NBA Reveals 2026-27 In-Season Tournament Groups and College Venue for Final
The NBA unveiled the group stage draw for its 2026-27 in-season tournament, set to start in about six months. A key highlight for Israeli fans is the matchup between Portland Trail Blazers, featuring Israeli player Deni Avdija, and the San Antonio Spurs led by Victor Wembanyama, recreating their recent playoff encounter.
The Western Conference groups are divided into three pools: Group A includes Denver, Houston, Phoenix, Dallas, and Utah; Group B features Oklahoma City, Minnesota, Clippers, New Orleans, and Memphis; Group C consists of San Antonio, the Lakers, Portland, Golden State, and Sacramento. The Eastern Conference groups are: Group A with Detroit, Toronto, Orlando, Milwaukee, and Brooklyn; Group B with New York, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Miami, and Indiana; and Group C with Boston, Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, and Washington.
Assuming Emmanuel Sharpe remains with Sacramento, he will face Avdija and the Trail Blazers among others. Brooklyn, coached by Ben Sharaf and Danny Wolf, will compete against Toronto and Kawhi Leonard. This marks the tournament's fourth season, with previous champions including the Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, and New York Knicks.
The NBA also announced that the tournament final will be held at the historic college venue, Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indiana, home to Butler University, on December 11-12. This is a change from previous years when the final four took place in Las Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena, which has double the seating capacity of Hinkle Fieldhouse (18,000 vs. 9,100).
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