• Loading stock data...
Friday, October 24, 2025
Want a chance to win $250 and FOS merch? Take a few minutes to complete our survey and help us improve with your feedback! Take the survey Today

In-Season NBA Tourney Upshot: Success. But Will It Change?

  • The NBA In-Season Tournament semifinals begin on Thursday in Las Vegas.
  • After some uncertainty, the inaugural edition of the tournament has been a success.
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The first-ever NBA In-Season Tournament semifinals begin on Thursday in Las Vegas when the Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, New Orleans Pelicans, and Los Angeles Lakers battle for a spot in Saturday’s final and a $500,000-per-player prize for the winners.

By most accounts, the inaugural edition has been a success, though many players and fans initially questioned the event’s purpose. “I’m not even going to lie. I don’t even know what’s going on,” Los Angeles Clippers guard Bones Hyland said before the tournament began.

But as the group stage and quarterfinals played out, the NBA saw its best November attendance ever (averaging 18,208 fans per game), players increased their intensity, and viewership has been up from what the NBA normally sees during this point of the season. For example, group-play games on ESPN and TNT saw a 26% increase from last season’s comparable windows.

So, it’s safe to say that the first NBA Cup awarded on Saturday night won’t be the last.

However, the in-season tournament is young and may need to keep evolving to stay relevant long-term, which won’t be easy.

“It’s unlikely that we’re going to have a radical change to the format going into next year because it was so difficult to even align around this one,” NBA executive vice president of basketball strategy and analytics Evan Wasch told Front Office Sports.” But that doesn’t mean that tweaks aren’t warranted [or that] we wouldn’t consider bringing back some things that may have ended up on the cutting room floor.”

One of the early ideas that got scrapped: an eight-game group stage, which would have allowed for all five teams per group to play home-and-aways against each other. (Argument against: That could have diminished the importance of some matchups.) “I expect you would see even more urgency in some of those early games next year, which is a benefit of having only four,” Wasch said. 

Still, Wasch said the NBA is open to studying models that could increase the number of group-stage games and create a longer build-up to the knockout round.

For now, the NBA is getting ready to crown a new “champion” in December — and start what it hopes will be a new fall tradition.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (2) celebrates following the game between Vanderbilt University and Louisiana State University at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025
exclusive

Diego Pavia Is Trying to Kill NCAA JUCO Eligibility Rules for Good

Vandy’s QB is amending his own lawsuit to encompass all NCAA athletes.
YouTube

YouTube in Another Carriage Dispute, This Time With Disney

ESPN and ABC could be dropped from the No. 4 U.S. pay-TV distributor.

Featured Today

Christie's

Lou Gehrig’s $4M Jersey and the Exploding Sports Memorabilia Market

An ultra-rare sports collection is about to hit the auction block.
@chef__tezz/Instagram
October 19, 2025

Inside the NFL’s Private Chef Network

Private chefs are the unsung architects of player performance.
October 18, 2025

How Vanderbilt Went From SEC Doormat to Dark Horse CFP Candidate

After beating LSU, Clark Lea said: “Internally, we expect to win.”
May 27, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) shoots a three point basket over New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the third quarter of game four of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse
October 18, 2025

NBA Stars Swap Wine With League Friends and Foes

A wine-exchange tradition emerged from the bubble season’s close quarters.

Underdog Blue Jays vs. Dodgers’ Mega-Payroll on MLB’s Global Stage

The high-profile matchup caps what has been a breakthrough season for the league.
October 23, 2025

Gambling Issues Dogged Adam Silver’s NBA Before Latest Scandal

Silver vocally backed legalized sports betting in 2014.
Jun 18, 2022; Washington, DC, USA; Grammy award-winning artist Pharrell Williams performs at the Sun Stage during the Something in the Water festival on Saturday, June 18, 2022 in Washington, DC.
October 23, 2025

MLB Will Try to Turn the World Series Into More Than Just..

The league has planned a series of showcase music performances in Toronto.
Sponsored

How HOKA is Reimagining the NIL Relationship

Fans can now follow their favorite golfers and experience every marquee moment at the Ryder Cup — thanks to innovation from T-Mobile.
October 23, 2025

Raptors, Leafs Shift Games to Make Way for Blue Jays’ World Series..

The Maple Leafs and Raptors adjust game times during the World Series.
October 23, 2025

As the NFL, NBA, and NHL Go Global, The Masters Is Looking..

The tournament’s chairman touted new qualification measures.
Adam Silver
October 22, 2025

Adam Silver Kicks Off Another Cycle of WNBA Labor Tension

The CBA expires next week.
Tony Parker
October 22, 2025

NBA Wants to Launch European League in ‘Next Two Years’

The league is eyeing 10–12 cities for its European venture.