The NBA’s inaugural in-season tournament reached its climax during the final day of group play, delivering high-stakes basketball action and suspenseful tiebreaker scenarios.
It resulted in an East quarterfinals match with the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks hosting the New York Knicks as the wild card, while the Indiana Pacers are set to face the Boston Celtics. The Los Angeles Lakers, expected to be the top seed in the West, are eagerly awaiting the outcome of the other three games to determine their opponent.
Tasked with claiming a decisive victory over the Chicago Bulls, the Boston Celtics rose to the occasion. With a zero-point differential and a probable three-way tie with the Orlando Magic and Brooklyn Nets, Boston needed a resounding win to outscore the Magic’s +22 margin.
What followed was a game that started evenly but saw the Celtics steadily build a commanding lead. They finished with an 11-point lead at the end of the first quarter, pushed it to 19 points by halftime, and further extended it with a dominating third quarter, ultimately securing a 124-97 win. Meanwhile, the Nets defeated the Toronto Raptors, but not by enough to surpass the Magic.
Over in the East, the Milwaukee Bucks secured victory against a Jimmy Butler-less Miami Heat, claiming the East Group B top spot with a record of 4-0. Despite a valiant effort from the Heat, which saw them take a three-point lead midway through the fourth quarter, a quick 7-0 run turned the tide in the Bucks’ favor.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard showcased a standout performance, amassing 65 points and 14 assists between them. However, it was Khris Middleton who delivered the decisive basket.
The New York Knicks had their eye on the Bucks-Heat game, hoping for a Heat win that would have given them the top spot in their group. Despite an impressive blowout victory over the Charlotte Hornets, improving their point differential to +42, the Knicks settled for the East wild-card position.
The Indiana Pacers and Los Angeles Lakers were the first teams to secure knockout spots after finishing with 4-0 records on Friday. The Pacers relied on NBA in-season tournament MVP favorite Tyrese Haliburton to clinch dramatic wins over the Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers in East Group A, while the Lakers coasted through an unusually weak West Group A.
Teams advancing from the group stage will move on to the quarterfinals on Dec. 4 and 5, with games hosted by the higher seeds. The semifinals and finals are scheduled for Dec. 7 and 9 in Las Vegas. All games except the championship game will count toward regular season records.
Friday’s NBA In-Season Tournament Scores
Boston Celtics 124, Chicago Bulls 97
Cleveland Cavaliers 128, Atlanta Hawks 105
Brooklyn Nets 115, Toronto Raptors 103
New York Knicks 115, Charlotte Hornets 91
Milwaukee Bucks 131, Miami Heat 124
NBA In-Season Tournament Standings
All games, except for the championship game, will count toward regular season records. Tiebreakers are determined based on head-to-head records, point differentials, total points scored, the 2022-23 regular-season record, and random drawing.
East Group A
1. Indiana Pacers: 4-0, +39 (group winner)
2. Cleveland Cavaliers: 3-1, +29 (eliminated)
3. Philadelphia 76ers: 2-2, +9 (eliminated)
4. Atlanta Hawks: 1-3, -32 (eliminated)
5. Detroit Pistons: 0-4, -45 (eliminated)
East Group B
1. Milwaukee Bucks: 4-0, +46 (group winner)
2. New York Knicks: 3-1, +42 (wild card)
3. Miami Heat: 2-2, +4 (eliminated)
4. Charlotte Hornets: 1-3, -54 (eliminated)
5. Washington Wizards: 0-4, -38 (eliminated)
East Group C
1. Boston Celtics: 3-1, +27 (group winner)
2. Orlando Magic: 3-1, +22 (eliminated)
3. Brooklyn Nets: 3-1, +20 (eliminated)
4. Toronto Raptors: 1-2, -21 (eliminated)
5. Chicago Bulls: 0-4, -48 (eliminated)
West Group A
1. Los Angeles Lakers: 4-0, +74 (group winner)
2. Phoenix Suns: 3-1, +34 (current wild card)
3. Utah Jazz: 2-2, -13 (eliminated)
4. Portland Trail Blazers: 1-3, -39 (eliminated)
5. Memphis Grizzlies: 0-4, -56 (eliminated)
West Group B
1. New Orleans Pelicans: 3-1, +33
2. Houston Rockets: 2-1, +16
3. Denver Nuggets: 2-2, -10 (eliminated)
4. Dallas Mavericks: 1-2, -14 (eliminated)
5. Los Angeles Clippers: 1-3, -25 (eliminated)
West Group C
1. Sacramento Kings: 3-0, +29
2. Golden State Warriors: 2-1, +5
3. Minnesota Timberwolves: 2-1, -3
4. Oklahoma City Thunder: 1-2, +27 (eliminated)
5. San Antonio Spurs: 0-4, -58 (eliminated)
