In-Season Tournament is a thing.
- Thread starter SLAB
- Start date
It looks like we finally have an answer to how the tournament works, with respect to all teams playing 82 games. Pretty simple solution, actually.
https://theathletic.com/4777580/2023/08/15/nba-in-season-tournament-schedule-release-details/
I suppose the only tricky thing is that probably every NBA arena is going to have to have a hold on Dec. 4 or 5 and Dec. 6 and/or 8 - because any team might host a quarterfinal on the 4th/5th or a TBD game on the 6th/8th.
https://theathletic.com/4777580/2023/08/15/nba-in-season-tournament-schedule-release-details/
I suppose the only tricky thing is that probably every NBA arena is going to have to have a hold on Dec. 4 or 5 and Dec. 6 and/or 8 - because any team might host a quarterfinal on the 4th/5th or a TBD game on the 6th/8th.
"The 22 teams that don’t qualify for the knockout stage will play two regular-season games during tournament off nights that week (Dec. 6 and 8). The losing quarterfinalists will also play each other on Dec. 8."
Gonna be incredible if some bottom feeder like Detroit makes the quarterfinals resulting in their would-be matchup drawing the Nuggets as a replacement and end up missing the play-in by one game
Gonna be incredible if some bottom feeder like Detroit makes the quarterfinals resulting in their would-be matchup drawing the Nuggets as a replacement and end up missing the play-in by one game
This is ridiculous. It infringes on the singular goal of winning the title. What is this for? Bragging rights? It means nothing - except I guess they get some bonus cash?
For the fan this means nothing and should mean nothing. Championship or bust - that's what makes the league interesting. Not some contrived "tournament".
For the fan this means nothing and should mean nothing. Championship or bust - that's what makes the league interesting. Not some contrived "tournament".
I hope we win it(kinda, might prefer rest over a 83rd game tbh) but I'm no more invested in it than the regular season games they are. I dont need banners and parades. I want behind the back bounce passes, clutch/dagger 3s off movement, I want to see Davion all up in Curry's business. And in the end wins, all of them, preferably through the Finals.
Was Go Kings!
Is still Go Kings!
No change made.
Was Go Kings!
Is still Go Kings!
No change made.
ok, let me try to explain the cup from european point of view
for top teams in europe, those who are chasing the national league trophy, its just a comfort trophy... consolation prize
if you win the league, you are the champion of a country. if you win the cup, you're well, just the best team in a knockout competition environment. nothing more.
but this trophy means a lot to a smaller teams who never won the league, especially if they are from lower division, means a lot to a teams that didn't won the league in decades, or teams completing their rebuild and and highlight their candidacy for the league trophy... and those who wants to prove their dominance, something like: hey, we got double crowned!
imagine if the kings win it. nice thing to achieve, right?
imagine knicks win it. they would claim it as most important trophy overnight.
i personally don't pay a lot of attention to a national cups. ok, in basketball those final 8 tournaments are played in february, 3 or 4 months before league ending, so you will pay attention just to see current shape of the teams.
if you think it's just about cash, no, you're wrong.
i was watching interview with some retired serbian soccer player who spent most of his career in italy. so, his sentence:
- i moved from lazio to inter at half season, played all league and cup matches for lazio in first half the season, at the end lazio won the national cup, they could send me at least half of a medal but ok, nevermind...
and i'm thinking, dude, you won several italian leagues with both teams, you even won fckn UEFA champions league and became a champion of whole europe and here you're whining for some sorry ass national cup? with a club you won EVERYTHING.
idk, is it hunger for silverware, making your own home exhibition/museum of medals... it is what it is
so that's how it goes in europe, different competitions, two or three trophies (not treated equally), you're fighting for different things.
far as i heard, NBA wanted to break that monotony that occurs in mid-season, like december/january, and i'm happy to see NBA implementing anything from europe. so, let see how it's gonna pan out.
