There are seven “Tournament Nights” for the NBA In-Season Tournament. The first three have been completed, so the games on Friday, November 17th will mark the midway point for the Group Play stage. The In-Season Tournament standings are starting to become a bit clearer. as every team except for the Toronto Raptors has played at least one Group Play game, with some teams having already played three games. Therefore, the games on Friday will be crucial in determining who will advance to the next round. So, how can you watch the In-Season Tournament, and what can you expect from the games on Friday? We will explain all of that below.
Friday, Nov. 17 In-Season Tournament schedule
Milwaukee Bucks @ Charlotte Hornets, 7 p.m. ET
New York Knicks @ Washington Wizards, 7 p.m. ET
Philadelphia 76ers @ Atlanta Hawks, 7:30 p.m. ET
Detroit Pistons @ Cleveland Cavaliers, 7:30 p.m. ET
Boston Celtics @ Toronto Raptors, 7:30 p.m. ET
Sacramento Kings @ San Antonio Spurs, 7:30 p.m. ET
Orlando Magic @ Chicago Bulls, 8 p.m. ET
Denver Nuggets @ New Orleans Pelicans, 8 p.m. ET
Phoenix Suns @ Utah Jazz, 10 p.m. ET
Los Angeles Lakers @ Portland Trail Blazers, 10 p.m. ET
Houston Rockets @ Los Angeles Clippers, 10:30 p.m. ET
How to watch the In-Season Tournament
On Friday, November 17th, the In-Season Tournament will feature another huge slate of games. In total, 11 games will be played. The Kings vs. Spurs and Suns vs. Jazz games will both be on ESPN and can be streamed using fuboTV. The other games can be viewed with NBA League Pass.
*Watch the NBA In-Season Tournament live with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
In-Season Tournament standings
Eastern Conference Group A
Indiana Pacers: 2-0
Atlanta Hawks: 2-0
Philadelphia 76ers: 1-1
Cleveland Cavaliers: 0-1
Detroit Pistons: 0-2
Eastern Conference Group B
Miami Heat: 2-0
Milwaukee Bucks: 1-0
Charlotte Hornets: 1-1
New York Knicks: 0-1
Washington Wizards: 0-2
Eastern Conference Group C
Boston Celtics: 1-0
Brooklyn Nets: 2-1
Toronto Raptors: 0-0
Chicago Bulls: 0-1
Orlando Magic: 0-1
Western Conference Group A
Los Angeles Lakers: 2-0
Utah Jazz: 2-0
Portland Trail Blazers: 1-1
Phoenix Suns: 0-1
Memphis Grizzlies: 0-3
Western Conference Group B
Denver Nuggets: 2-0
Houston Rockets: 1-0
New Orleans Pelicans: 1-1
Dallas Mavericks: 1-2
Los Angeles Clippers: 0-2
Western Conference Group C
Minnesota Timberwolves: 2-0
Sacramento Kings: 1-0
Golden State Warriors: 1-1
Oklahoma City Thunder: 1-2
San Antonio Spurs: 0-2
Eastern Conference games
Damian Lillard hasn't been as dynamic when paired with Giannis Antetokounmpo to start this first season with the Milwaukee Bucks as most people thought he would. Still, there is no doubt that the two superstars are one of the most dynamic duos in the NBA, and it seems like only a matter of time until Lillard turns it up and starts taking over the league with his new teammates.
The Bucks will also need more help from Khris Middleton moving forward. After dealing with injuries last year, the Bucks have limited Middleton's minutes, and he is only averaging 11.4 points per game. The Bucks have championship aspirations, and they will need more from their third-best player. The Bucks will have a chance to prove themselves in the In-Season Tournament against the Hornets on Friday. LaMelo Ball's shooting efficiency has started to get back on track after a slow start, which makes Charlotte a much bigger threat in this one.
Like the Bucks and Hornets, the Knicks and Wizards will also play at 7 p.m. ET. The Knicks need more from Julius Randle, but they have what looks like an easy win against the Wizards. Washington has played a hectic style of basketball that has been ineffective so far on the backs of Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole.
