Adam Silver’s high-risk, high-reward experiment has proven itself to be competitive, but is it a glimpse into the postseason?
The tournament was announced following a season of load management, vague injuries, and low regular-season viewership. Despite league-wide confusion from both players and fans alike, Adam Silver and the NBA decided to follow through with the first inaugural in-season.
As of now, the standings are as follows:
East Group A
- Pacers: 4-0 -x
- Cavaliers 2-1
- 76ers: 2-2
- Hawks: 1-2
- Pistons: 0-4 -o
East Group B
- Bucks: 3-0
- Knicks: 2-1
- Heat: 2-1
- Hornets: 1-2
- Wizards: 0-4 -o
East Group C
- Magic: 3-1
- Celtics: 2-1
- Nets: 2-1
- Raptors: 1-2 -o
- Bulls: 0-3 -o
West Group A
- Lakers: 4-0 -x
- Suns: 3-1
- Jazz: 2-2 -o
- Trail Blazers: 1-3 -o
- Grizzlies: 0-4 -o
West Group B
- Pelicans: 3-1
- Rockets: 2-1
- Nuggets: 2-2 -o
- Mavericks: 1-2 -o
- Clippers: 1-3 -o
West Group C
- Kings: 3-0
- Timberwolves: 2-1
- Warriors: 2-1
- Thunder: 1-2 -o
- Spurs: 0-4 -o
x = Clinched In-Season Tournament Group wc = Clinched Wildcard o = Out of contention for Knockout Round
Some results come as no surprise. The winless San Antonio Spurs were never expected to win their division—even with the addition of a potentially generational talent in Victor Wembanyama. Similar expectations apply for the Washington Wizards, a team with no real direction under the lead of ‘star players’ Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole.
But the Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, and Dallas Mavericks are the focus of this article. All three teams are subverting fan expectations, but how and why?
Are we receiving a playoff preview, or is the IST simply a random array of games on the schedule?
The Houston Rockets’ transformation has been one of the most intriguing storylines so far. After finishing 22-60 last season, the Rockets signed Dillon Brooks, Fred VanVleet, and Head Coach Ime Udoka to usher in a new era of play. Pairing these players with rising stars Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun provided a much-needed boost to Houston’s play. This team’s chemistry and energy has provided structured yet fun basketball, but there’s no telling if this team is a threat yet.
Houston’s two tournament wins have come against the New Orleans Pelicans (a team hard to measure due to their inconsistency), and the defending champions, the Denver Nuggets (by nearly 20 points). If we’re basing Houston’s season purely on their tournament results, the Rockets should easily be considered Championship favorites. However, when viewing the Houston Rockets outside of the IST bubble, they are currently sitting at 8th in the West, and have a tough schedule ahead of them.
Throughout regular play, Houston’s notable games have been against the Kings (W, W), Lakers (W, L), Nuggets (W, W), and Clippers (L). It’s a long season, but I think it’s safe to say that the Houston Rockets have risen to the occasion, and proven that they can win important games. I expect their high level of play to continue well into the season.
The Indiana Pacers are undefeated in the In-Season Tournament but have yet to present themselves as true contenders. Indiana’s success remains contingent on Tyrese Haliburton being the second coming of Steve Nash, which can’t be sustained long-term if the Pacers have any real Championship–or even playoff hopes.
Throughout the IST, the Indiana Pacers defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks, and Detroit Pistons. Indiana’s regular season record is currently 9-6, with their most challenging games coming against the Celtics (L), 76ers (L), and Bucks (W). In comparison to the Houston Rockets, the Indiana Pacers have had a much easier schedule but sit in 6th place in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers have done extremely well throughout the tournament, but I don’t think fans should expect this level of play to remain throughout the season.
The Dallas Mavericks have shocked fans for all the wrong reasons. With two All-Star-level talents, the 10-6 Mavs should still be competing for a chance to win the IST. Instead, Dallas has been eliminated after having a near-division-low record. Despite this, the Mavericks have one of the best overall records in the NBA.
Though it’s entertaining, I doubt the NBA In-Season Tournament could be used to accurately forecast a team’s success throughout the overall season. The tournament undoubtedly provides insight into how different squads handle certain matchups, adapt under pressure, and adjust when necessary. Still, it’s important to note how small of a sample size we’re given, especially in comparison to the length of a full NBA season.
