MINNEAPOLIS — The schedule for the NBA's inaugural in-season tournament has been announced, and the Minnesota Timberwolves will open the group stage on the road against the San Antonio Spurs.
The league is introducing the in-season tournament this year, with the format including an opening-round group stage where teams will be playing to be one of eight teams to compete in a single-elimination quarterfinals. The Wolves will play in West Group C, which includes the Spurs, Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Here's a complete list of all the groups:
West Group A: Memphis, Phoenix, the Los Angeles Lakers, Utah and Portland.
West Group B: Denver, the Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans, Dallas and Houston.
West Group C: Sacramento, Golden State, Minnesota, Oklahoma City and San Antonio.
East Group A: Philadelphia, Cleveland, Atlanta, Indiana and Detroit.
East Group B: Milwaukee, New York, Miami, Washington and Charlotte.
East Group C: Boston, Brooklyn, Toronto, Chicago and Orlando.
The Wolves will begin group play with two road games — Nov. 10 against the Spurs and Nov. 14 against the Warriors. Minnesota will host the Kings (Nov. 24) and the Thunder (Nov. 28) with the winner of group play moving on to the quarterfinals, which will be played Dec. 4-5. Two wild-card teams will also earn a spot in the quarterfinals.
According to the league, the semis will be played Dec. 7 with the championship tipping off Dec. 9.
Teams will be playing for an estimated $18 million, according to the Associated Press, with the payouts being about $500,000 for each player on the winning team, $200,000 apiece for players on the runner-up squad, $100,000 per player on the teams that lose in the semis and $50,000 for players on teams losing in the quarterfinals.
Here's a look at the entire in-season tournament schedule:
Nov. 3 — Cleveland at Indiana, New York at Milwaukee, Dallas at Denver, Washington at Miami, Brooklyn at Chicago, Golden State at Oklahoma City, Memphis at Portland.
Nov. 10 — Brooklyn at Boston, LA Lakers at Phoenix, Philadelphia at Detroit, Charlotte at Washington, New Orleans at Houston, Utah at Memphis, Minnesota at San Antonio, LA Clippers at Dallas, Oklahoma City at Sacramento.
Nov. 14 — San Antonio at Oklahoma City, LA Clippers at Denver, Miami at Charlotte, Atlanta at Detroit, Indiana at Philadelphia, Orlando at Brooklyn, Dallas at New Orleans, Portland at Utah, Minnesota at Golden State, Memphis at LA Lakers.
Nov. 17 — Sacramento at San Antonio, Phoenix at Utah, Milwaukee at Charlotte, New York at Washington, Philadelphia at Atlanta, Detroit at Cleveland, Boston at Toronto, Orlando at Chicago, Denver at New Orleans, LA Lakers at Portland, Houston at LA Clippers.
Nov. 21 — Cleveland at Philadelphia, Utah at LA Lakers, Toronto at Orlando, Indiana at Atlanta, Portland at Phoenix.
Nov. 24 — Boston at Orlando, Phoenix at Memphis, Miami at New York, San Antonio at Golden State, Chicago at Toronto, Detroit at Indiana, Denver at Houston, Washington at Milwaukee, Sacramento at Minnesota, New Orleans at LA Clippers.
Nov. 28 — Milwaukee at Miami, Golden State at Sacramento, Chicago at Boston, Toronto at Brooklyn, Atlanta at Cleveland, Charlotte at New York, Oklahoma City at Minnesota, Houston at Dallas.
Dec. 4 and 5 — Quarterfinals at team sites.
Dec. 6 — Regular-season games TBA.
Dec. 7 — Semifinals in Las Vegas.
Dec. 8 — Regular-season games TBA.
Dec. 9 — Championship in Las Vegas.
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