NBA In-Season Tournament: Teams already classified and already eliminated

The NBA In-Season Tournament was created for various reasons and has already shown benefits. The ratings have increased, people are generally excited about Games before Christmas, and players have reported a boost in energy during these matches. This indicates that the tournament is a success, and with knockout-round spots on the line, interest is expected to grow even more. The Games broadcasted on ESPN have received 55% more viewers than similar time slots last year, with about 1.7 million viewers tuning in to nationally televised tournament Games.

As of now, 52 of the 60 tournament Games have been played, and only two teams have secured their places in the quarterfinals scheduled for December 4. These teams are the Indiana Pacers and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Indiana Pacers dominated their group with wins against the 76ers, Cavs, Hawks, and Pistons. At the same time, the Los Angeles Lakers had an easy time with victories over the Suns, Grizzlies, Trailblazers, and Jazz.

In the East, the Milwaukee Bucks (3-0) and the Orlando Magic (3-1) are in the wildcard hunt, while in the West, the Sacramento Kings (3-0), New Orleans Pelicans (3-1), and Phoenix Suns (3-1) have the best chances of fighting for the wildcard entrance in the quarterfinals.

Who failed to qualify for the quarterfinals?

Some big-name teams have already been eliminated from the chance to qualify for the quarterfinals.

These include the current NBA champions, the Denver Nuggets, Luka Doncic’s Dallas Mavericks, and the Big Four of All-Stars assembled by the Los Angeles Clippers. It was surprising to see the Boston Celtics not make it to the quarterfinals while the Philadelphia 76ers failed to produce good results.