ATLANTA — If you're wondering what's with all the colorful NBA courts and what the league's new in-season tournament actually means, you've come to the right place.
The NBA is testing out a new experiment this year -- one that follows the tails of European soccer -- by having an in-season tournament and playing for the NBA Cup. The league hopes it will bring more excitement to help break up the 82-game grind that players experience each and every year.
The NBA hopes it will create more buzz during the regular season -- and it even has an incentive for its players. If a team goes deeper into the tournament, players can win money. For whichever team wins the NBA Cup, each player will receive $500,000.
The Atlanta Hawks are in a group with four other teams, including Tuesday night's team, the Detroit Pistons. Eventually, there will be a championship game in Las Vegas in December.
Here's how it works
- The tournament games are not extra games -- they count in the regular season standings, as well.
- The Hawks will play each of the Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers once.
- If they have the best record in the group after those four games, they will advance to the next round.
- If the Hawks keep winning, they will keep moving on where the semifinals and finals are in Las Vegas. The finals are in Las Vegas on Dec. 9.
If you have seen any interesting courts on TV, that's because each team has a special design for the tournament games. The Hawks court is entirely all baby blue, with the NBA Cup logo at the center court behind the Hawks Pac-Man logo. At the bottom of the court, it features the words "lift as we fly" in lowercase letters.
To view the Hawks' full in-season tournament schedule, click here.