The knockout stage of the In-Season Tournament is officially underway. The Indiana Pacers were the first team to cause an upset, knocking out the Boston Celtics. In a contest where Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum combined for 62 points, Tyrese Haliburton and Co. still found a way to emerge victorious.
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There were seven players on the Pacers’ roster who scored in double-digits. However, it was Tyrese Haliburton who was the undisputed star of the night yet again. Leading the team to a solid 122-112 victory, Haliburton recorded a 26-point, 10-rebound, 13-assist triple-double. Further, the star guard was also efficient as he recorded zero turnovers and was shooting at 55.6% from the field, 45.5% from three-point range, and 100% from the free-throw line.
As soon as Indy clinched a spot in the semifinals, NBA Twitter was left ecstatic. Rob Perez, a social media personality, revealed the fact that there were 10 players on the Pacers squad who were earning less than $3 million. Winning this inaugural tournament and taking home the $500,000 cash prize would certainly mean a lot for all players.
Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers have already booked $100,000 per player
The addition of the In-Season Tournament also comes with a massive $18 million prize pool. Members of the quarterfinalist are set to receive $50,000. Advancing to the semifinals, each player on the roster receives $100,000. As of now, the Pacers are the only team to book this $100,000 per-player prize.
As they go further ahead in the tournament, every member on the runner-up team is set to receive $200,000. Lastly, winning the tournament and lifting the NBA Cup also comes with the added benefit of $500,000 per player.
Of course, this half-a-million-dollar incentive was great enough to get players motivated. Several personalities from the NBA spoke about the importance of the money on the line.
LeBron James, who is worth well over $1 billion, also revealed his intentions of hustling for this cash prize.
Damian Lillard also spoke about the importance of the prize. While superstars do get paid quite a lot, Lillard believed that this In-Season Tournament grand prize would have a huge impact on the lifestyle of the other players.
Not only for the monetary aspect, but in terms of entertain as well, the In-Season Tournament has been a great addition to the regular season. Despite all the uncertainty surrounding the concept ahead of the season, it is now easy to say that NBA commissioner Adam Silver got this one right on the money.
