Sports
In-Season Tournament shines bright in Las Vegas spotlight – NBA.com
Tournament has had the combination of an All-Star Game feel along with playoff atmosphere intensity.
Mark Anderson | The Associated Press
LeBron James, like many players, has brought playoff intensity to the In-Season Tournament.
• Buy Tickets to Championship Game
LAS VEGAS (AP) — When league officials decided to play the semifinals and championship game of the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament in Las Vegas, they knew it wouldn’t be an understated affair.
And it hasn’t been.
Though the semifinals Thursday count in the standings and half a million dollars is on the line for the players who win the championship, the tournament has the combination of an exhibition All-Star Game feel to a playoff atmosphere intensity not often seen before Christmas.
Nelly and TLC set the tone by performing at Toshiba Plaza, where fans congregate outside T-Mobile Arena before entering the building.
Inside the arena were Julius Erving, Gary Payton, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Vivica A. Fox. The two-time WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces also were in attendance.
There was a red-carpet entry for LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and other top players. They played on a red-and-blue court.
“Just all of the different things that they have made of it, and you get to be a part of it and you’re like, man, this is pretty special,” Bucks All-Star guard Damian Lillard said. “I think the atmosphere was what it was. When I played USAB, that’s kind of how I felt, just like the energy in the building felt like USA Basketball in the summer because the crowd was just so neutral. But it was a good experience.”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver watched the action, and he will give a state-of-the-league news conference before Saturday’s final. He no doubt will be asked about Las Vegas as a potential candidate for expansion, and Silver has said the city already is treated like the 31st franchise with each team playing in the Summer League here.
“This is like the worst-kept secret in the world, isn’t it, that this is eventually going to be an NBA city?” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “We’ve been coming here for so many years for Summer League. … I think the turnout today shows that there’s certainly interest in the NBA game. I believe that the NBA can make just about anything happen. The In-Season Tournament is something that there were many, many skeptics about for many years, and right now it’s all the buzz.”
NBA broadcast partners ESPN and TNT did the usually unthinkable, with one broadcasting one semifinal and the other network handling the other one. They even had dueling pregame shows, with Charles Barkley of TNT’s popular “Inside the NBA” taking a shot at the ESPN’s vocal Stephen A. Smith by telling him not to come over to his set.
“This ain’t ‘First Take,’” Barkley told a laughing Smith. “This going to be the first (butt)-whooping you take.”
For all the glitz and glamour, the semifinals got off to a solemn start. A moment of silence for the victims of Wednesday’s mass shooting at UNLV took place before both semis. Three people were killed and a fourth seriously injured.
Anthony Davis was unstoppable as the Lakers defeated the Pacers to win the NBA In-Season Tournament Championship.
The two stars have kept their respective team undefeated throughout the In-Season Tournament.
EYBL Scholastic Showcase games on Dec. 8-9 will be open to NBA team front-office personnel for player evaluation purposes.
Everything you need to know about the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament.
Anthony Davis was unstoppable as the Lakers defeated the Pacers to win the NBA In-Season Tournament Championship.
The two stars have kept their respective team undefeated throughout the In-Season Tournament.
EYBL Scholastic Showcase games on Dec. 8-9 will be open to NBA team front-office personnel for player evaluation purposes.
Everything you need to know about the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament.
Up 46% from NBA Saturday primetime on ABC season debut last year; up 64% from Saturday primetime season average.
Doncic became the youngest player to reach 1,000 3-pointers in NBA history. Also, Bradley Beal is expected to return on Tuesday.
From the Sixers' and Wolves' play to LeBron James' surge and more, these things stand out at the season's quarter mark.
The NBA's Christmas Day brand campaign 'The Gift of Game' celebrates the timeless tradition and captures the magic of holiday hoops.
RotoWire discusses the best players to start at each position heading into Week 8 of the fantasy basketball season.
The NBA's leading offensive rebounder will be evaluated to return in 8-10 weeks.
If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page.
NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLC’s Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network
