The NBA in-season tournament is about to get spicy.
Group play came to a close on Tuesday with eight teams -- four from each conference -- securing berths to the upcoming knockout rounds.
The knockout rounds will begin in early December after a few more days of regular-season action. Once the quarterfinals begin, it will be straight in-season tournament games for the surviving teams until a winner is crowned.
Here's what to know about the 2023-24 NBA in-season tournament knockout rounds:
What are the quarterfinal matchups in the NBA in-season tournament?
Eight teams qualified for the NBA in-season tournament quarterfinals, with four from each conference. Here's a conference-by-conference breakdown:
Eastern Conference
- No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks 146, No. 4 New York Knicks 122
- No. 2 Indiana Pacers 122, No. 3 Boston Celtics 112
Western Conference
- No. 1 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 4 Phoenix Suns: Tuesday, Dec. 5 at 10 p.m. ET
- No. 3 New Orleans Pelicans 127, No. 2 Sacramento Kings 117
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All the games will be broadcast on TNT.
NBA
What are the key dates for the 2023-24 NBA in-season tournament?
The quarterfinals will be played on Monday, Dec. 4, and Tuesday, Dec. 5. The higher seed will host each game in the single-game elimination format.
Then the four winners will move on to Las Vegas, where the semifinals will be played on Thursday, Dec. 7. The final will take place on Saturday, Dec. 9, also in Sin City.
The final will not count towards players' regular-season statistics, essentially serving as the No. 83 game on the calendar.
What will the teams who were eliminated do?
The 22 teams who did not qualify for the quarterfinals will not watch from the couch. Instead, they will each play a home and away regular-season game on Wednesday, Dec. 6, and Friday, Dec. 8.
The four losers in the quarterfinals will play a regular-season game on Dec. 8.
What is the prize for the NBA in-season tournament winner?
The champion on Dec. 9 will see all players on the roster each winning $500,000. The runner-ups will receive $200,000 each; semifinal losers $100,000; and quarterfinal losers $50,000.
There will also be a Most Valuable Player award given along with an all-tournament team.
