Groups Drawn for Third Annual Competition
The competitive landscape for the 2025 NBA In-Season Tournament is now officially taking shape. The league has concluded the draw for the group stage, providing all 30 teams with their initial roadmap in pursuit of the tournament title and the highly anticipated trip to Las Vegas for the Final Four. This third iteration of the mid-season competition aims to inject additional stakes and excitement into the regular season calendar.
The Group Stage Explained
mirroring the format of many global football (soccer) competitions, the NBA In-Season Tournament commences with a group phase. All 30 teams are segmented into six distinct groups of five – three allocated to the Eastern Conference and three to the Western Conference. This preliminary round of games is scheduled to run from October 31 through November 28. Progression to the subsequent knockout stage is reserved for an exclusive cohort: the six winners from each group secure automatic berths, and they are joined by the best second-place team from each conference. This structured elimination process filters the field down to eight contenders.
The Groups
Here is the complete breakdown of how the teams have been sorted into their respective groups for the 2025 tournament:
Eastern Conference:
- Group A: Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards
- Group B: Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers
- Group C: Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Charlotte Hornets
Western Conference:
- Group A: Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz
- Group B: Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans
- Group C: Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs
Path to Las Vegas
Following the conclusion of the group stage, the intensity escalates dramatically with single-elimination games. The Quarterfinals are slated for December 9 and 10, with hosting rights granted to the teams boasting the strongest performance records from the group phase. The culmination of the tournament will once again take place in Las Vegas, Nevada, affectionately – or perhaps infamously – known as `Sin City`. The Final Four, encompassing the Semifinals and the Championship game, will be contested there on December 13 and December 16, respectively. Both the reigning champions, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the inaugural tournament winners from two years prior, the Los Angeles Lakers, will undoubtedly harbor ambitions of returning to the desert to lift the trophy.
Beyond the Tournament Draw: Other NBA Headlines
While the In-Season Tournament schedule is the headline act, other significant developments are concurrently unfolding across the NBA landscape.
Holmgren`s Massive Extension
Oklahoma City Thunder`s promising young center, Chet Holmgren, the second overall selection in the 2022 draft, has reportedly inked a substantial contract extension. The deal is said to be a five-year agreement with a potential valuation soaring up to $250 million. This follows closely on the heels of a colossal contract extension for the Thunder`s franchise cornerstone, guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. While committing such a staggering sum to a 23-year-old who has effectively completed one NBA season might prompt a raised eyebrow or two – especially when contrasting it directly with his playoff averages of 15.2 points and 8.7 rebounds per game – the Thunder organization is clearly making a definitive long-term investment in their core talent. These figures, while potentially exceeding demonstrated output to date, are ultimately dictated by the prevailing market dynamics and reflect the organization`s profound belief in Holmgren`s future trajectory and impact. They are betting on potential as much as or more than current performance.
Tragic Sentence for Former NBA Player Ben McLemore
In news of a more somber nature, former NBA guard Ben McLemore has received a prison sentence exceeding eight years following a conviction for rape. The offense dates back to October 2021 and occurred in Lake Oswego, Oregon. McLemore, who was the seventh overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft and spent nine seasons playing for multiple NBA franchises including the Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Portland Trail Blazers (achieving a career-high scoring average of 12.1 points per game in his second season), continued his professional career internationally after his time in the NBA concluded in 2022. Reports indicate that he has maintained his assertion of innocence throughout the legal proceedings. This unfortunate development serves as a stark and troubling reminder of serious issues that can tragically intersect with the world of professional sports.
