How The New NBA In-Season Tournament Affects The Dallas Mavericks

The NBA announced Saturday that the 2023-24 season will feature the debut of the annual NBA In-Season Tournament featuring all 30 teams. It’s the culmination of years of planning to try and inject more stakes and excitement into regular season games.

“This is a concept that has been rumbling around the league office for around 15 years,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said on an ESPN special announcing the tournament during NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. “We thought what a perfect opportunity for a global league like the NBA, and it’s a perfect fit for our game. New traditions take time. But, all throughout sports, we are seeing new innovations, and now is the time for this NBA in-season tournament.”

The Dallas Mavericks will compete in West Group B. Joining them are the NBA Champion Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers and New Orleans Pelicans. Each team will play one game against each opponent in its group, with two games at home and two on the road for a chance to advance out of group play and compete for the NBA Cup.

Dallas faces stiff competition in group play. The Mavericks played their Group B opponents almost to a draw last season. Dallas split their series with Denver 2-2, beat Houston 3-1, tied L.A. 2-2 and broke their series with New Orleans at two games apiece for an overall record of 9-7.

“With the addition of this new marquee event on the NBA calendar, we are focused on providing players and teams with another competition to win, engaging fans in a different way and driving further interest in the early portion of the regular-season schedule,” NBA Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars said in a statement.

Tournament play will begin on November 3 and continue through November 28, with teams playing in group play games on “Tournament Nights.” Teams have been randomly drawn into groups of five within their conferences. Eight teams will emerge from group play — six group winners and two wild card teams — and compete in the knockout round.

Western Conference

West Group A

• Los Angeles Lakers
• Memphis Grizzlies
• Phoenix Suns
• Portland Trail Blazers
• Utah Jazz

West Group B

• Dallas Mavericks
• Denver Nuggets
• Houston Rockets
• Los Angeles Clippers
• New Orleans Pelicans

West Group C

• Golden State Warriors
• Minnesota Timberwolves
• Oklahoma City Thunder
• Sacramento Kings
• San Antonio Spurs

Eastern Conference

East Group A

• Atlanta Hawks
• Cleveland Cavaliers
• Detroit Pistons
• Indiana Pacers
• Philadelphia 76ers

East Group B

• Charlotte Hornets
• Miami Heat
• Milwaukee Bucks
• New York Knicks
• Washington Wizards

East Group C

• Boston Celtics
• Brooklyn Nets
• Chicago Bulls
• Orlando Magic
• Toronto Raptors

If two or more teams in a group are tied after group play, winners will be determined using the following tiebreakers in sequential order:

• Head-to-head record in the Group Stage;
• Point differential in the Group Stage;
• Total points scored in the Group Stage;
• Regular season record from the 2022-23 NBA regular season; and
• Random drawing

Beginning December 4, the knockout rounds feature single-elimination quarterfinals, semifinals and championship games. The championship game will be played on December 9 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Knockout teams will compete for a prize pool including $50,000 each for players on the losing teams of quarterfinals, $100,000 each for players on losing teams of semifinals, $200,000 each for players on the losing team of championship game.

Players on the championship team will receive $500,000 each. They will also get to hoist the NBA Cup, the trophy for the NBA In-Season Tournament.

Quarterfinal and semifinal games will count as regular season games, affecting a team’s Regular Season record and a player’s statistical performance. The championship game is not considered a regular season game and will not affect a team’s record or a player’s stats.

At the conclusion of the competition, the NBA will select a Most Valuable Player of the In-Season Tournament and an All-Tournament Team.