Details have emerged regarding the first NBA championship of the season
The NBA has announced details of its first tournament of the season, set to begin November 3 and conclude with the championship game on December 9. All 30 teams will participate in the group stage, divided into three groups of five teams in each conference. . The groups were determined by a random draw.
Western Conference
West Group A | West Group B | West Group C |
Memphis Grizzlies | Denver Nuggets | Sacramento Kings |
Phoenix Suns | Los Angeles Clippers | Golden State Warriors |
Los Angeles Lakers | New Orleans Pelicans | Minnesota Timberwolves |
Utah Jazz | Dallas Mavericks | Oklahoma City Thunder |
Portland Trail Blazers | Houston Rockets | San Antonio Spurs |
Eastern Conference
East Group A | Eastern group b | East Group C |
Philadelphia Seventy Sixers | Milwaukee Bucks | Boston Celtics |
Cleveland Cavaliers | New York Knicks | Brooklyn Networks |
Atlanta Hawks | Miami Heat | Toronto Raptors |
Indiana Pacers | Washington Wizards | Chicago Bulls |
Detroit Pistons | Charlotte Hornets | Orlando Magic |
Tournament setup and details
During the group stage, teams will play four matches, two at home and two on the road. These games will count toward regular season records and statistics. Group games will be held on Tuesdays and Fridays in November, except for November 7, which is Election Day and no games will be held.
The team with the best record in each group, along with the two wild card teams (the second-best team in each conference group), will advance to the knockout stage. The knockout round will feature single-elimination quarter-final matches on December 4-5, hosted by the teams with the best group play record. The semifinals and tournament matches will be held at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on December 7 and 9, respectively. The championship game will not count towards regular season records and statistics, making it the 83rd game for the two participating teams.
The NBA championship season looks wild
(via @employee)pic.twitter.com/jlFjBRwOem
– Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 8, 2023
Teams that do not qualify for the knockout round will play two more matches on December 6 and 8 to complete the 82-game regular season schedule. Teams eliminated in the quarterfinals will play an additional regular season game on December 8.
There will be a prize pool dedicated to the teams that advance to the knockout round, with the champion taking home the NBA Trophy. The tournament’s MVP of the season, along with the All-Tournament team, will be named based on the players’ performance during the group and elimination stages. This is a groundbreaking change for the NBA but it mimics many European football and basketball leagues and by all indications, it will be very exciting for NBA fans all over the world.