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NBA In-Season Tournament: Fans Lose It Over Courts and Jerseys

By Kayla Morgan
Nov 3, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; The floor is red for the NBA In-Season Tournament during the first half of the game between the Chicago Bulls and the Brooklyn Nets at the United Center. Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA’s first-ever in-season tournament kicked off on a Friday night, and teams donned their NBA City Edition jerseys. The Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers were among the first teams to compete at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

It seems like some people who follow pro basketball are a bit puzzled about how this tournament works. In an interview, even one NBA player was super honest about not really understanding what’s going on. Los Angeles Clippers guard Bones Hyland told the media, “I ain’t even gonna lie, I don’t even know what’s going on. I don’t even know how it works. I don’t know anything honestly.”

How do you tell which games are for the In-Season Tournament?

For those curious about how to identify In-Season Tournament games, the NBA has made it quite clear. Home teams will wear new City Edition jerseys during these games, and each team will play on a different court.

Teams are introducing fresh court designs for the tournament. The Pacers’ court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse has departed from its usual brown hardwood look, opting for a vibrant blue and yellow design to match the city jerseys, which this year pay tribute to street art and feature a combination of black, white, blue, and yellow, departing from the standard uniforms.

This is a major change in the visual department for viewers tuning in to the first NBA Cup action of the season, and it’s stirring up mixed feelings among basketball fans.

While most NBA teams will adhere to an 82-game regular season schedule in 2023-24, not all games carry the same weight. The NBA in-season tournament will consist of 67 games in the Group Play and Knockout Rounds, with only the championship game not affecting the regular season standings.

Group Play games for the In-Season Tournament will be scheduled on Tuesdays and Fridays in November, while the Knockout Rounds, including the quarterfinals, semifinals, and championship, will occur in early December.

Social media reacts to in-season tournament jerseys and courts.

Viewers have been taking to X, formerly Twitter, to share their thoughts on the new look. Check out some fan reactions below.

  • What's going on?

    Similar to many reactions, this person found themselves resorting to the timeless meme of the woman in the pink blazer gazing into the distance. The flashy yellow and blue colors on the court seemed to grab their attention away from the game. This made them blurt out what most of us were probably thinking “Tryna see wtf is going on.”

  • "I actually like them."

    Surprisingly, there were individuals who appreciated the appearance and style of both the courts and uniforms. One person hesitated a bit before admitting their genuine liking for the visuals. They humorously remarked, “Me trying so hard not to get jumped on X because I actually like them,” followed by a sweaty Jordan Peele GIF.

  • NBA 2K

    Somebody pointed a finger at the NBA, suggesting that they were specifically targeting a younger audience. They went as far as drawing a comparison between the courts’ vibrant colors and those seen in the NBA 2K video game, commenting, “They got this from 2K to get the kids to watch.” After watching the game, they’re pretty spot on.

  • Passion

    This response was too good to ignore. Someone handed out a hefty compliment to the court designers, using the word “passion” to describe their work. They commented, “Pacers got that ‘Graphic design is my passion’ court”

  • "I thought it was just my eyes bleeding."

    This court design for the Bulls went all in with a single theme and color: red. It generated a variety of reactions. Some people commented on how the court resembled a “sunburn,” while others thought it looked like blood.

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