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Perhaps there will be an in-season tournament in the NBA one day. After all, Commissioner Adam Silver has even discussed it in the past.
While basketball fans wait for that, the NBA 2K League is one step ahead.
Wednesday marked the second day of The Tipoff, which is the league’s first in-season tournament in its third year of existence. As Herb Scribner of the Deseret News noted, the tournament runs through Friday and features all 23 NBA 2K League teams playing in a group phase prior to a knockout round.
The victors will take home $160,000.
The league also announced the playoffs will start on Aug. 19 and lead into the NBA 2K League Finals on Aug. 29.
There is an in-season tournament to win first, and Wednesday brought a crowded slate of group-stage competition.
Here is a look at the results.
Wednesday Results
Knicks Gaming def. Heat Check Gaming: 89-64, 88-73
Raptors Uprising GC def. Blazers Gaming: 73-58, 93-65
Cavs Legion GC def. T-Wolves Gaming: 74-69, 68-56
Hornets Venom GT split with Wizards District Gaming: 46-43, 50-70
Heat Check Gaming split with Bucks Gaming: 81-69, 68-94
Gen.G Tigers def. Blazers Gaming: 95-80, 94-69
Raptors Uprising GC def. Lakers Gaming: 105-59, 91-53
Wizards District Gaming split with Cavs Legion GC: 61-32, 53-59
Hornets Venom GT split with T-Wolves Gaming: 72-63, 67-86
Bucks Gaming def. Knicks Gaming: 89-79, 66-58
Gen.G Tigers def. Lakers Gaming: 79-60, 87-58
The tournament was split into seven groups, and each team played four games in the group stage.
The seven group winners, as well as one wild card, advanced to the second round. Groups 5, 6 and 7 took the court Wednesday after the first four groups played Tuesday, and the knockout stage is now set.
Pistons GT will play Jazz Gaming and Grizz Gaming will play Kings Guard on one side of the bracket, while Raptors Uprising GC will face Bucks Gaming and Cavs Legion GC will face Gen.G Tigers on the other side.
The Gen.G Tigers have some momentum after Kaii scored 76 points in their final win over Lakers Gaming.
Still, Raptors GC remains the team to beat if Wednesday was any indication.
The Raptors are the only undefeated team in the regular season at 9-0 and had no trouble dispatching Blazers Gaming and Lakers Gaming in their four games of group play. In fact, they won by a combined 127 points, underscoring their overall dominance entering the knockout phase.
Best of luck to the rest of the teams.
