The IST Was a Success

[8Ball]

A bunch of friends and I decided to go see this game at a sports bar, friends that would never care about an NBA game in December.


All of them loved it, the intensity, the stakes, the level of competition. 1 of them walked away as an Indiana Pacers fan after never watching the Pacers before.


For most of them it was better than a lot of playoff games.


Well done Adam Silver :applause:

[SATAN]

I don't understand why people were hating on it honestly. The games were good mostly. Very competitive. Brings something new. People used to complain about the regular season being too long and boring. I'm looking forward to the next IST. Way more interesting than All-Star weekend.

[SATAN]

It should also be noted that LeBron played a huge part in the IST success. He basically set the tone and said bring it you little bitches. Of course he annihilated them. Even though they were competing hard and he's 55 years old. :applause:

[8Ball]

It should also be noted that LeBron played a huge part in the IST success. He basically set the tone and said bring it you little bitches. Of course he annihilated them. Even though they were competing hard and he's 55 years old. :applause:


If the Pacers came out and laid an egg and got blown out by 30 this IST would not have been as successful.

Pacers played really effing hard for the entire game. They also beat the best teams in the East to get here.

[RRR3]

It should also be noted that LeBron played a huge part in the IST success. He basically set the tone and said bring it you little bitches. Of course he annihilated them. Even though they were competing hard and he's 55 years old. :applause:
Yeah LeBron does what Silver wants him to unfortunately. Definitely a big win for Silver but despite the insistence of the media, I didn't think it was any more exciting than normal basketball. It's fine if you guys enjoy it, but I'm gonna call it for what it is regardless.

[RRR3]

If the Pacers came out and laid an egg and got blown out by 30 this IST would not have been as successful.

Pacers played really effing hard for the entire game. They also beat the best teams in the East to get here.
It's not like the game came down to the wire, and the game before was a 40 point blowout. I'm not seeing it.

[3ba11]

I never thought I would see the day where an entire league including the commissioner and GM's around the league would conspire to send every good player to the Lakers so that Lebron can add to his resume.

That's literally what happened - before the trade deadline last year, the Lakers revamped their entire roster and then did it again over the summer - no other team did this because it isn't normal - it's straight collusion to help Lebron and I'm not sure why... What did Lebron do for the commissioner or GM's to make them help him like this?.. It's absurd

[MrFonzworth]

I never thought I would see the day where an entire league including the commissioner and GM's around the league would conspire to send every good player to the Lakers so that Lebron can add to his resume.

That's literally what happened - before the trade deadline last year, the Lakers revamped their entire roster and then did it again over the summer - no other team did this because it isn't normal - it's straight collusion to help Lebron and I'm not sure why... What did Lebron do for the commissioner or GM's to make them help him like this?.. It's absurd

:roll::roll::roll:

[lxlHoTsAuSelxl]

I never thought I would see the day where an entire league including the commissioner and GM's around the league would conspire to send every good player to the Lakers so that Lebron can add to his resume.

That's literally what happened - before the trade deadline last year, the Lakers revamped their entire roster and then did it again over the summer - no other team did this because it isn't normal - it's straight collusion to help Lebron and I'm not sure why... What did Lebron do for the commissioner or GM's to make them help him like this?.. It's absurd

Send every good player? Like who?

[Manny98]

I never thought I would see the day where an entire league including the commissioner and GM's around the league would conspire to send every good player to the Lakers so that Lebron can add to his resume.

That's literally what happened - before the trade deadline last year, the Lakers revamped their entire roster and then did it again over the summer - no other team did this because it isn't normal - it's straight collusion to help Lebron and I'm not sure why... What did Lebron do for the commissioner or GM's to make them help him like this?.. It's absurd
Meltdown

[elementally morale]

I liked the idea from the beginning. However, it's interesting see the new audience which all of a sudden starts to like it.

Anyway, LeBron and the Lakers having won it the first year is a good thing long term. More people will pay attention next year and it also creates controversy which will help build the NBA Cup story.

[Kblaze8855]

I didn't think it was any more exciting than normal basketball.





in the way that a random playoff game is normal basketball. Benches aren’t generally exploding while all the players celebrate when you get a layup to go up 15 in an early season game. The only basketball difference between the playoffs and regular season is how much the players care about winning. It shows in the effort and reactions. This game absolutely had that. The neutral site Vegas set up won’t usually have a crowd so into it if the Lakers aren’t playing but far as on the floor? That was essentially playoff basketball.

