Today is the final day of the In-Season Tournament group stage and every game has implications for the Knockout Stage. Before I get into the implications and games I am excited to watch, I have to give a shoutout to Reggie Jackson and Deandre Jordan. In the year 2023, the Clippers let Reggie Jackson score 35 points and have 13 assists while DJ had 21 points and 13 rebounds. For the fully healthy Clippers, you cannot lose to a Nuggets team without Jokic, Murray, and Gordon. The Harden experiment is off to a rough start as the Clippers fall to two games under 500. The battle of MID last night between the Wizards and Pistons lived up to its name as Detroit has lost 14 straight.
Now let’s talk about the In-Season Tournament. Today is a crucial day for the teams fighting for a Knockout spot. The three group leaders get into the Knockout Round and each conference has one Wild Card team that will most likely be determined by point differential. The spots can get confusing with the tie breakers and point differential but I will try to do my best to explain the significance of each game tonight.
East Group A: The Pacers locked up this group already so the only realistic chance another Group A team has is the Cavaliers. Currently at +8, the Cavs need to blow out the Hawks tonight to have any sort of chance of getting the Wild Card.
East Group B: The Knicks are currently the front runner for the Wild Card after that heartbreaking loss in Milwaukee. The Knicks have the best point differential in the East Wild Card and if they cover the spread against the Lamelo-less Hornets, they should make it to the next round. All hopes for the Heat to beat the Bucks went out the door when Jimmy Butler got ruled out tonight. The Bucks must have this game circled on their calendar after last year’s first round playoff loss to the 8-seeded Heat. If the Bucks win, they clinch group B, if they lose and the Knicks win it will come down to point differential, but this is unlikely.
East Group C: In my opinion, this is the most complicated group in the east. The Magic are currently in 1st after going 3-1. The two games tonight Chicago @ Boston and Toronto @ Brooklyn have major implications for this group. If both Brooklyn and Boston win, the group gets decided by point differential. Orlando currently is +22, Brooklyn is +8 and the Celtics are even. So the Nets need to win by 15 to win this group and the C’s need to win by 20+ to have a chance to win this group or stay in the Wild Card hunt.
West Group A: This is the only group with no games tonight. The Lakers have clinched this group. The Suns have a 1 point lead in the Wild Card thanks to a garbage time three by Devin Booker. If the Rockets win tonight, that three up by 30 with 12 seconds left will most likely be the reason the Suns make it. Sorry Jayson Tatum but point differential makes every minute in a game count!
West Group B: Tonight is the most meaningful game for the Houston Rockets since game 2 against the Lakers in the bubble. If the Rockets beat the Mavericks in Dallas, they will win Group B. If they win, the Pelicans will get knocked out as they do not have the tie breaker or points needed to advance.
West Group C: The two games in Group C are my favorite games of the day. The Thunder play the Timberwolves in Minnesota and the playoff rematch of Warriors-Kings takes place in Sacramento. For the Kings, this is a win and in situation. I think this Kings team still has a chip on their shoulder from the playoffs last year and will light the beam. However, it is Draymond’s first game back from suspension and the Warriors know a thing or two about winning big games. The Thunder are eliminated and the only chance the Twolves have is to win by 38+ and have the Warriors beat the Kings. This seems highly unlikely. The Warriors can get in if they beat the Kings by 13+ and the Twolves win by less than 21 points.
I hope this clarifies the significance of each game tonight. This is why the the In-Season Tournament is great for the NBA. I am going to the Garden tonight to see the Knicks game. Normally, I would not be too thrilled to watch the Knicks play the Hornets without LaMelo Ball. However, the need to win a game on a Tuesday night in November will have the Garden rocking like a playoff game and what makes the In-Season Tournament great.
JakesTakes 
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