Opting to strictly emphasize the belief that the NBA’s in-season tournament could interrupt the conventional sportsmanship, Brooklyn Nets’ head coach Jacque Vaughn observed the necessity for a victory against the Toronto Raptors. A group of Nets players then sort explanations from their coach about the pesky point-differential tiebreaker connected with the NBA’s inaugural in-season tournament. Taking the court at HSS Training Center during shootaround Tuesday morning, the team was already plus-8 through their initial three games of Group C play.
“Let’s just get a win tonight,” Vaughn told his players. Ronnie Burrell, an assistant coach with experience in international basketball, gave context for the tiebreaker and point differentials observed in EuroLeague and FIBA games. However, running up scores contradicts the NBA’s unspoken rules of sportsmanship, so Vaughn was cautious about preserving his starters’ health. Yet, the last few minutes of the game saw the Nets fiercely pushing the pace to secure a 115-103 win against Toronto after learning Boston had managed a 27-point victory.
At the same time, Celtics’ head coach Joe Mazzulla aimed to secure a substantial point differential against the struggling Bulls to gain an edge in the tournament. Nevertheless, his tactics faced backlash from NBA opponents postgame.
New York Knicks’ significant win also ensured their spot in the knockout rounds, unfolding a wonkier viewing experience for onlookers. As Thibodeau stated, “I guess it’s met its intended purpose.”
In the end, the night became a catalyst for coaches and executives across the league to closely monitor game statistics, preparing for the upcoming tournament events.
