The J-Notes
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How will the new in-season tournament work for the Utah Jazz and the other 29 NBA teams?

By Chad Porto

SALT LAKE CITY UT- NOVEMBER 7: Will Hardy head coach of the Utah Jazz watches play against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half of their game at the Vivint Arena November 7, 2022 in Salt Lake City Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Chris Gardner/ Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY UT- NOVEMBER 7: Will Hardy head coach of the Utah Jazz watches play against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half of their game at the Vivint Arena November 7, 2022 in Salt Lake City Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Chris Gardner/ Getty Images) /
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What are the rules for the Utah Jazz and the other 29 teams for the upcoming In-Season Tournament?

The upcoming in-season tournament is the first of its kind in the history of the NBA. It will see teams play one another across the first month of the season or so, with the winner receiving modest returns for the effort given. It’s a divisive topic that has many NBA fans wondering what the point is, and questioning Adam Silver’s leadership.

The in-season tournament isn’t going away any time soon, and we won’t know if it works as a reason to tune into regular season games, as the NBA is hoping for. But we do know how the rules for the tournament are going to work.

So let’s get into them.

How will the tournament work?

The tournament will last roughly a month, starting on Nov. 3 and ending on Dec. 9, and only games on Tuesdays and Fridays are going to count towards the tournament. The rest of the games will be normal regular-season games. But every tournament game will not only affect the tournament but will count against the regular season schedules.

The 30 teams are going to be divided into six groups of five, with each team playing four games in the first stage of the competition.

Eight teams will advance to the knockout round, a single-loss elimination tournament that plays out similarly to the NCCA March Madness tournament. Teams that didn’t qualify for the knockout round, will play one another while the tournament wraps up, and those games for the 22-non-knockout teams will count towards their regular season record.

After the first round, the four remaining teams will head to Las Vegas to play at the T-Mobile arena to determine the winner of the tournament. The four teams that lost in the opening round of the knockout portion will face one another, with the results affecting their regular season schedule.

The eight teams will come from the six teams with the best Group Play record, and then the top two performing second-place teams. If (and when) there’s a tie-breaker with regard to records, the league will compare head-to-head records, point differential, total points scored, and their regular season record.

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