Thirty teams started in the NBA In-Season Tournament, but only four teams remain. We are down to the semifinals in the In-Season Tournament, which means that there are only three games left. In this article, we will explain how to watch the semifinals, as well as preview what to expect from the next round of play that features the Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans, Milwaukee Bucks, and Indiana Pacers.
NBA In-Season Tournament semifinals schedule
The teams remaining are now destined for Las Vegas. The semifinals and finals will take place at T-Mobile Arena. The semifinals are on Thursday, Dec. 7, while the finals will be on Saturday, Dec. 9.
Semifinals schedule:
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Indiana Pacers: Thursday, Dec. 7 at 5 p.m. ET
Los Angeles Lakers vs. New Orleans Pelicans: Thursday, Dec. 7 at 9 p.m. ET
Finals schedule:
Western Conference winner vs. Eastern Conference winner: Saturday, Dec. 9 at 8:30 p.m. ET
How to watch In-Season Tournament
The Bucks vs. Pacers game will be broadcast on ESPN, while the Lakers and Pelicans game will be on TNT. The ESPN game will be streamed on fuboTV.
*Watch In-Season Tournament games live with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Date: Thursday, Dec. 7 | Time: 5 p.m./9 p.m. ET
Location: T-Mobile Arena — Las Vegas, Nevada
TV channel: TNT/ESPN | Live stream: fuboTV
In-Season Tournament semifinals preview: Bucks vs. Pacers
The Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks have outlasted everyone else in the Eastern Conference, but only one of them can advance to the finals. The fact that the Bucks made it this far probably doesn't surprise anybody. The team led by Giannis Antetokounmpo has been one of the best in the Eastern Conference for years, and now the former MVP has Damian Lillard as his teammate.
The Bucks are hot right now, as they just had one of their best games of the season in the quarterfinals. The team scored 146 points against the New York Knicks. The star duo combined for 63 of those points. This was on the back of the team scoring over 130 points in six of their prior nine games. The Antetokounmpo and Lillard pairing took a little while to take the league over, but they are laying their claim on the title of best duo in the NBA now.
Lillard's backcourt teammate, Malik Beasley, has also been a great acquisition for the Bucks. He is a little under the radar, but the sniper has been automatic from three-point land. He is shooting 46 percent from deep and has hit a long ball in 12 straight games. The team hasn't even gotten the best out of Khris Middleton yet. The wing has had his minutes reduced, and his production has suffered, but he has the pedigree to have a breakout game in the In-Season Tournament Knockout Rounds.
While the Bucks' defense has been somewhat of a disappointment in comparison to what they have done on that end over the last few years, their offense has been great. They are third in offensive efficiency. One of the teams that ranks above them, though, is the Pacers. Indiana actually has the best offensive efficiency in the NBA.
Tyrese Haliburton is incredible on that end. His shooting, combined with his ability to be creative for others, coupled with the fact that he rarely turns the ball over, makes him a rarely effective offensive engine.
Like the Bucks, though. The Pacers have disappointed on the defensive end. Despite Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez being perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidates, and Myles Turner being an All-Defensive team level defender, the Bucks and Pacers only rank 21st and 28th in defensive efficiency, respectively.
Both teams need to clean things up on that end, but their incredible offenses also mean their In-Season Tournament matchup will likely be an entertaining shootout.
In-Season Tournament semifinals preview: Lakers vs. Pelicans
The late-night In-Season Tournament semifinals game will be between the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans. The Lakers have had their fair share of problems over the last few years of the LeBron James era, but their star has continued to shine in the biggest moments, and that has been evident this year during the In-Season Tournament.
However, they won in controversial fashion in the quarterfinals. The Lakers were granted a timeout during what should have been a turnover late in their game against the Suns. That doesn't matter now, though, as they now have to prepare for the Pelicans.
The Lakers will need to be better from three if they want to beat the Pelicans. The team only shot 30% from deep against the Suns. James and Anthony Davis have been great inside all season, but the team's issues from deep have haunted them all year.
The Pelicans are on a hot streak right now. The team has won eight of their last 12 games after suffering through a five-game losing streak. Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram are building chemistry by the game, and the team's defense has really shined recently thanks largely in part to the stellar play from Herb Jones and Dyson Daniels on that end.
Additionally, the team now has C.J. McCollum back from injury. The guard brings some additional scoring and shooting ability, making the Pelicans even scarier.
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