Get your first look at Celtics' special in-season tournament home court
BOSTON -- Considering the NBA's new in-season tournament doesn't mean anything to anybody, it's very possible that you forgot or just flat-out did not know that Friday's game will be the Celtics' first contest in the competition.
But if you tune in or attend the game at TD Garden, you won't have any trouble remembering. The NBA has made sure of that with eye-catching courts around the league. And on Friday, fans got their first glimpse of the new look at the Garden.
The Celtics tweeted out a video that showed the construction of the court, ending with a quick couple of looks at the finished product.
It's certainly ... green. Very green. And the presence of that illustrious ... NBA Cup? That lets you know that these games just mean more.
If you need a refresher on the in-season tournament, here are the details:
--There are six groups of five teams participating in group play. Teams will play the other four teams in their group. The Celtics are grouped with the Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic, Brooklyn Nets, and Toronto Raptors. The Celtics will host the Nets on Friday night in their first tournament game.
--Eight of the NBA's 30 teams will advance to the knockout rounds, which will be single-elimination -- quarterfinals, semifinals, and the championship.
--All games count toward the regular-season standings, except for the championship, which will be played on Dec. 9. Teams that fail to make the knockout rounds will play two games against yet-to-be-determined opponents.
--Fans may not care too much about the NBA Cup, but players -- especially those who aren't exceptionally wealthy -- will have plenty to play for. Players on the winning team will receive $500,000 apiece, with the head coach also getting that cash bonus.
In terms of the courts, some are a bit more eye-catching than others. Take, for instance, Chicago's:
Boston, being a traditional market with a historic parquet floor, is at least slightly more subtle than some of the more colorful varieties around the league.
Still, the courts are different, and they will leave no doubt that these games are part of the tournament.
