It’s only been a week since the 2023–2024 NBA season began, and this year, teams won’t have to wait until the NBA Finals in June to compete for some silverware. The NBA has introduced a new in-season tournament with a group stage and a knockout round.
The semifinals and the final will take place in Las Vegas, where the champion will hoist the NBA Cup. This piece will cover everything you need to know about the NBA in-season tournament, including the schedule and fixtures.
NBA In-Season Tournament Fixtures and Times
The NBA’s In-Season Tournament is a groundbreaking addition to the basketball calendar, set to spice up the regular season. The tournament takes place throughout November and early December, kicking off with a nationally televised game on November 3 when the New York Knicks play against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Here’s the NBA In-Season Tournament Schedule presented in a table format for better readability:
| Date | Game | Group | Time | National TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 3 | New York vs. Milwaukee | East B | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Nov. 3 | Dallas vs. Denver | West B | 10 p.m. | ESPN |
| Nov. 3 | Cleveland vs. Indiana | East A | 7 p.m. | |
| Nov. 3 | Washington vs. Miami | East B | 8 p.m. | |
| Nov. 3 | Brooklyn vs. Chicago | East C | 8 p.m. | |
| Nov. 3 | Golden State vs. Oklahoma City | West C | 8 p.m. | |
| Nov. 3 | Memphis vs. Portland | West A | 10 p.m. | |
| Nov. 10 | Brooklyn vs. Boston | East C | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Nov. 10 | L.A. Lakers vs. Phoenix | West A | 10 p.m. | ESPN |
| Nov. 10 | Philadelphia vs. Detroit | East A | 7 p.m. | |
| Nov. 10 | Charlotte vs. Washington | East B | 7 p.m. | |
| Nov. 10 | New Orleans vs. Houston | West B | 8 p.m. | |
| Nov. 10 | Utah vs. Memphis | West A | 8 p.m. | |
| Nov. 10 | Minnesota vs. San Antonio | West C | 8 p.m. | |
| Nov. 10 | LA Clippers vs. Dallas | West B | 8:30 p.m. | |
| Nov. 10 | Oklahoma City vs. Sacramento | West C | 10 p.m. | |
| Nov. 14 | San Antonio vs. Oklahoma City | West C | 7:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Nov. 14 | LA Clippers vs. Denver | West B | 10 p.m. | TNT |
| Nov. 14 | Miami vs. Charlotte | East B | 7 p.m. | |
| Nov. 14 | Atlanta vs. Detroit | East A | 7 p.m. | |
| Nov. 14 | Indiana vs. Philadelphia | East A | 7 p.m. | |
| Nov. 14 | Orlando vs. Brooklyn | East C | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Nov. 14 | Dallas vs. New Orleans | West B | 8 p.m. | |
| Nov. 14 | Portland vs. Utah | West A | 9 p.m. | |
| Nov. 14 | Minnesota vs. Golden State | West C | 10 p.m. | |
| Nov. 14 | Memphis vs. L.A. Lakers | West B | 10:30 p.m. | |
| Nov. 17 | Philadelphia vs. Atlanta | East A | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Nov. 17 | Sacramento vs. San Antonio | West C | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Nov. 17 | Phoenix vs. Utah | West A | 10 p.m. | ESPN |
| Nov. 17 | Milwaukee vs. Charlotte | East B | 7 p.m. | |
| Nov. 17 | New York vs. Washington | East B | 7 p.m. | |
| Nov. 17 | Detroit vs. Cleveland | East A | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Nov. 17 | Boston vs. Toronto | East C | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Nov. 17 | Orlando vs. Chicago | East C | 8 p.m. | |
| Nov. 17 | Denver vs. New Orleans | West B | 8:30 p.m. | |
| Nov. 17 | L.A. Lakers vs. Portland | West A | 10 p.m. | |
| Nov. 17 | Houston vs. LA Clippers | West A | 10:30 p.m. | |
| Nov. 21 | Cleveland vs. Philadelphia | East A | 7:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Nov. 21 | Utah vs. L.A. Lakers | West B | 10 p.m. | TNT |
| Nov. 21 | Toronto vs. Orlando | East C | 7 p.m. | |
| Nov. 21 | Indiana vs. Atlanta | East A | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Nov. 21 | Portland vs. Phoenix | West A | 9 p.m. | |
| Nov. 24 | Boston vs. Orlando | East C | 2:30 p.m. | NBA TV |
| Nov. 24 | Phoenix vs. Memphis | West A | 5 p.m. | NBA TV |
| Nov. 24 | Miami vs. New York | East B | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Nov. 24 | San Antonio vs. Golden State | West C | 10 p.m. | ESPN |
| Nov. 24 | Chicago vs. Toronto | East C | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Nov. 24 | Detroit vs. Indiana | East A | 8 p.m. | |
| Nov. 24 | Denver vs. Houston | West B | 8 p.m. | |
| Nov. 24 | Washington vs. Milwaukee | East B | 8 p.m. | |
| Nov. 24 | Sacramento vs. Minnesota | West C | 8 p.m. | |
| Nov. 24 | New Orleans vs. LA Clippers | West A | 10:30 p.m. | |
| Nov. 28 | Milwaukee vs. Miami | East B | 7:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Nov. 28 | Golden State vs. Sacramento | West C | 10 p.m. | TNT |
| Nov. 28 | Chicago vs. Boston | East C | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Nov. 28 | Toronto vs. Brooklyn | East C | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Nov. 28 | Atlanta vs. Cleveland | East A | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Nov. 28 | Charlotte vs. New York | East B | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Nov. 28 | Oklahoma City vs. Minnesota | West C | 7 p.m. | |
| Nov. 28 | Houston vs. Dallas | West B | 8:30 p.m. | |
| Dec. 4 | TBD | 7 or 7:30 p.m. | TNT | |
| Dec. 4 | TBD | 9:30 or 10 p.m. | TNT | |
| Dec. 5 | TBD | 7 or 7:30 p.m. | TNT | |
| Dec. 5 | TBD | 9:30 or 10 p.m. | TNT | |
| Dec. 7 | TBD | 5 p.m. | ESPN | |
| Dec. 7 | TBD | 9 p.m. | TNT | |
| Dec. 9 | TBD | 8:30 p.m. | ABC |
Format of the Tournament Explained
The NBA’s In-Season Tournament is an innovative addition to the basketball calendar, drawing inspiration from European soccer cup competitions. The tournament features three groups in each conference, consisting of five teams each. These teams participate in group-stage games held on Tuesdays and Fridays throughout November.
To make the tournament distinct, teams play on specially designed courts while showcasing their city-edition uniforms. The knockout stage involves the top eight teams, consisting of six group winners and two wildcard teams per conference. Determining the eight advancing teams can be a complex process involving tiebreakers based on head-to-head records, point differentials, points scored, regular-season records, and even random drawings if needed.
“We are excited to introduce the NBA In-Season Tournament as an opportunity to further enhance and innovate around our season structure,” said Joe Dumars, NBA executive vice president, head of basketball operations. “With the addition of this new marquee event on the NBA calendar, we are focused on providing players and teams with another competition to win, engaging fans in a different way and driving further interest in the early portion of the regular-season schedule.”
All tournament games count toward the regular season, except for the championship game. The standings are updated every tournament night, ensuring fans stay updated throughout the event. The tournament aims to increase fan engagement during a traditionally less popular period of the NBA season and provides financial incentives for players, with the championship team earning $500,000 per player. The format may evolve in future seasons, depending on its success and reception within the league.
