The NBA’s in-season tournament returns to T-Mobile Arena next weekend for the second straight year.
Now called the NBA Cup, two teams from the Eastern Conference and two from the Western Conference will meet in semifinal games at 1:30 p.m. (TNT) and 5:30 (ABC) on Saturday. The championship game will be played at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 17 on ABC.
Interest is already showing, as fans from 12 countries and 30 states have purchased tickets for the event, according to Kelly Flatow, global head of events for the NBA.
No Lakers this year
Eight teams are left in the knockout rounds of the tournament vying for a chance to advance to Las Vegas, with the previous four games each team played at home arenas.
The Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder remain alive in the Western Conference. The Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks and Orlando Magic are still alive in the Eastern Conference.
Quarterfinal games will be played Tuesday and Wednesday before the survivors head to Las Vegas.
The Los Angeles Lakers helped draw a solid turnout last season when they won the inaugural event, defeating the Indiana Pacers in the championship game behind tournament MVP LeBron James.
The Lakers won’t make it to Las Vegas this season, but the NBA is confident the tournament still will be a hit with fans. The event is spread out over four days this year as opposed to three in 2023.
“Our hope is that we can create an environment that fans of all 30 teams want to make the trip and be part of the celebration,” said Evan Wasch, NBA senior vice president of basketball strategy and analytics. “That’s not the only vision we have for this. We also want to attract the local fans in Vegas that don’t get to see this high-level NBA competitive basketball all year.”
Las Vegas is the perfect destination not only for fans but also players, Wasch said.
“It’s a really exciting opportunity to win a set of regular-season games and be able to go to Vegas in the middle of the year and play competitive basketball,” he said.
Fan opportunities
The NBA and its NBA Experiences programming are adding more things to do during the four days the league will be in Las Vegas.
Outside of T-Mobile Arena, Toshiba Plaza will be packed with activities for fans, including photo opportunities with the NBA Cup. TNT and ESPN will be broadcasting live before all games in a studio on the plaza.
Ancillary events include the Creators Cup on Sunday at T-Mobile Arena, where online content creators face off in a game for bragging rights on the court. Also on Sunday, the EYBL Showcase will take place, featuring the nation’s top high school players.
There is also the NBA Tees &Threes celebrity golf tournament Dec. 16 at Wynn Golf Club. The tournament is expected to feature more than 30 NBA, NFL and MLB legends, professional golfers, actors, entertainers and media personalities.
Fans with premium hospitality access attendance have access to premium viewing areas, with food and beverages available. A special dinner Dec. 16 on the court at T-Mobile Arena is also offered to fans with specific hospitality packages.
“This year we’re really focused on having an extra day in Las Vegas,” Flatow said. “We’ll be able to bring more programming. We’re really focused on letting fans know that you have to be there live. There will be more things to do and more energy in the market.”
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