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The first-ever NBA In-Season Tournament is on. The league’s inaugural in-season content began on Nov. 3 and ends on Saturday, December 9 with the In-Season Tournament Championship. While all 30 NBA franchises entered the in-season tournament, just eight teams remain as the knockout rounds begin.
There’s $500,000 in prize money awaiting each member of the winning team with game results going toward season standings, which means the stakes are high for the NBA In-Season Tournament. Fans can expect some of the best games of the 2023-2024 NBA season to be played during this keyed-up event.
Don’t miss a shot, pass or dribble. Keep reading for the best way to watch the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament.
What teams are left in the NBA in-season tournament?
Eight teams advance to the knockout stage of the NBA In-Season Tournament. Group A includes the Milwaukee Bucks, the Boston Celtics, the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers. Group B includes the Los Angeles Lakers, the New Orleans Pelicans, the Sacramento Kings and the Phoenix Suns.
How and when to watch the knockout stage of the NBA In-Season Tournament
The knockout stage of the NBA In-Season Tournament begins Monday, Dec. 4 with two quarterfinal games: The Boston Celtics vs. Indiana Pacers game (7:30 p.m. ET) and the New Orleans Pelicans vs. Sacramento Kings game (10:00 p.m. ET).
The quarterfinals continue Tuesday, Dec. 5 with two more games: the New York Knicks vs. Milwaukee Bucks game (7:30 p.m. ET) and the Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers game (10:00 p.m. ET).
The semifinals will be played on Thursday, Dec. 7. The finals will be played on Dec. 9, 2023. Both the In-Season Tournament semifinals and finals will be played in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena.
What channels will air the NBA In-Season Tournament knockout stage?
All In-Season Tournament quarterfinal games will air on TNT. The semifinals will air on ESPN or TNT. The In-Season Tournament finals will air on ABC.
How to watch the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament
The NBA In-Season Tournament will air on ESPN, TNT and ABC. While many cable packages include ESPN, TNT and ABC, it’s easy to watch the game if those networks aren’t included in your cable TV subscription, or if you’re going cable-free.
Stream the NBA In-Season Tournament knockout stage on Sling TV for half price
If you have don’t have cable TV that includes TNT, ESPN or ABC, one of the most cost-effective ways to stream the NBA In-Season Tournament knockout stage this year is through a subscription to Sling TV. The streamer offers access to TNT, ESPN and ABC, in addition to the NFL Network plus local NBC, Fox and ABC affiliates (where available) with its Orange + Blue Tier plan. Also worth noting: Sling TV comes with 50 hours of cloud-based DVR recording space included, perfect for recording all the season’s top NBA matchups.
That plan normally costs $60 per month, but the streamer is currently offering a 50% off promotion for your first month, so you’ll pay just $30. You can learn more by tapping the button below.
Top features of Sling TV Orange + Blue tier:
- There are 46 channels to watch in total, including local NBC, Fox and ABC affiliates (where available).
- You get access to all aired NBA In-Season Tournament games, not to mention most local NFL games and nationally broadcast games at the lowest price.
- All subscription tiers include 50 hours of cloud-based DVR storage.
Upgrade to Sling TV’s NBA League Pass package
Sling TV has a new offering for the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament called NBA League Pass. It gets you access to all out-of-market NBA games, plus game replays and highlights. It can be bundled with Sling TV packages that allow you to watch NBA In-Season Tournament games live.
Right now, you can get the NBA League Pass package at Sling TV starting at $270 for six months when you pre-pay. You can learn more about Sling TV NBA League Pass by tapping the button below.
What is the NBA In-Season Tournament?
Consisting of two stages of play, group play and knockout rounds, the NBA In-Season Tournament is a new addition to the NBA season schedule. All 30 teams will be playing for the NBA Cup (and some serious prize money). Inspired by the WNBA’s successful in-season tournament, the NBA In-Season Tournament is the league’s way of drawing a bigger viewing audience to each game.
The 30 NBA teams are split into six, five-team groups. The group stage, called Group Play, was played on seven Tuesdays and Fridays in November: Fridays (Nov. 3, 10, 17 and 24, 2023) and Tuesdays (Nov. 14, 21 and 28, 2023).
The quarterfinals will be played Dec. 4 and 5, with the higher-seeded team earning home-court advantage. The semifinals and championship game will be Dec. 7 and 9, 2023 in Las Vegas.
Results of the In-Season Tournament will count toward teams’ regular-season standings.
Are there prizes for the In-Season Tournament?
The In-Season Tournament champion team will earn a trophy called the NBA Cup, and will earn $500,000 per player on the team. The runners up will each receive $200,000 per player. The losing team of the semifinals wins $100,000 per player, while the losing team of the quarterfinals wins $50,000 per player.
Will there be individual awards for the In-Season Tournament?
An In-Season Tournament MVP will be named, as well as an All-Tournament Team.
2023 NBA In-Season Tournament Schedule: Knockout Stage
Below is the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament knockout stage schedule. All times in ET.
Quarterfinals
- Mon., Dec. 4: Celtics at Pacers (7:30 p.m., TNT)
- Mon., Dec. 4: Pelicans at Kings (10 p.m., TNT)
- Tue., Dec. 5: Knicks at Bucks (7:30 p.m., TNT)
- Tue., Dec. 5: Suns at Lakers (10 p.m., TNT)
Semifinals
- Thu., Dec. 7: TBD vs. TBD (5 p.m., ESPN)
- Thu., Dec. 7: TBD vs. TBD (9 p.m., TNT)
Championship
- Sat., Dec. 9: TBD vs. TBD (8:30 p.m., ABC)
2023-2024 NBA Season: Looking ahead
- The 2023-2024 NBA season starts 10/24.
- NBA Inaugural In-Season Tournament: Nov. 3 – Dec. 9
- All-Star Week: Feb. 16 – Feb. 24, 2024.
- Play-in tournament: Apr. 16-19, 2024
- NBA Playoffs: April 20 – May/June 2024
- NBA Finals: June 2024
Storylines We’re Following This NBA Season
Everybody loves Victor: At 19 years old and standing 7’4″ tall, French basketball sensation Viktor Wembanyama made his NBA regular-season debut on Oct. 25 with the San Antonio Spurs. The first overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft, “Wemby” is the most-anticipated rookie since LeBron James made his NBA debut in 2023. Agile and athletic, Wembanyama already proved he’ll be a serious threat on defense during the 2023 preseason, eight-foot wingspan and all, earning him high praise from his NBA competitors already.
Dame time in Milwaukee: Despite the NBA’s efforts to ban superteams, the pairing of Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee has the potential to become just that. Dame spent 11 years with the Portland Trail Blazers before the seven-time All-NBA point guard requested a trade. Giannis is a two-time NBA MVP surrounded by an already talented Bucks team. Dame brings his leadership, loyalty and clutch shots to Milwaukee, which is starting to look exactly like a super team.
The end of an era in Nor Cal? When Golden State Warriors beloved GM Bob Myers stepped down last spring, it sparked questions if the Warriors dynasty– which led to four NBA championships — is over. Superstar Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins are all locked in to the team for at least three seasons, but head coach Steve Kerr and 1/3 of the Splash Brothers — Klay Thompson — are both in the last year of their respective contracts. Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob has always shown he’s willing to spend to keep the team together, reports say the team and Thompson are far from making a deal. It’s hard to imagine the team without Kerr’s calm, sideline-cool or Thompsons epic 3’s, but fans may have to.