Elsewhere in the East, the Sixers will be taking on the Hawks in what figures to be a big game for their group. Joel Embiid is still doing Joel Embiid things, but Tyrese Maxey has emerged as a star this year, as he is averaging 28.4 points per game, the ninth most in the league. The Hawks have an elite scoring guard in their own right, and Trae Young might have some extra motivation after the birth of his daughter.
The Pistons and Cavaliers are also slated to face each other on Friday. At 2-10, the Pistons have the worst record in the league, and a lack of shooting and several injuries have stunted the team early on. The Cavs have also been a disappointment considering how they had been looked at as one of the top up-and-coming teams in the NBA this year. Instead, they have found themselves with a sub-.500 record to start the season, although they should be able to pick up a win over Detroit when they face off here.
As previously noted, the Raptors are the only team that hasn't played an In-Season Tournament game yet, making them the only team that hasn't had a chance to debut their new court. The Raptors won't have an easy matchup in their first Group Stage game, as they are set to play the Celtics. The new-look C's are 8-2, and Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis have been great additions to the team.
The Bulls and Magic are the final Eastern Conference matchup for Friday. The Bulls' big three of DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Nikola Vucevic looks more and more like a failed experiment, and their early season struggles have led to rumors that the team will look to trade LaVine in the near future. The guard would immediately become the biggest name on the trade market if the Bulls decide to try to deal him.
On the other side of the court, the Magic are a young and developing team with a lot of promise, but it hasn't helped their case that they have already (and once again) dealt with so many injuries. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are two of the best young players in the league, but Markelle Fultz and Wendell Carter Jr. have been missing in action thanks to injuries as of late.
Western Conference games
There is also plenty of Western Conference action on November 17th. One such exciting game is between the Nuggets and Pelicans. The defending champions are on a roll again this year, and even without star point guard Jamal Murray, they are 9-2 overall (best in the league) and 2-0 in the In-Season Tournament. Nikola Jokic has been on another level so far, as he is top ten in the league in points per game (30), rebounds per game (13.9), assists per game (8.4), and he is just outside of the top ten in field goal percentage (57.9 percent).
The Pelicans have a number of injuries, which would make one believe that Zion Williamson would have an increased role. That has not been the case, though, and Williamson is averaging a career-low in points. Recent comments suggest Williamson may be frustrated with his role.
The Lakers are 2-0 in the In-Season Tournament, and it is very possible they continue their winning ways against the Trail Blazers. The Lakers' outside shooting has been iffy all season, but they might have fixed their problems in their latest win, as they had the best shooting game in franchise history against the Grizzlies. That is not good news for the Trail Blazers, but Portland has defended well against the three-point shot this season, as they are fourth in the NBA in opponents' three-point field goal percentage at just 32.5 percent.
The Rockets and Clippers will play the last game of the night at 10:30 p.m. ET. The Clippers are 0-6 since trading for James Harden and 0-5 in the games he has played in. It takes time to gain chemistry as a team, but things have not been pretty for the Clippers, with their most recent loss being a heartbreaker against the Nuggets. Surprisingly, the Rockets will be another challenge for the Clippers. After splurging in the offseason, the Rockets have become a legitimately good team, and they are currently on a six-game win streak.
Nationally televised games
The Spurs have more nationally televised In-Season Tournament games than anyone else, but they haven't been able to display their talent in the national spotlight yet. The Spurs are 0-2 in Group Play, but they will be on national television again during the Friday games.
The Victor Wembanyama hype train is still running strong, and it will be interesting to see how he handles a fellow unicorn big man in Domantas Sabonis when the Spurs take on the Kings. Both bigs have advanced skill sets for players their height, but despite the excitement that has come during Wembanyama's rookie season, the Spurs are only 3-8 and sit in 14th place in the West.
ESPN will also be broadcasting the Suns vs. Jazz game. The Suns' big three is making their much-anticipated debut together on Wednesday, which will surely fire up their fans. Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal form an electric trio, but we haven't gotten to see them all in action together yet. Assuming all goes well on Wednesday night, they all should be set to play in the In-Season Tournament game as well.
The Suns will take on the Jazz, a team that exceeded expectations last year but has struggled early this season. Lauri Markkanen offers an intriguing matchup against Durant, though, as both are near seven-footers that can stretch the floor and shoot the long ball. Two of the Jazz's four wins this season have actually come in the tournament, as they are 2-0 in Group Play.
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