[Phoenix]

Admittedly I haven't given a single fukk about the tournament but I did tune in specifically for the final. The players seemed into it, and I haven't seen AD that hyped in ages so mission accomplished I suppose. It remains to be seen if that hype remains beyond this season or its specific to the here and now because it's a new thing. We'll see. I still feel like, they need to tie winning the tournament into something beyond the money. Like the winner gets a first round playoff bye or something....

Also, shoutout to 3ball for an evening of epic meltdowns. Jesus....

[hold this L]

There's nothing inherently wrong with it. I would work on seeding and fixtures to edit that moving forward.

[Phoenix]

There's nothing inherently wrong with it. I would work on seeding and fixtures to edit that moving forward.

A quick cosmetic fix would be the courts. Some of them were ok but a few games were a bit hard to follow because of how garish the colors were.

[Jasper]

A bunch of friends and I decided to go see this game at a sports bar, friends that would never care about an NBA game in December.


All of them loved it, the intensity, the stakes, the level of competition. 1 of them walked away as an Indiana Pacers fan after never watching the Pacers before.


For most of them it was better than a lot of playoff games.


Well done Adam Silver :applause:

lebron this , lebron that , look lebron won again, look lebron mvp with 5 fouls and 6 turnovers

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

If the league is gonna coronate teams like they did the Lakers....this in-season tournament will hold more weight than most thought. More than I imagined anyway.

[kawhileonard2]

It really wasn’t especially when you didn’t play any top 4 team record wise in either conference.

[Phoenix]

It really wasn’t especially when you didn’t play any top 4 team record wise in either conference.

So March Madness only had relevance if the top 4 seeds make it to the final 4? Shit I think the playoffs might actually be better if it was one and done.

[kawhileonard2]

So March Madness only had relevance if the top 4 seeds make it to the final 4? Shit I think the playoffs might actually be better if it was one and done.

The Lakers got in a bracket where they played 3 of the 4 worst teams in the league. And then Got hca for the game in LA. The fact the brackets were just some random ones and they didn’t get put in one with any legit teams should show you. Didn’t even have to play any of the top 4 teams in the conference

[Phoenix]

The Lakers got in a bracket where they played 3 of the 4 worst teams in the league. And then Got hca for the game in LA. The fact the brackets were just some random ones and they didn’t get put in one with any legit teams should show you. Didn’t even have to play any of the top 4 teams in the conference

If it were another team but the Lakers in that scenario and they won, would it just be the luck of the draw or would you hold this same energy? Or is it because it's the Lakers and Lebron specifically? I don't really care, just curious as to the reasons why people overplay or underplay the significance of the tournament.

[kawhileonard2]

If it were another team but the Lakers in that scenario and they won, would it just be the luck of the draw or would you hold this same energy? Or is it because it's the Lakers and Lebron specifically? I don't really care, just curious as to the reasons why people overplay or underplay the significance of the tournament.

Because it doesn’t do anything in the grand scheme if you don’t win the nba title. It holds as much weight as the Maui Invitational in college basketball https://mauiinvitational.com/news/2023/11/22/general-purdue-wins-instant-classic-claims-allstate-maui-invitational-championship.aspx

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maui_Invitational

[tontoz]

I don't really care one way or the other about the Lakers winning but it is amusing to see 3ball melting down over it.

[sdot_thadon]

Because it doesn’t do anything in the grand scheme if you don’t win the nba title. It holds as much weight as the Maui Invitational in college basketball https://mauiinvitational.com/news/2023/11/22/general-purdue-wins-instant-classic-claims-allstate-maui-invitational-championship.aspx

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maui_Invitational

College basketball has 372,378 tournaments. The NBA now has 2. Not even in the same galaxy.

[Phoenix]

I don't really care one way or the other about the Lakers winning but it is amusing to see 3ball melting down over it.

And you know he had 10 topics pre-typed and ready to go if they lost.

[lxlHoTsAuSelxl]

The IST is nice as fans get competitive playoff atmosphere basketball in December. As far as does it show who are the best in the NBA come playoff time, no. Players could of easily been injured and not able to play in the IST.

[kawhileonard2]

College basketball has 372,378 tournaments. The NBA now has 2. Not even in the same galaxy.

