Report reveals current format for NBA in-season tournament
Jun 2, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver talks to media before game one of the 2022 NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
The NBA is pressing ahead with its plans for an in-season tournament, and a new report has shed light on what the format might look like.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the current proposal involves all 30 NBA teams playing cup games through November. After that, eight teams will move on to a single-elimination tournament, which is slated to conclude in December.
Notably, all games will be part of the regular 82-game schedule, with the exception of the tournament final.
Current framework of NBA In Season Tournament as soon as 2023-24, per sources:
– Cup games through November
– 8 teams advance to single-elimination Final in December; other 22 continue with regular season
– All games part of normal 82-game schedule; one extra for two Final teams— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 9, 2022
Charania adds that the tournament could become a part of the NBA schedule as soon as the 2023-24 season.
The in-season tournament has long been a pet project of commissioner Adam Silver, who has made it clear that he wants to increase interest in the regular season. Devoting the first part of the season to a tournament format would certainly do that, even if the public might need some time to warm up to the idea.