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After Thursday night’s semi-finals, the Indiana Pacers and the LA Lakers will face each other for the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament Finals. Indiana booked a seat in the championship round by outlasting the Milwaukee Bucks, the favorites to win the competition. LA joined the Pacers by overwhelming the New Orleans Pelicans. On Saturday, the tournament’s first winner will be crowned champions.
The league introduced the inaugural competition to give fans more meaningful games in November and December. Judging by the feedback on social media, the plan has been a total success. The NBA may not beat the NFL during these months, but basketball’s biggest league has certainly been more relevant this time of the year than in past years.
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The players were initially hesitant to embrace the changes, but once the tournament got going, they were all in. It didn’t hurt that they were playing for the $500K prize and bragging rights as the first winner of the new format. Those will be at stake on Saturday in Sin City.
On Dec. 9, 2023, the NBA In-Season Tournament will culminate in the game between the Indiana Pacers and LA Lakers. ESPN and ABC will air the game on national TV starting at 8:30 p.m. ET. Local networks may also get the opportunity to show the game live. Like in the semis, the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, will host the championship game.
Basketball fans can also stream the action via the NBA League Pass.
Indiana Pacers and LA Lakers will be looking to make NBA In-Season Tournament history on Saturday
The Indiana Pacers have the lowest payroll in the NBA, with $126.3 million, per Spotrac. Tyrese Haliburton and crew will be motivated by the prize and also by the title of becoming the first winner of the NBA In-Season Tournament.
Haliburton has been saying that he wants to feel games with a playoff atmosphere. He has had that experience in the quarter-finals and semi-finals. The All-Star guard is expected to have more against no less than LeBron James and the LA Lakers in the championship game.
“King James” and Anthony Davis already lifted the Larry O’Brien Trophy together in 2020. They are looking to etch their names into the record books by winning the NBA Cup. Money will always be a big factor, but James is always going after history.
A win on Saturday likely makes him the NBA In-Season Tournament MVP. That’s another feather on his cap that’ll only boost his already GOAT-worthy resume. The LA Lakers is arguably the most storied franchise in league history. Winning the inaugural competition will only add to the lore.
