LeBron James Returns for Lakers’ In-Season Tournament Opener at Crypto.com Arena
LeBron James made his much-anticipated return to action on Tuesday evening as the Los Angeles Lakers took on the Memphis Grizzlies at Crypto.com Arena. This came just two days after James missed his first game of the season due to a left calf contusion sustained during a collision with Kevin Durant in their previous game against the Phoenix Suns.
Despite LeBron’s absence, the Lakers still managed to secure a victory against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena. Now, they are back on their home court for their first game in the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament.
The tournament is comprised of two stages: group play and the knockout rounds. All 30 teams were randomly assigned to groups based on their win-loss records from the 2022-23 regular season. The Lakers find themselves in West Group A, alongside the Phoenix Suns, Memphis Grizzlies, Utah Jazz, and Portland Trail Blazers.
During group play, each team will have four designated games: one against each opponent in their group, with two home games and two away games. The NBA has designated Tuesdays and Fridays from November 3rd to November 28th as Tournament Nights, where only group play games will be held.
It’s worth noting that there were no NBA games last Tuesday due to the league’s policy to avoid scheduling games on nights with statewide elections, aiming to boost voter turnout.
After group play concludes, the teams finishing in first place within their respective groups, as well as the team with the best record that finishes second in its group, will advance to the knockout rounds. Quarterfinals will be single-elimination games held in NBA team markets on December 4th and 5th. The semifinals and championship will take place on December 7th and 9th in Las Vegas. All but the championship game will count towards each team’s regular-season schedule.
In terms of incentives, each player on the championship-winning team will receive a hefty $500,000, while players on the runner-up team will take home $200,000 each. Players on teams that lose in the semifinals and quarterfinals will also receive prize money: $100,000 and $50,000 per player, respectively.
The tournament introduces a unique court design, described by the NBA as having a bold and distinctive style. Each court is fully painted from edge to edge, featuring a contrasting wash of color from lane to lane, creating a 16-foot wide runway across the court. There will be a prominent NBA Cup at center court, along with NBA Cup silhouettes in the lanes. This marks the first time the league has utilized alternate courts for all 30 teams. Notably, the Lakers’ tournament court boasts a gold primary color with a purple runway.
Tuesday’s game also stands as the Lakers’ first home game on an alternate court. Joining them are four other teams – the Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans, and Portland Trail Blazers – who will also be playing home games on alternate courts.
Throughout the tournament, teams will be donning their City jerseys. For the 2023-24 season, the Lakers’ City jersey is black, featuring a wordmark inspired by their practice jerseys during their early years in Los Angeles. The numbers are styled similarly to the jerseys they wore from 1999 to 2017.
Joe Dumars, the NBA’s executive vice president and head of basketball operations, has referred to the tournament as an opportunity to engage fans in a new way and generate further interest in the early part of the regular-season schedule.
As the NBA In-Season Tournament moves forward, fans and players alike will eagerly anticipate the thrilling matchups, competitive spirit, and the chance for teams to showcase their skills on these distinctive courts.
