Its name may be clunky and its format byzantine, but the NBA’s in-season tournament is here.
In an effort to spice up the regular season, the league has instituted an alternate competition seemingly patterned after European soccer leagues’ knockout tournaments. The winner of the tournament—which will be contested in a group and knockout stage—will receive the NBA Cup, and each of that team’s players will receive $500,000.
The nature of the tournament—and its status as the first of its kind in the Big Four leagues—has invited commentary from players and fans. Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton's suggestion to Yahoo! Sports was a particularly eye-opening idea.
