New NBA in-season tournament brings new court, incentives for Bulls
CHICAGO (CBS) – The NBA's big idea to drum up interest in the regular season got started Friday night.
The new in-season tournament includes special courts, and maybe a little extra effort from the players. CBS 2's Jori Parys had the details.
It's in-season tournament time for the Bulls as they take on the Nets in what will be the team's first of two group-game home games sporting a new look.
"Obviously, we have the new court. It's new," said guard Zach LaVine. "I think people will be into it. I don't know if it will have the same type of effect like a playoff game will, but it should be something different, and fun, and exciting. We'll see that tonight. I know guys are going to play hard like usual, but added things to it, I think will give it a different kind of excitement."
LaVine was asked if he thinks there will be an adjustment to the new court at all.
"I don't know," he said. "We played on some courts that are predominately blue like Charlotte's has just a normal court that's like blue, and it's not hard to play on, but has Chicago had a different court as a franchise? I don't think it has. So it's gonna be really cool to go out there and see."
The court isn't the only thing that players are excited about. The team that wins the in-season tournament will receive the NBA Cup trophy with its players getting $500,000 each.
As LaVine put it, no one ever turns down money.
