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The NBA in-season tournament bracket is taking shape. See who's … – USA TODAY
We’re just two evenings away from the end of pool play in the NBA’s inaugural in-season tournament, and only two teams have won berths into the eight-team bracket that will play out in December’s knockout rounds.
The Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana Pacers are undefeated in their pool games and have punched their tickets to the knockout round, which guarantees each player $50,000 or even $500,000 if they win it all.
Just three games are left among the Lakers’ and Pacers’ group play while 15 remain in the other four groups. That leaves several teams still in contention for the knockout round. The Detroit Pistons, Washington Wizards, Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs are all 0-3 and won’t make the knockout round.
The tournament does not add games to the 82-game schedule (except for the two finalists), but it adds extra incentive for players to compete in these early-season games. Here’s a look at the six groups and each team’s standings:
The NBA staggered the groups’ pool play so the knockout bracket is gradually filling in with 18 games left to play. If the New Orleans Pelicans win and Houston Rockets lose on Friday night, the Pelicans will be the next to clinch a group. Several other outcomes, though, are still in play on Friday and Tuesday’s final games.
Each team plays the other four teams in their group (three groups of five teams in each conference) on Tuesdays and Fridays in November. The teams with the best records in their group plus a wildcard from each conference move to a one-week knockout round in December. The semifinals and final are Dec. 7 and Dec. 9 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
“We think we can create another peak in the NBA calendar in December, another thing to celebrate, another thing for players, teams, fans to rally around,” NBA executive vice president of basketball strategy and analytics Evan Wasch said.
Results from the in-season tournament games count toward the teams’ regular-season records. The teams that don’t make the knockout round will play on the evenings following the quarterfinal and semifinal games. That ensures all teams play at least the usual 82 regular-season games, although some teams will have an extra home or away game.
Players on all eight teams who make it to the knockout round are guaranteed at least $50,000 each. They can earn 10 times that amount if they bring home the NBA Cup. A tournament MVP and all-tournament honors will also be awarded.
The teams were placed in their groups somewhat randomly with a couple of key qualifiers in the selection process: