The in-season tournament the NBA introduced into the 2023-24 season was greeted with mixed reviews. Some viewed it as a gimmick. Others took it seriously and were excited for the opportunity to win more money and take home the NBA Cup.
After the Philadelphia 76ers knocked off the Atlanta Hawks, 126-116, on Friday in group play, they’re 2-1 in the tournament. They also have a point differential of plus-12. They are behind Indiana in the Group A standings; the Pacers are 2-0 and possess a point differential of plus-11. They also own the tiebreaker over the Sixers due to their Nov. 14 win.
The Sixers’ matchup with the Hawks was essentially a must-win game in mid-November, and that excitement was the reason the NBA made the in-season tournament.
“I think everybody understands the importance of trying to try to get through this thing and we put ourselves in this situation where we were done if we didn’t win,” coach Nick Nurse told reporters. “It doesn’t mean we’re gonna go through now, but at least there’s some possibility, right?”
Joel Embiid, who led the Sixers with 32 points, launched a triple at the buzzer despite the game already being decided just as he did in the team’s first in-season tournament win over the Detroit Pistons. Normally, basketball etiquette would be to just dribble the clock out, but Embiid and the Sixers wanted to put the shot up for point differential purposes.
“We were absolutely planning that out at the end,” Nurse explained. “I’m not sure we gained or lost anything on that. I don’t know. We might have gained a bucket, but it seemed like we kept playing, get a bucket, and we’d give one right back. I don’t think the total points matter. I think it’s the differential that — we were certainly trying to get stops and play those last three or four possessions out.”
In order for the Sixers to advance, they will need help. As Nurse mentioned, the Pacers are 2-0 and they hold the tiebreaker. The Sixers have one in-season tournament game remaining: the Cleveland Cavaliers on Nov. 21. The Pacers take on the Hawks that night and host the Pistons on Nov. 24.
However, if the Sixers don’t win the group, they could advance as a wild card team.
“It’s going to be difficult, right? Because of the team that’s 2-0, we lost to,” Nurse finished. “I don’t know what they did tonight (Pacers were idle on Friday), or I haven’t seen a score or anything, but they’re 2-0. So even if they drop one and we both end up 3-1, they’re gonna get the nod, but hopefully we can sneak in. Hopefully, they’ll drop two or hopefully we can sneak in on a second — there’s a few second place teams that get to go on as well I think.”
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