PS. now, why cup actually exist is a long story, we need to go to 19. century england to explain it...
for top teams in europe, those who are chasing the national league trophy, its just a comfort trophy... consolation prize
if you win the league, you are the champion of a country. if you win the cup, you're well, just the best team in a knockout competition environment. nothing more.
but this trophy means a lot to a smaller teams who never won the league, especially if they are from lower division, means a lot to a teams that didn't won the league in decades, or teams completing their rebuild and and highlight their candidacy for the league trophy... and those who wants to prove their dominance, something like: hey, we got double crowned!
imagine if the kings win it. nice thing to achieve, right?
imagine knicks win it. they would claim it as most important trophy overnight.
i personally don't pay a lot of attention to a national cups. ok, in basketball those final 8 tournaments are played in february, 3 or 4 months before league ending, so you will pay attention just to see current shape of the teams.
if you think it's just about cash, no, you're wrong.
i was watching interview with some retired serbian soccer player who spent most of his career in italy. so, his sentence:
- i moved from lazio to inter at half season, played all league and cup matches for lazio in first half the season, at the end lazio won the national cup, they could send me at least half of a medal but ok, nevermind...
and i'm thinking, dude, you won several italian leagues with both teams, you even won fckn UEFA champions league and became a champion of whole europe and here you're whining for some sorry ass national cup? with a club you won EVERYTHING.
idk, is it hunger for silverware, making your own home exhibition/museum of medals... it is what it is
so that's how it goes in europe, different competitions, two or three trophies (not treated equally), you're fighting for different things.
far as i heard, NBA wanted to break that monotony that occurs in mid-season, like december/january, and i'm happy to see NBA implementing anything from europe. so, let see how it's gonna pan out.
PS. now, why cup actually exist is a long story, we need to go to 19. century england to explain it...
I wouldn't mind a champion's league type set up. That would discourage tanking and if part of winning the cup was a gaurteed spot in the championship league provide incentive to win.
Right now theres no incentive to win because there's nothing of worth to loose. If anything maybe teams march out bench warmers and g-leaguers... go get you 500k my dudes.
Right now theres no incentive to win because there's nothing of worth to loose. If anything maybe teams march out bench warmers and g-leaguers... go get you 500k my dudes.
They should have done this on NBA all star weekend or whatever. Make it 4 days with multiple games in a day if needed. The reason I don't really like it is because you have teams playing for this cup and then the rest of the teams are just playing normal regular season games at the same time. They shouldn't have made this the way it is scheduling wise. It will confuse fans and they won't really know which is a cup game and a regular season game since you will play a cup game on Sunday night and then Wednesday and Friday you will have a couple regular season games before playing another cup game. It's just a clusterfudge.
Actually, the schedule is set up rather cleverly. There are group games, and once the group stage is done there are tournament games.
It's easy to know which games are group games:
1) Is it November?
If "No", this is not a group game
If "Yes", go to question 2
2) Is it either Tuesday or Friday?
If "Yes", this is a group game
If "No", this is not a group game
The in-season tournament week is also pretty easy.
Sunday, Dec. 3 - No games
Monday, Dec. 4 - Quarterfinal games
Tuesday, Dec. 5 - Quarterfinal games
Wednesday, Dec. 6 - TBD slate of regular season games; all teams not in the tournament will play
Thursday, Dec. 7 - Semifinal games
Friday, Dec. 8 - TBD slate of regular season games; all teams not in the tournament will play, as will the quarterfinal losers
Saturday, Dec. 9 - Championship game
Sunday, Dec. 10 - No games
This is pretty tight and about as far from a cluster as I can imagine. It could have been so much worse.
It's easy to know which games are group games:
1) Is it November?
If "No", this is not a group game
If "Yes", go to question 2
2) Is it either Tuesday or Friday?
If "Yes", this is a group game
If "No", this is not a group game
The in-season tournament week is also pretty easy.
Sunday, Dec. 3 - No games
Monday, Dec. 4 - Quarterfinal games
Tuesday, Dec. 5 - Quarterfinal games
Wednesday, Dec. 6 - TBD slate of regular season games; all teams not in the tournament will play
Thursday, Dec. 7 - Semifinal games
Friday, Dec. 8 - TBD slate of regular season games; all teams not in the tournament will play, as will the quarterfinal losers
Saturday, Dec. 9 - Championship game
Sunday, Dec. 10 - No games
This is pretty tight and about as far from a cluster as I can imagine. It could have been so much worse.