Commissioner Adam Silver is probably patting himself on the back after seeing the latest attendance ratings for NBA games in the month of November. The league averaged 18,208 fans, which is the highest average number ever recorded in November, per NBA Communications.

This boom comes during the first year of the In-Season Tournament (Silver's brainchild), which tipped off on Nov. 3 and will conclude on Saturday, Dec. 9 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There is no way to know how many people were actually aware of the tourney and NBA Cup when they piled into an arena last month, but this data will undeniably be used as evidence to tout its rousing success.

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If Silver did in fact figure out a way to generate more buzz for The Association during the early stages of the season, then he deserves fair credit. Many players have publicly supported the spectacle and admit the energy surrounding the games is different than a normal November matchup. Higher stakes ($500,000 per player of champion) can lead to higher drama and excitement. And that should be celebrated.

But there are obviously kinks that must be worked out. The obnoxious, bright-colored courts can be a distraction and take away from the viewing experience, depending on the arena in question. A point-differential tiebreaker system that strives to be like soccer is also not feasible going forward, after the Boston Celtics transported everyone back to 2016 with Hack-A-Drummond (fouled big man intentionally while up 30 in order to advance).

Assuming that silly rule is modified, however, then the In-Season Tournament could be a sustainable and enjoyable concept. Regardless of what the cause is for the big turnout at NBA games, fans are clearly invested in the product.