The large headliner for Tuesday night time’s sport on the Chase Middle is the Bay Space return of Klay Thompson, who’s set to play in opposition to the Warriors for the primary time since leaving for Dallas this previous summer time.
Nevertheless it’s additionally the primary night time of the Emirates NBA Cup.
This being the second annual in-season match, right here’s a refresher on the way it all works.
What’s the format?
The match runs from Nov. 12 by Dec. 17.
It begins with the group stage, during which each group performs 4 video games — two at dwelling and two on the street. Every “pod” of 5 groups, all from the identical convention, is created primarily based on final yr’s regular-season data. These group stage video games are Tuesdays and Fridays for the subsequent few weeks.
Eight groups qualify for the quarterfinals relying on their group stage efficiency. These video games will probably be performed on the dwelling arenas primarily based on group play efficiency, then the semifinals and finals are held in Las Vegas.
NBA Cup video games are performed on distinctive courts which often characteristic eye-popping colours. Margin of victory issues for tiebreakers, so groups are incentivized to run up the rating.
All statistics rely from the video games aside from within the championship sport, which is curiously scrubbed from the historical past books.
Who do the Warriors play?
Golden State’s group consists of the Mavericks, Pelicans, Nuggets and Grizzlies.
After the Dallas matchup, the Warriors’ subsequent NBA Cup video games are this Friday in opposition to Memphis, Nov. 22 at New Orleans and Dec. 3 at Denver.
Wait, it has a brand new title now?
One yr in and the league has already rebranded.
Final season, the inaugural in-season match was referred to as, properly, the NBA In-Season Event. Now, as you’ll have heard from current broadcasts across the league, it’s the Emirates NBA Cup.
Who gained the match final yr?
The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Pacers within the championship sport. Anthony Davis registered 41 factors, 20 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocks within the closing. LeBron James was named match MVP.
Los Angeles was 14-9 after final yr’s In-Season Event. They went 3-10 after the match and completed with a 45-36 document general.
What occurred to the Warriors final season?
Golden State didn’t qualify for the Las Vegas portion of the match. They’d’ve entered the quarterfinals had they not choked away a 24-point result in the Kings — a collapse that included two turnovers within the final minute.
Why is the league doing this?
One widespread critique of the NBA is that the common season feels insignificant. The league wished to introduce an in-season match, much like European soccer cups, to attract extra curiosity earlier than the Christmas video games.
Final yr’s video games in Las Vegas appeared a bit extra intense than a mean sport, however that’s solely anecdotal. The stakes for gamers are minimal, however not zero.
What do the gamers play for?
Bragging rights and candy, candy money.
Each participant from the NBA Cup champion will get a roughly $500,000 bonus. The runners-up get a prize of about $200,000. Gamers who attain the semifinals get about $100,000 and the quarterfinal groups get $50,000.
The sums are barely increased than final season as a result of prize cash is tied to will increase in basketball-related earnings.
Do followers care?
Final yr’s championship between the Lakers and Pacers drew a peak of 5.6 million viewers. It was the most-watched non-Christmas NBA sport in six years, per Nielsen.
Veteran NBA scribe Howard Beck posted a ballot on the social media platform X to gauge followers’ pleasure degree within the match. The outcomes had been combined: 49.5% of respondents both answered “meh” or “make it stop,” with the opposite 50.5% responding, “It’s cool/fun” or probably the most constructive choice of, “BREEN DOUBLE BANG.”
We actually can’t agree on something, huh?
