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Kings’ Domantas Sabonis on NBA In-Season Tournament: ‘It’s another chance to win something’

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James Foglio
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James Foglio Sports Editor

James is a Basketball Insiders contributor. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. James enjoys watching sports and helping gamblers win money.

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Updated17 Aug 2023

Sacramento Kings Domantas Sabonis on NBA In-Season Tournament Its another chance to win something

Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis is ecstatic for the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament this year. “I’m very excited,” he told Sporting News. “We’ve actually been talking about it for the last three or four years during the season, and it finally happened.

“It’s another chance to win something. In international basketball, these cups in the middle of the season are big. They mean something. And then history happens and it’s important.”

Per multiple NBA betting sites, the Sacramento Kings hold 13th-ranked odds to win next season’s championship in 2024. Check out which sportsbooks are showing better odds for the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks.


“Everyone wants to play in the playoffs every year. Everyone wants to win,” Domantas Sabonis added. “The city was going crazy. They’re chanting ‘light the beam’ before the game ends, everyone saw the videos of what happens outside of our arena.

“That first playoff game was the loudest game I’ve ever played in. You couldn’t even hear what coach was saying. These are just memories that I will not forget, ever.”

Sacramento Kings star Domantas Sabonis believes the NBA In-Season Tournament is “another chance to win something” for teams, says cups are special in European basketball

The inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament is scheduled to begin on Friday, Nov. 3 during the 2023-24 NBA season. For Group Play games, the first of two stages in the in-season tournament, these matchups will be held on Tuesdays and Fridays in November. On these nights, the only NBA games scheduled will be Group Play contests.

Each NBA team will play four Group Play games from Nov. 3-28. Teams will play one game against each opponent in their group, two games at home, and two games on the road.

Furthermore, each of the six group winners will advance to the knockout round, along with the highest-finishing team that failed to win a group from each conference. Those eight teams will play quarterfinal games on Dec. 4 and 5. The higher-seeded team will receive the home games.


Of course, the winners of those four quarterfinal games will then advance to the semifinals, which will be held in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena on Dec. 7. The NBA Cup will be awarded to the winning team after the championship matchup on Dec. 9.

Players on the winning championship team will each receive $500,000, while the losing team players are expected to each earn $200,000.

Players on the losing team of the semifinals round will each get $100,000. Finally, players on the losing team of the quarterfinals round will also each receive $50,000.

The Sacramento Kings are in West Group C, along with the Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.

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