The just lately and mercifully handed “6-7 weekend” celebrated a sequence that’s open to interpretation and far grownup ridicule.
Not so with NBA video games on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Affiliation slate of Dec. 9–10 (nine-tennn!) brings the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup, the place counting larger assuredly means $omething.
Advancing to the knockout stage already has added $53,093 to the coffers of gamers on commonplace contracts for the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Warmth, New York Knicks, Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs and Toronto Raptors.
Attending to the semifinals grows the bonus cash to $106,187 whereas a berth within the closing spherical boosts the payout to $212,373 per participant.
A handbag of $530,933 awaits every member of the NBA Cup champion workforce, a winner to be determined Dec. 16 at T-Cell Area in Las Vegas. The venue additionally hosts the semifinals on Saturday, following a sample that’s beginning to develop into acquainted to NBA devoted.
NBA Communications introduced Monday that tv scores for group play elevated by 90% from 2024 and marked the best but in 12 months 3 of Cup existence.
“Competitors is at an all-time excessive. It’s rising vs. established,” mentioned James Jones, NBA government vice chairman and head of basketball operations. “Popping out of the Cup, there will likely be groups – much like Indiana two years in the past – that may use the Cup expertise as a springboard to present them the arrogance to compete towards the very best groups and make a run to the Finals. That’s the chance the Cup presents.”
James is a league consultant who made these remarks throughout a Cup convention name. In different phrases, he was paid to say what you learn above.
However positive because the Indiana Pacers went from Cup runners-up in 2023–24 to second within the NBA one season later, the inducement system below which league commissioner Adam Silver concocted the occasion is paying off.
Requested whether or not he was pondering the potential of fattening his piggy financial institution as his workforce ready for Tuesday’s quarterfinal towards Orlando, Miami guard Dru Smith responded, “How are you going to not?”
“I believe that’s why they did it, for us to simply purchase into it just a little bit extra.”
And, hey, all the higher in case you play for the Magic or Warmth and reside that Florida life sans particular person earnings tax.
Nonetheless, Smith added that bringing the win-or-go-home playoff aspect to the center of December additionally may gain advantage the membership’s ideally suited backside line of banking playoff victories in April, Might and June — not merely gamers’ particular person backside strains.
Teammate Pelle Larsson agrees.
“I really feel like yearly that they do it, it’s going to extend, and other people may take it increasingly more severe,” he mentioned. “I really feel like the primary 12 months, perhaps it wasn’t like an enormous deal. And it’s simply develop into greater.”
It probably is sheer coincidence that San Antonio welcomed Stephon Fortress again to the lineup for a Cup tuneup Monday after he missed 9 video games with a left hip flexor pressure.
The Spurs have been with out Victor Wembanyama (calf pressure) for about the identical period, but when he faces the Lakers on Wednesday, it should imply his physique is prepared. Nothing extra.
“We received’t deal with that sport, medically talking, any totally different,” San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson mentioned.
Even the largest Cup advocate shouldn’t argue with that rationale, which doesn’t make the occasion’s development any much less measurable.
Come for the quirky courts, keep for the competitors.
It’s reached unprecedented ranges, you might need heard.
