The NBA In-Season Tournament has added more stakes to the NBA regular season than ever, with a trophy and prize money to be won at the end of the competition. The league wanted to add stakes and ramp up the intensity for early season games and so far it's worked. With each team playing four tournament games, there have been plenty of cases of teams surprisingly over and underperforming.
With the group stage concluding last night, here's a look at which teams surprised or shocked based on their win percentage in group play for the tournament and their win percentage across all other regular season games to this point.
Biggest overperformers in the NBA In-Season Tournament
These teams have saved their best for the tournament. All of these teams have qualified for the tournament knockouts while their record outside the tournaments has been patchy for the most part.
1. Indiana Pacers
In-Season Tournament record: 4-0 (1.000)
Non-tournament record: 5-7 (.417)
The Indiana Pacers went unbeaten through the In-Season Tournament and became the first to qualify for the knockout stage after comfortably dispatching the Detroit Pistons. Prior to that game, each of their tournament games was decided by six or fewer points with close wins against the Cavs, 76ers, and Hawks.
Besides their tournament games, It hasn't been as smooth sailing for the Pacers. The team has had shocking losses to the Bulls, Hornets, and Blazers in their 5-7 record outside the tournament and are barely clinging onto an automatic playoff berth despite the unbeaten tournament run.
2. Los Angeles Lakers
In-Season Tournament record: 4-0 (1.000)
Non-tournament record: 6-8 (.429)
Just like the Pacers, the Lakers have been unbeaten in their tournament games while being two games under .500 in the rest of their games. After a narrow comeback win vs the Suns, the Lakers comfortably dispatched the Grizzlies, Blazers, and Jazz in the tournament.
The Lakers have been more inconsistent outside the tournament with eight losses including a 44-point loss to the Sixers most recently.
3. Sacramento Kings
In-Season Tournament record: 4-0 (1.000)
Non-tournament record: 6-6 (.500)
The Kings became the last team to confirm their tournament spot with a one-point win against the Golden State Warriors. This was their fourth straight tournament win, beating the Thunder, Spurs, and Timberwolves prior to last night.
With injuries to their star players along with some unexpected results, the Kings have gone .500 in their non-tournament games.
4. Milwaukee Bucks
In-Season Tournament record: 4-0 (1.000)
Non-tournament record: 9-5 (.643)
The Bucks had their fair share of close games with three games decided by under seven points. However, they prevailed on all three occasions and ended up unbeaten in a challenging group that also included the Knicks and the Heat.
Unlike the other unbeaten teams in the tournament, the Bucks have had a good regular season outside the tournament with a 9-5 record.
5. New Orleans Pelicans
In-Season tournament record: 3-1 (.750)
Non-tournament record: 6-8 (.429)
The New Orleans Pelicans clinched a spot in the knockout round as the West Group B Winners. The Pelicans were in a group with four playoff hopefuls including defending champions Denver Nuggets. After a three-point loss to the Rockets, the Pelicans had impressive wins against the Mavericks, Nuggets, and Clippers.
The Pelicans have been patchy outside the tournament with a streak of five losses at one point and most recently losing two straight games to the Jazz.
Biggest underperformers in the NBA In-Season Tournament
These teams have unfortunately underperformed in the tournament games with their tournament results not being reflective of their caliber.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
In-Season Tournament record: 1-3 (.250)
Non-tournament record: 10-3 (.769)
The Thunder have been one of the best teams in the league with an 11-6 record however all but one win has come outside the tournament. Put in a challenging group with the Kings, Warriors, Timberwolves, and Spurs, the Thunder can consider themselves slightly unlucky as they lost three games that were decided by seven points or less while putting up a positive point difference thanks to their big win against the Spurs.
2. Chicago Bulls
In-Season Tournament record: 0-4 (0.000)
Non-tournament record: 5-10 (0.333)
The Bulls' difficult season has been exacerbated in the tournament with a 0-4 record as the team finished last in the Eastern Conference thanks to their record and point differential. The lowest point probably came last night when they helped the Celtics qualify for the knockouts thanks to a 27-point loss.
3. Atlanta Hawks
In-Season Tournament record: 1-3 (0.250)
Non-tournament record: 7-6 (0.538)
The Hawks started the tournament well with a win but followed that up with two close losses against the Sixers and Pacers, with their 152-157 loss to the Pacers being one of the games of the season. Their Tournament ended with a blowout loss to the Cavs.
They fared slightly better outside the tournament with a solid 7-6 record in the rest of their regular season games.
4. Philadelphia 76ers
In-Season Tournament record: 2-2 (0.500)
Non-tournament record: 10-3 (0.769)
The 76ers have been one of the best teams in the league however they were surprisingly eliminated from the tournament following an overtime loss to the Cavs, who were without Donovan Mitchell. All of the Sixers' games were decided by 10 points or fewer with close wins over the Pistons and Hawks and losses to the Pacers and Cavs.
