The In-Season Tournament’s group stages are over and teams are getting prepared to face the quarterfinals and finally end the last rounds in Las Vegas. As the first edition unfolds, the competition is slowly earning some new fans, including basketball players.
Kevin Durant recently counted himself as a satisfied customer of the NBA’s new invention, as he reveals that the game’s atmosphere provides a different vibe from the regular-season exhibitions.
Following the Suns defeat to the Toronto Raptors this Wednesday, the superstar addressed the fact that they qualified to the quarterfinals and will face the Los Angeles Lakers next week. The winner will make it to the next round which will be played in Las Vegas.
Kevin Durant discusses Tuesday’s NBA in-season tournament quarterfinal vs. LeBron James and the Lakers. pic.twitter.com/70Dy1S281R
— Mike Bohn (@MikeBohn) November 30, 2023
The In-Season cup has been gathering new positive reviews lately, and Durant further explained how the new look, the customized courts, unique jerseys and branding have given an interesting feel to it. As a player, he gave his personal perspective on the tournament.
“We have played in bigger games. But obviously fans love seeing high intensity games in the regular season, that is why we got the tournament, to please the fans. They weren’t satisfied with the level of ball we were playing in the regular season,” he said.
However, the 35-year-old knows that the real purpose behind this competition is not to satisfy the athletes, but to convince the customers that this could eventually become a new, celebrated tradition in the NBA.
“It’s not really how we feel, it’s about how the consumer feels about what they see. Hopefully they enjoy it,” the Phoenix star explained. “Whatever the consumer and the fan wants, the NBA and Adam Silver will do their best to give it to them. Us as players will continue to go about our business as we always do.”
Players and coaches differ on their perspectives over the In-Season Tournament; not everyone is satisfied after competing
Even though Cleveland picked up their third win of the In-Season Tournament on Tuesday against Atlanta, they didn’t make it to the next round due to the point-difference rule. Even though they finished second in their group, the Cavs needed to score more points to qualify.
“It’s kind of different,” Darius Garland expressed. “It’s not respecting the game as much as I want it to be. I took a shot with like 25 seconds left and I didn’t feel comfortable doing it. I think the in-season tournament is really great. The point differential is the thing that people around the league would like to change I believe.”
On the other hand, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau says the competition met its intended purpose, as they earned the wild-card spot into the quarterfinals.
“I guess it’s met its intended purpose,” the New York trainer said Tuesday night following their 115-91 win over the Charlotte Hornets. His player Josh Hart said the point-differential rule is “weird”, but “it’s an interesting concept.”
