NBA in-season tournament: Full schedule, bracket, rules, and stakes, explained

The NBA has been kicking around the idea of a soccer-style in-season tournament for years. Starting in the upcoming 2023-2024 campaign, the in-season tournament becomes a reality.

The in-season tournament will happen within the regular season. Teams have been split into six groups: three in the East, three in the West. Each team will get two games against teams in their group, with one at home and one on the road. The winners of each group advance to the knockout round, along with two wildcards teams — the team with the best overall record in each conference who didn’t win their group.

Group play will trim the field from 30 teams to eight teams. The first knockout round will trim the field from eight to four. Finally, the final four teams left standing will go to Las Vegas for the semifinals and finals until a winner is crowned.

The schedule for the 2023 NBA in-season tournament has been announced. Every Tuesday and Friday during Nov. will be group play nights (with the exception of Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 7, when no games will be played).

East Group A schedule for 76ers, Cavaliers, Hawks, Pacers, and Pistons:

West Group A schedule for Grizzlies, Suns, Lakers, Jazz, and Trail Blazers:

East Group B schedule for Bucks, Knicks, Heat, Wizards, Hornets:

West Group B schedule for the Nuggets, Clippers, Pelicans, Mavericks, Rockets:

East Group C schedule for Celtics, Nets, Bulls, Raptors, and Magic:

West Group C schedule for the Kings, Warriors, Timberwolves, Thunder, Spurs.

Here are the groups for the in-season tournament:

Every game in the in-season tournament will count in the regular-season standings except for the championship game, per NBA.com.

• Head-to-head record in the Group Stage

• Point differential in the Group Stage

• Total points scored in the Group Stage