season Tournament has a great ability to grow the game which is great for the league.
We Care About The Regular Season
A lot of people are tuning into these games and talking about them. The NBA In-Season Tournament has made people care about the beginning portion of the regular season. Usually, people are focused on the NFL and Christmas Day is when many people start to actually pay attention. Now, the league has the attention of a lot of the sports world in November and December. I for one looked forward to the Tuesday and Friday games. I made a point to watch them and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one. The NBA got us to care about more of the regular season which is a huge win.
Best Is Yet To Come
We haven’t even gotten to the fun part of the NBA In-Season Tournament. A single-elimination tournament is going to be a ton of fun to watch. These games are going to have a playoff feel to them. The pomp and circumstance of the Las Vegas semifinals and final will be a joy to see. Seven-game series are fun but a one-game winner-take-all game is a new wrinkle that we don’t often see in the NBA. The league still needs to tweak some things about the NBA In-Season Tournament but overall, it has been a success.
