The final game of the first ever NBA In-Season Tournament begins tonight at 5:30 PM, Pacific time. LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers will face off against the Indiana Pacers for the right to hoist the NBA Cup for the very first time, plus $500,000 in prize money per player.
All 30 NBA teams played four Group Play games leading up to this moment. Eight teams progressed to the Knockout Round, now whittled down to just two. Having walked through that process for the first time, it’s time to ask how it affected you as an NBA, and Trail Blazers, fan.
Portland didn’t come close to progressing, earning a 1-3 record in the Group games. Other than a fancy, and very red, hardwood floor gracing the Moda Center, you wouldn’t have known that the whole thing was going on, really. But plenty of players and fans have gotten excited about it.
We’ll have a Game Day Thread open during the championship match. As we lead up to the start, share with us how the tournament has struck you. Has it affected your NBA life, or fandom, at all? What parts did you like best? What parts would you modify or eliminate? Could anything be added to make it better?
The comment section is open for your thoughts today! Have at it!
