What time does the NBA In-Season tournament semifinals start?

Following a thrilling quarterfinal round of the NBA in-season tournament, the stage is set for the semifinals. On Thursday night (Dec. 7), the final four teams will be in action in hopes of punching their ticket for the finals.

As for the schedule of the NBA In-Season Tournament semifinals, the action begins at 5 p.m. Eatern Time on Thursday. Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers will aim to keep their momentum rolling against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Later that night, the LA Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans will battle it out on the Western Conference side of the bracket. Their game is scheduled for 9 p.m. Eastern Time.

For those looking to tune into the action, both matchups will be aired on national television. Bucks vs. Pacers will be aired on ESPN, with Lakers vs. Pelicans being shown on TNT and Tru TV.

Thursday will be the second meeting between Indiana and Milwaukee this year. Their first meeting was a month ago, with the Pacers walking away with a two-point victory. As for the Lakers and Pelicans, they've yet to face off against one another this season.

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Who are the favorites to advance to the finals of the NBA in-season tournament?

Despite the Indiana Pacers winning the previous meeting with the Milwaukee Bucks, they find themselves as an underdog heading into the semifinals. Per FanDuel, Giannis Antetokounmpo and company are five-and-a-half point favrotie for the NBA in-season tournament semifinals matchup.

Looking at the second game on the slate, the spread is much tighter. The LA Lakers are entering Thursday as the favorites, but only by two points. This might have to do with both teams having almost identical records. LA sits in fifth place of the Western Conference standings at 13-9, with New Orleans not far behind them with a record of 12-10.

The Pacers might be underdogs, but that is not going to stop them from taking it right to the Bucks. Over the course of the tournament, they've proven how dedicated they are to being the first-ever winners of the NBA Cup. After sealing their quarterfinal win over the Boston Celtics, the team let out all their emotions.

If Indiana wants any shot at taking down the duo of Giannis and Damian Lillard, they'll need another strong performance from their star guard. Tyrese Haliburton has been nothing short of spectacular in their in-season tournament games. The All-Star point guard is coming off a triple-double performance in the win over Boston.