The inaugural NBA in-season tournament is on to the knockout rounds.
While the opening group stage of the tournament led to some confusion—whether from the importance of score differential or the sheer brightness of the special courts—the knockout round is much simpler.
We have a bracket, and the last team standing wins.
Bucks guard Damian Lillard expressed that while players started off a bit reserved when it came to the in-season tournament, the new competition was now hitting home with guys across the league.
"I think it's growing on everybody a little bit more," Lillard told TNT's Inside the NBA ahead of the Bucks' knockout game against the Knicks on Tuesday night. "In the beginning we didn't really know what it was, we just knew that money was on the line.
"Now it's turned into real entertainment, real competitive basketball. We playing for something."
"I think it's growing on everybody a little bit more...I think everybody just wanted it more and more. Now it's turned into real entertainment, real competitive basketball. We playing for something." 💯@Dame_Lillard shares his thoughts on the In-Season Tournament pic.twitter.com/KMsmi2jS6l
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) December 6, 2023
While the group stage of the tournament could probably still use some tinkering, Monday night's quarterfinals matchups went a long way toward showing that the league may have struck gold with the new competition, with the Pacers and Celtics playing a heated matchup that felt like a playoff game.
