We are right around the corner for the start of the NBA’s In-Season Tournament (IST)! After weeks of pondering over the benefits of this event, the effects it may have on the league overall, and a handful of regular season games, I’ve decided that this will actually be something to look forward to. Let’s do a review of the IST, preview the first day of games and give a quick layout of what to look forward to. 

IST, in review – The IST is a mid-season tournament in which qualifying teams participate to earn cash incentives. The concept was developed from the establishment of the Mid-Season Tournament of the G League. To qualify, teams must win their group or have the highest win percentage after the qualifying teams. There are 6 groups with games going all month long. The IST will award the winner 500k cash to each player. The Semi-finals and Finals of the IST will be played at T-Mobile arena in Las Vegas, Nevada!

Nov 3 Games – Here are the list of games being played as IST qualifiers 

  • Cavs @ Pacers – So far, the Pacers are 1 up in this match up. The Pacers beat the Cavs in Cleveland, so this will be a real test for the Cavs to win. Taking Pacers on this one. 
  • Knicks @ Bucks – Knicks are coming off of an L to the Cavs and are having trouble breaking 100. The Bucks, of course, don’t have that issue. Points win. Gimme Greek and Dame. 
  • Wizards @ Heat – This is a prove it game. Each team has to prove they’re better than their bottom-of-the-conference records. I’m taking Jimmy and co cause they actually play defense. 
  • Nets @ Bulls – Brooklyn is on a 2-game win streak while Chicago is still figuring it out. This is a good on-paper matchup but might be a low-scoring affair. I’ll take Brooklyn on this one. 
  • Warriors @ Thunder – This might be the game to watch. While we know what the Dubs are bringing, the Thunder are coming on electric. Dare I say, there may be an upset? Hell, if you’re playing the spread (Dubs minus 1 at the moment) ride that upset train! Gimme the Thunder! 

Now, as mentioned before, I’ve thought hard about why the players would care about this tournament when they have both money, a battle with health over the season (see: Rest Rule), and the NBA Playoffs to be concerned about. Well, for some teams, this may be a bigger deal than we think. Here are a few “incentives” for your team to try for this IST:

  • Competition Prep –  Each qualifying game is a regular season game, but there are only 4 of them! So each game really counts. On top of that, as the IST is the “lite” version of the NBA playoffs, it also serves as a great measuring tool for teams to see how their currently built rosters measure up in playoff performances. Maybe your team is a great regular season team, but isn’t ready for the big stage and knockout games. Maybe your team is one player away from being the team to dethrone the Nuggets. Remember, this all goes down well before the Trade Deadline and All-Star Weekend. This alone can give coaches the information they need to shore up their roster before the New Year. 
  • Bonus Basketball – This is going to be an interesting season with the rest rules and awards with the games played-minimum. There are going to be 2 extra games with the semi-final and finals of the IST, but that’s it! It’s one extra cherry on that sundae for fans, and just a little more sweat (and a game check) for players. Which reminds me…
  • Mo Money – Hey, 500k may be a drop in the bucket for the 1%ers of the league, but for that 13th man in the rotation, it can make a world of difference. It’s a great morale booster too. 
  • Mo Swag – This may not seem like a complete bonus, but for each of the IST seasonal games and the tournament, we get bonus court swaps and jersey colorways. For the collector, this is a win-win-win. 

Interested in more about the IST, Hoops or anything else? Make sure to leave a comment below, or find me on Twitter/X here.