In 2023–2024, the NBA will hold its first tournament during the regular season, with the championship game taking place in Las Vegas.
In November, four group games will be played to determine which teams advance to the quarterfinals.
The semi-finals and final will then be played at the same location in December, replicating the structure of the enormously popular NCAA Final Four.
“What a perfect opportunity for a global league like the NBA,” said the commissioner Adam Silver.
It’s the ideal competition for our game.
According to Silver, the new league was modeled after European football club cup events like the Champions League.
In Las Vegas, where the off-season Summer League began on Friday, he announced specifics of the competition on Saturday.
It takes some time to build a new tradition, the NBA commissioner said. We are seeing new developments across all sports, so this in-season event is appropriate right now. So let’s begin.
The current collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association, which went into effect on July 1 and spans through the end of 2029–30, includes the new in-season tournament.
The guard who “struck” Spears for Wembanyama was not charged.
How will the season-long competition operate?
Based on the standings from the previous season, six groups of five teams each, divided between the Eastern Conference and Western Conference, were chosen at random.
Each squad will compete in two home and two away games against each group opponent.
The knockout quarter-finals, which will be played from December 4-5, will feature the group winners and two wild cards, representing the second-best team overall from each conference.
The semifinals will then take place on December 7 in Las Vegas, which hosted the NCAA knockout games for the first time in March. The title game will follow two nights later.
With the exception of the championship match, all tournament match results will be factored towards the regular-season rankings.
Since 2004, Vegas has sponsored an annual Summer League competition, and as of 2018, all 30 clubs have participated.
NBA Con, a three-day fan event, was held for the first time this year to coincide with the commencement of the off-season tournament in an effort to increase basketball’s presence in “Sin City.”
Which teams will be battling it out?
The Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, and Portland Trail Blazers make up Group A of the Western Conference.
The Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Sacramento Kings are in Group C, while the Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Pelicans, Los Angeles Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, and Houston Rockets are in Group B.
The Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, and Detroit Pistons are in Group A of the Eastern Conference, while the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Washington Wizards, and Charlotte Hornets are in Group B.
The Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, and Toronto Raptors will be in Group C.
