Everything You Need To Know For Friday”s NBA In-Season Tournament Games

The NBA In-Season Tournament is moving forward and will continue Friday night with an 11-game slate that will finally mean every team in the league will have played at least one tournament game – with Toronto being the last team to finally wait. honor the bright courts of the IST. For others, the group stage is almost over, as many teams will have played three matches by the end of Friday.

This means we have a good idea of ​​who has a real chance of making it out of the group stage, either as a group winner or as a wild card from each conference. We also have an idea of ​​which teams won’t advance, even though Memphis is the only team officially eliminated at this point.

Here, we’ll take a group-by-group look at the in-season tournament standings, highlight the most important games on Friday night’s slate, and examine the remaining paths for each team.

East Group A

Friday November 17 Time:
76ers at the Hawks
Pistons at Cavs

Ranking (teams still to play)
Pacers: 2-0, +11 (Hawks, Pistons)
Hawks: 1-0, +6 (76ers, Pacers, Cavs)
76ers: 1-1, +2 (Hawks, Cavs)
Cavaliers: 0-1, -5 (Hawks, 76ers, Pistons)
Pistons: 0-2, -14 (Pacers, Cavs)

With the point differential in this group, Sixers-Hawks is a very big matchup as a healthy win for either side would put them in position to potentially win the group. Given that Indiana still has a game against Detroit, Philly will likely have to lead the standings to have any chance of catching them, while Atlanta controls its own destiny for now with the top teams in the bracket still on the schedule. Cleveland could also get back into the mix, but needs a big win against Detroit tonight to do so, while a Pistons loss would formally eliminate them.

East Group B

Friday November 17 Time:
Knicks vs. Wizards
Bucks vs. Hornets

Ranking (teams still to play)
Heat: 2-0, +13 (Bucks, Knicks)
Bucks: 1-0, +5 (Hornets, Heat, Wizards)
Hornets: 1-1, +1 (Bucks, Knicks)
Knicks: 0-1, -5 (Hornets, Heat, Wizards)
Wizards: 0-2, -14 (Bucks, Knicks)

Bucks-Hornets is the big game of the night in this group, as a Milwaukee win would put us one step closer to a Bucks-Heat game to win the group on November 28. That said, an upset by the Hornets would shake things up considerably. , opening the door for them to make a shocking run to the round of 16 and be a big help to Miami’s cause. The Knicks need to win tonight to keep their Round of 16 dreams alive, while Washington would be mathematically eliminated in a loss.

East Group C

Friday November 17 Time:
Celtics vs. Raptors
Magic versus bulls

Ranking (teams still to play)
Celtics: 1-0, +14 (Raptors, Bulls, Magic)
Nets: 2-1, +8 (Raptors)
Bulls: 0-1, -2 (Raptors, Celtics, Magic)
Magic: 0-1, -20 (Celtics, Bulls, Raptors)
Raptors: 0-0, 0 (Celtics, Nets, Bulls, Magic)

This is perhaps the strangest group in terms of how the schedule plays out. Brooklyn has already played three games, while no other team has played more than one, meaning the Nets are just waiting to see what’s happening around them right now at 2-1. The Raptors will finally play their first match against the Celtics, and a surprise would considerably shake up the situation in the standings. Boston, for its part, could take control of the group in the event of a victory. Orlando-Chicago looks like a single-elimination game, as a 0-2 score would likely mean the end of the tournament for either team (especially with Boston still lurking for both). The Magic, above all, must win big to erase their -20 point differential after being smoked by Brooklyn.

West Group A

Friday November 17 Time:
Suns vs Jazz
Lakers vs. Blazers

Ranking (teams still to play)
Lakers: 2-0, +30 (Blazers, Jazz)
Jazz: 2-0, +22 (Suns, Lakers)
Blazers: 1-1, -14 (Lakers, Suns)
Suns: 0-1, -3 (Jazz, Grizzlies, Blazers)
Grizzlies: 0-3, -35 (Suns)

The Jazz beat the two teams who should end up in last position in the group, which sets up a big match against Phoenix. If they can win this game to move to 3-0 and the Lakers can win as expected against Portland, then the Suns, Blazers and Grizzlies would all be eliminated, with Jazz-Lakers next Tuesday being the group. However, a Suns win would at least put them in the race for the West wild card spot – but they’ll need to be impressive to strengthen their point differential in the process. Portland upsetting Los Angeles would create a bit of chaos, as what seems like a simple path for the Lakers to win the group would suddenly become murkier.

West Group B

Friday November 17 Time:
Nuggets vs. Pelicans
Rockets vs. Clippers

Ranking (teams still to play)
Nuggets: 2-0, +14 (Pelicans, Rockets)
Rockets: 1-0, +3 (Clippers, Nuggets, Mavericks)
Pelicans: 1-1, +18 (Clippers, Nuggets)
Mavericks: 1-2, -14 (Rockets)
Clippers: 0-2, -21 (Rockets, Pelicans)

A Nuggets win over the Pelicans on Friday would end New Orleans’ hopes, although they have the point differential to be the best 2-2 team in the West, which is unlikely to get the wild card. card but is not impossible. at this point. The Pelicans could find themselves in first place if they win, as they would move ahead of Denver with a 2-1 point differential. Houston, meanwhile, can eliminate the Clippers with a win and put themselves in position to potentially win the group. Meanwhile, LA is desperate for a win, not only to keep some faint tournament hope alive, but simply after losing 6 straight since the failed James Harden trade. Dallas is all but eliminated, but could certainly play a spoiler role for Houston in a few weeks.

West Group C

Friday November 17 Time:
Kings vs Spurs

Ranking (teams still to play)
Timberwolves: 2-0, +10 (Kings, Thunder)
Kings: 1-0, +7 (Spurs, Wolves, Warriors)
Warriors: 1-1, -1 (Kings, Spurs)
Thunder: 1-2, +27 (Wolves)
Spurs: 0-2, -43 (Kings, Warriors)

The only group with just one game on the schedule Friday, and the Kings are expected to officially eliminate the Spurs. The Kings will also want to win this big game to give themselves a point differential advantage against Minnesota. OKC, thanks to a loss to San Antonio, is in position to have the best point differential of any 2-2 team and, as such, will have a slim hope of making the Round of 16 if they can manage to beat Minnesota. The Wolves and Kings both control their destiny, with a matchup on the horizon, while the Warriors will back OKC or Sacramento to beat the Timberwolves and give them a path to the top of the group. At the moment, this group has the most moving parts given how the top three currently stack up.