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Rockets learn schedule for NBA’s inaugural in-season tournament

ben dubose
·2 min read

In November, the NBA is introducing a new in-season tournament. Six five-team groups — three groups in each conference — will play a round-robin format. Each group’s winner, along with one wild-card from each conference, advance to an eight-team knockout round.

The 2023-24 tournament tips off on Friday, Nov. 3 and culminates with the title game on Saturday, Dec. 9. Select tournament games will take place each Tuesday and Friday night in November. Based on results from the first month of games, the semifinals (Dec. 7) and championship will take place at a neutral Las Vegas site.

Excluding the championship, all tournament games will count toward each team’s 82-game record for the 2023-24 season. In short, the NBA is multi-purposing some of its existing results, as opposed to adding games or lengthening an already long regular season.

The Rockets are clear underdogs in their group, which features the Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, Los Angeles Clippers and defending champion Denver Nuggets. Each of those four Western Conference teams were far better last season than the 22-60 Rockets.

Then again, perhaps a younger team like the Rockets will be more incentivized to prioritize tournament games than established teams with larger goals for the 2024 playoffs. It’s also worth noting that Houston added marquee veterans in 2023 free agency such as Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, and Jeff Green, which should make the 2023-24 Rockets more threatening than the 2022-23 version.

Further details on the rules and format are available at NBA.com. Here’s a look at the Rockets’ in-season tournament schedule.

Friday, November 10

  • Game: New Orleans Pelicans at Houston Rockets

  • Tipoff time: 7:00 p.m. Central

Friday, November 17

  • Game: Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Clippers

  • Tipoff time: 9:30 p.m. Central

Friday, November 24

  • Game: Denver Nuggets at Houston Rockets

  • Tipoff time: 7:00 p.m. Central

Tuesday, November 28

  • Game: Houston Rockets at Dallas Mavericks

  • Tipoff time: 7:30 p.m. Central

Complete in-season tournament schedule

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Story originally appeared on Rockets Wire