The inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament in Las Vegas is underway, featuring matchups between the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference. At the same time, the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans represent the West.
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For the association, and NBA commission Adam Silver, the In-Season Tournament can be viewed as an absolute win.
Maximizing Early-Season Interest
When competing for viewership interest with the likes of the NFL or college football, the NBA understood creativity would be required to spark greater interest and engagement during the initial portion of the season. Whether the already highly invested NBA fan or a casual observer, there is more reason to get up for big games that otherwise would not have existed without the In-Season Tournament.
"You've got some of the most alpha male competitors in the world, and if you give us an opportunity to play for something meaningful or an incentive, then you get what you're getting," Lakers superstar LeBron James said via ABC News. "The In-Season Tournament is what it is, and we have an opportunity to play on a big stage, be on national television, represent our families, our communities, where we come from."
The NBA naturally is a star-driven league, and the In-Season Tournament has no shortage of the biggest names in the league, like former MVP recipients James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, along with dynamic stars between Damian Lillard, Zion Williamson, or Tyrese Haliburton. Each of those players will be putting on a show with the incentive to win each of the teammates a prize of $500,000 if they win it all.
"They're well aware of that bag," Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. "Money speaks, man.
Rebuilding Teams Are Gaining Exposure in High-Stakes Games
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For a rebuilding NBA franchise in a small market such as the Indiana Pacers, there is a natural limitation of opportunities to play high-stakes games due to the lack of playoff appearances and nationally televised games that tend to occur. With only single elimination games, it automatically elevates the importance of each matchup against other teams playing at a high level early in the season.
"Well, it's four teams that are playing for the Cup, so I'm not trying to get too much into acronyms or metaphors or anything like that," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said via IndyStar. "But this is the first In-Season Tournament, it's the first NBA Cup. The level of interest has been phenomenally high."
Having an early-season opportunity to execute in a playoff-like atmosphere to clinch a tournament birth and compete in the event itself can help spotlight rising stars like Haliburton — averaging 26.9 points and 11.9 assists in 17 regular season games — as the team develops amid an 11-8 start to the season.
"I mean, it's cute, I'll say that," Pacers center Myles Turner said. "Don't get me wrong, we love being talked about here and there. It's what we ask for. But no one is going to take us seriously until you actually take that next step. For me personally, that's what I care about. It's cool to have your "First Takes" and your talk on "SportsCenter" and this and that, but we want more. We're not satisfied with just a mention. I think we still kind of feel like guys don't take us serious enough yet, and until we go out there and actually start winning more meaningful games or have the chance to play on national TV and take care of business, it's not really going to mean anything."
The Pelicans have struggled to stay healthy in recent seasons, preventing them from becoming a consistent contender. With Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram in the lineup, New Orleans can gauge how their team stacks up with some of the hotter squads around the league with plenty of time before the midseason trade deadline.
Further Exploration of the Las Vegas Market
There is an underlying value in the NBA continuing to host events in Las Vegas, whether the annual Summer League, inaugural In-Season Tournament, or the 2007 NBA All-Star Game: the league can further gauge the possibility of placing an expansion franchise in the market.
"Hopefully, I can bring my franchise here one day," James said. "That's the ultimate (goal)."
The NBA won't discuss expansion until the next media rights deal is completed in 2025, but Las Vegas is a commonly speculated potential location. With superstar talents and teams on the rise competing at T-Mobile Arena, it'll serve as a prime opportunity to see the level of interest fans in the city hold for the game.
