Exciting Quarterfinal Matchups Set for NBA In-Season Tournament

Following a series of group stage games over the past month, the NBA’s in-season tournament is now entering the knockout stage, featuring an exciting lineup of matchups.

The action begins on Monday with the Indiana Pacers hosting the Boston Celtics at 7:30 p.m. ET, and continues with the New Orleans Pelicans facing the Sacramento Kings at 10. Tuesday night will see a pair of group stage rematches, with the New York Knicks playing at the Milwaukee Bucks at 7:30, followed by the visiting Phoenix Suns taking on the Los Angeles Lakers at 10.

The winners of each quarterfinal game will advance to the semifinals on Dec. 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where the Eastern and Western Conference teams will compete for a spot in the championship game. The final showdown, scheduled for Dec. 9 (ABC), will see the winner lift the NBA Cup for the first time and earn $500,000 for every player on its roster.

In a surprising twist, each of the four quarterfinals features a matchup that has already occurred four times this season, making this the fifth encounter between these teams.

The 22 teams that did not advance will play one home game and one road game on Dec. 6 and 8, while the teams that lose in the quarterfinals will face off against each other on Dec. 8.

The NBA also announced the schedule for the other 22 teams, featuring several marquee matchups, including the Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs facing off on Dec. 6 and the Denver Nuggets taking on the LA Clippers on Dec. 8.

Other highlight games include the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Houston Rockets on Dec. 6, and the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Miami Heat and the Golden State Warriors at the Thunder on Dec. 8.