Over the past couple of years in the NBA, fans have grown tired of the lack of competitiveness in the early stages of the season. In fact, some fans choose not to watch the NBA until after the All-Star break, when the standings are close and the playoffs are near. To solve this issue, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver introduced the concept of an in-season tournament to fans last year with hopes of increasing competitiveness for players, as well as giving viewers another reason to watch.
The tournament begins with a group stage consisting of three groups of five teams per conference that are selected based on the prior season’s standings. To advance to the knockout round of the tournament, teams must place first in their group. In the likely case of a tie within a group, the team with the highest point differential in each group advances. The eight-team knockout round is a single-game elimination format which is unfamiliar and exciting for NBA fans since the playoffs are composed of series. The tournament is then concluded with a knockout semi-final round and final round hosted in Las Vegas where each victor will be awarded $500,000 and crowned In-Season tournament champs. Ramapo Senior Talen Aslop says, “The prize money is a great incentive for players, but I think a guaranteed play-in spot would make the tournament more meaningful.” The competition would also feature extravagantly designed courts and each win would be included in the league standings (nba.com).
This year, the inaugural in-season tournament turned out to be a massive success with fans and players both expressing the excitement around the league. After an entertaining round of group games and knockout games, the final four teams included the Celtics, Pacers, Lakers, and Pelicans. In an absolute thriller, the Pacers upset the Celtics late in the fourth on account of the sensational playmaking of Tyrese Haliburton. After this win, the up-and-coming young Pacers squad beat the Bucks and Celtics in back-to-back games – the two teams at the top of the East. Over in the West, the Lebron-led Lakers dominated against the Pelicans in the semis winning by 44 points as Lebron put up one of the most efficient nights of his career with 30 points in just 23 minutes (nba.com)!
The lights were bright in Vegas as the Pacer’s best offense in the league was set to face the LA juggernaut in the first in-season tournament final. However, the Lakers took charge early in the game and held a steady lead throughout to beat Indiana 109 – 123. Anthony Davis exploited the Pacer’s poor paint defense and put together a monster performance with 41 points, 20 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 blocks. Lebron James added another trophy to his collection and was awarded the first in-season tournament MVP as he averaged 26.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists while shooting efficiently at 56.8% from the field and 60.6% on 3-pointers during the tournament (nba.com)! Ramapo senior and long-time Lakers fan Justin John says, “I believe any championship is meaningful for the players and fan base. Knowing your team has won elimination games that mattered gives the fan base confidence for the NBA championship.” However, Ramapo math teacher Mr. Kalman was not thrilled about Lebron’s performance, stating, “My least favorite part of the tournament was watching Lebron win it all once again, but I did enjoy seeing new stars get the recognition they deserve.” I think it’s fair to say that everyone enjoyed some part of the tournament, whether that be the early season competitiveness or the newly designed courts. Fans and players can agree that they will be marking their calendars for these special games for years to come.
