There will only be one trophy to be won each year in the NBA. Indeed, after years of discussion, the league will finally launch its mid-season tournament inspired by the national cups of European football. Already scheduled for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, the NBA Cup was presented by the commissionaire Adam Silver in Las Vegas this weekend.
“It is a concept discussed for fifteen years in the offices of the league. New things take time to take root like traditions. But we see innovations in all sports and the time had come for this mid-season tournament, ”confides the boss.
This new competition will take place during the regular season with matches included in the calendar – and which will therefore also be among the 82 played by each team – in the months of November and December. The NBA distributed the 30 franchises within 6 groups, 3 per Conference, mixing the different divisions. The formations were drawn a bit like a World Cup, respecting different hats. For example, the teams that finished between first and third place in their Conference last year were all seeded.
The groups for the mid-season tournament
Groupe 1: Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons
Groupe 2: Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets
Groupe 3: Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic
Groupe 4: Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz, Portland Trail Blazers
Groupe 5: Denver Nuggets, LA Clippers, New Orleans Pelicans, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets
Groupe 6: Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs
Each team will play once against each of the opponents in its pool during the month of November. To ensure fairness, the NBA will try to minimize back-to-back matches as much as possible. The first in each group will automatically qualify for the playoffs, as will two best runners-up, one from each Conference. There will therefore be quarter-finals in December, then a Final Four scheduled for the 7th of the same month. The East vs West format is respected throughout in order to give a final on a dry match on the 9th in Las Vegas.
The winner will lift a cup but there will be no particular advantage that will come from this victory. The NBA considered a time to offer a spot in the playoffs but without going after this idea. Players on the winning team will receive a bonus of $500,000 each. Smaller sums will be donated for finalists, semi-finalists, etc. Will that be enough to really motivate them and take this tournament seriously?
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2023-07-09 08:02:00
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