For NBA fans who enjoyed last year’s in-season tournament, there’s good news because it looks like it’s here to stay. The draw has been held and the schedule is in place for the 2024 in-season tournament. Of course, the Lakers are hoping to repeat as champs despite not being the favorites to do so while the other 29 teams are hoping to take home $500,000 per player for being the winning team.
Players aren’t the only ones who have a chance to benefit from the in-season tournament. There are several trusted betting sites offering odds on the champion of the tournament, not to mention all of the regular-season games that count toward the tournament standings. Obviously, the regular season is the focus of every team, but we should also take a look at each of the groups for the 2024 NBA In-Season Tournament.
East Group A
This might be the most intriguing group in the East. Both the Knicks and the 76ers should be considered threats to win the NBA Cup if they can get their rosters healthy early in the season. Those teams will square off on the opening night of tournament action in a game that could decide the group winner. Of course, an up-and-coming team like the Magic adds another layer of intrigue to the group. With the Nets and Hornets also in Group A, there is a good chance that between the Knicks, 76ers, and Magic, one team advances as a second-place finisher.
East Group B
The Bucks and Pacers being placed in the same group means an early-season matchup between these teams takes on extra importance. Despite reaching the Eastern Conference Finals and the finals of the in-season tournament last season, Indiana will feel it has something to prove. The Pacers might have an edge too if the Bucks are still figuring out how all of their pieces fit together. As always, you can’t count out the Heat from pulling off a surprise, even if the Raptors and Pistons may not be much of a factor.
East Group C
This group looks like it’ll be Boston’s to lose. The Cavaliers and Bulls don’t seem to measure up, while the Hawks and Wizards are likely a few notches below the Celtics as well. The question is how motivated the Celtics will be to win the NBA Cup. Do they want to try to win the in-season tournament the season after winning the NBA title or do they want to take it easy with nothing to prove? Boston’s attitude and approach could decide whether another team could advance from this group.
West Group A
This could be the deepest group in the tournament depending on how Houston’s young talent performs early in the season. On paper, Minnesota should advance to the quarterfinals after the T’Wolves made a strong playoff push last season. But the Clippers and Kings are both teams that can compete if Minnesota gets off to a slow start. Keep in mind Sacramento made the quarterfinals last season, so that experience could benefit the Kings this year.
West Group B
The Lakers will have their work cut out for them just to get back to the knockout stage. On paper, Oklahoma City and Phoenix have stronger rosters that could make this a brief tournament for LeBron James and company. Given the age of their roster, do the Lakers even want to play extra games and make a deep run in this tournament? The presence of the Jazz and Spurs in Group B will make the road to repeating even more challenging for the Lakers.
West Group C
This is another deep group that could be tough to call. Talent-wise, the Nuggets are the best team, although the Mavericks have a strong argument to make. Meanwhile, New Orleans has young talent on its side while an aging Golden State team might decide to take the in-season tournament seriously and replicate what the Lakers did last season. Don’t forget about the Grizzlies, who could make some noise if Ja Morant comes back strong. If Denver stumbles, this could be the most wide-open group in the tournament.
Prediction
Based on the power hierarchy in the NBA, a team from the Western Conference winning the NBA Cup is more likely. However, it’ll also be harder for the teams in the Western Conference to reach the knockout stage. That being said, look out for the Timberwolves during the NBA Cup. They have a manageable group, star power led by Anthony Edwards, and plenty of motivation to make a statement after losing in the Western Conference Finals last season.
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