NBA launches in-season tourney with Dec 9 final in Vegas
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Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr is excited for the NBA's first-ever in-season tournament..
PHOTO: AFP
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LAS VEGAS – The National Basketball Association (NBA) launched its first in-season tournament on Saturday, revealing the groups for the 30-team event, culminating with the NBA Cup final on Dec 9 in Las Vegas.
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 cup events.
“What a perfect opportunity for a global league like the NBA. It’s a perfect fit for our game,” he said.
Silver did sound a cautionary note, hoping NBA fans would be patient at the start of the new competition.
“It takes a little bit of time to establish a new tradition,” he said. “All throughout sports we’re seeing new innovations and now is the time for this in-season tournament. So here we go.”
The teams for the six groups, 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 the group stage. Those games will be played on Tuesdays and Fridays from Nov 3, regular-season contests counting as tournament play, except for the election day on Nov 7 for some vacant state governorships and House seats.
Three group winners and the next-best team overall from each conference will advance to the eight-team knockout quarter-finals on Dec 4 and 5.
Those winners will advance to the semi-finals in Vegas on Dec 7 with the championship match two days later.
Each player in the in-season tournament championship squad will receive US$500,000 (S$673,000).
“I’m excited,” Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “It’s going to add an element of excitement for the players and the coaches and the fans. It’s a great idea.”
The 67 games across both stages of the in-season tournament will count towards the regular-season standings, except the final. All clubs will continue to play 82 regular-season games in the 2023-24 season.
In the Western Conference, Group A will consist of the Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis, Phoenix, Utah and Portland.
Group B will feature reigning NBA champions Denver, New Orleans, the Los Angeles Clippers, Dallas and Houston, while Group C comprises Golden State, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Minnesota and Sacramento.
“I think we’re going to be really surprising,” said San Antonio Spurs teen star and 2023 top draft pick Victor Wembanyama
The San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama during the second quarter against the Charlotte Hornets on July 7.
PHOTO: AFP
In the Eastern Conference, Group A boasts Philadelphia, Cleveland, Atlanta, Indiana and Detroit, while Group B consists of Milwaukee, New York, Miami, Washington and Charlotte.
Orlando, Chicago, Boston, Brooklyn and Toronto are in Group C.
Meanwhile, the Spurs’ three-time NBA Coach of the Year Gregg Popovich has signed a five-year contract that is reportedly worth in excess of US$80 million.
The Hall of Fame coach has won five NBA titles with San Antonio since taking over as coach in 1996.
The 74-year-old is the NBA’s all-time leader with 1,366 regular-season coaching victories.
AFP, REUTERS