That’s the point. Playing a month and a half into the season and not even playing any top 4 teams in either conference or any finalist from season before means nothing. What happened when they played Denver, Philly for instance?
The teams that won Maui Invitational had no success in tournament.
Now if you win in season tournament and finals then that could mean something

[bison]

IST was a bit of a fun pleasant surprise. Even if you think it’s phony and manufactured, the fact is teams got up for it and played intense basketball in November and December. Unfortunately since the lakers/lebron won people will try to discredit it. It’s a good idea and I don’t know if it will be better next season but fans should know by now that it’s a good thing to start to tweaking the nba’s format/schedule. Basketball is a very flexible game.

[ShawkFactory]

Because it doesn’t do anything in the grand scheme if you don’t win the nba title. It holds as much weight as the Maui Invitational in college basketball https://mauiinvitational.com/news/2023/11/22/general-purdue-wins-instant-classic-claims-allstate-maui-invitational-championship.aspx

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maui_Invitational

Teams in the Maui Invitational generally want to win. They’re intense games.

You’re not helping your point.

[sdot_thadon]

That’s the point. Playing a month and a half into the season and not even playing any top 4 teams in either conference or any finalist from season before means nothing. What happened when they played Denver, Philly for instance?
The teams that won Maui Invitational had no success in tournament.
Now if you win in season tournament and finals then that could mean something

The schedule was made before the season meaning no guarantees who would be good and who would suck. The suns were expected to be a big 3 of Durant, Booker and Beal. Dame hadn't been trade yet either. Murray wasn't hurt, Steph wasn't either. You can't control how brackets play out. The Lakers didn't play a top 4 team because apparently none of them made it to play them. That happens in single elimination tourneys, What happened outside of the tourney games doesn't have much to do with the tourney either, sounds like you're just desperately grasping at straws, which seems to be the only thing you know how to do. Lebron won the tournament, get over it.

[kawhileonard2]

Teams in the Maui Invitational generally want to win. They’re intense games.

You’re not helping your point.

Teams who win the Maui Invitational don’t win ncaab championship

[Axe]

Teams who win the Maui Invitational don’t win ncaab championship
Meltdown. Kill yourself.

[3ba11]

the level of competition.


the 7 teams that the Lakers faced were 55-74 combined record and none were in the top 4 seeds of either conference.. Carry on the fraud tho

[8Ball]

the 7 teams that the Lakers faced were 55-74 combined record and none were in the top 4 seeds of either conference.. Carry on the fraud tho

Jordan made the playoffs in the 80s winning 30 games.

[Baller234]

I don't think it's possible to determine the success until more time has passed.

If the Lakers are eliminated in the playoffs, people are going to look back on this and ask what was it all for? What are we competing for if not ultimately a championship?

Those clips of Lebron acting a fool and popping champagne will be meme'd into oblivion.

[rawimpact]

How can a March madness type bracket/gameplay not make for competitive basketball? It was a no brainer...

I think the Pacers and Celtics game was the most enjoyable.

[8Ball]

I don't think it's possible to determine the success until more time has passed.

If the Lakers are eliminated in the playoffs, people are going to look back on this and ask what was it all for? What are we competing for if not ultimately a championship?

Those clips of Lebron acting a fool and popping champagne will be meme'd into oblivion.

You are upset that Jordan would never win an IST MVP at age 38 because he was never good enough to do so at that age.


This kills you deep down and it seeps through every post.

[sdot_thadon]

I don't think it's possible to determine the success until more time has passed.

If the Lakers are eliminated in the playoffs, people are going to look back on this and ask what was it all for? What are we competing for if not ultimately a championship?

Those clips of Lebron acting a fool and popping champagne will be meme'd into oblivion.

Why would they do that in good faith? It's clearly obvious by not only branding, not only calendar date, not only a completely different trophy but even the format that the playoffs and IST are 2 separate entities. Neither one impacts the other at this point. So you only connect those dots because you were going out of your way to do so no matter what.

[Baller234]

Why would they do that in good faith? It's clearly obvious by not only branding, not only calendar date, not only a completely different trophy but even the format that the playoffs and IST are 2 separate entities. Neither one impacts the other at this point. So you only connect those dots because you were going out of your way to do so no matter what.

You're right, they are two separate entities. One matters, the the other one doesn't.

What's going to happen if the Lakers are eliminated from the playoffs? Do you honestly think that Laker fans (or Bronnies) are going to say, "Hey at least we won the regular season cup!"

More than likely the cup will be an afterthought by that point, and people may mock the Lakers in hindsight for popping champagne in December.

[kawhileonard2]

Maui Invitational nothing more