Why are the NBA courts different tonight?

Between November 12 and December 17, NBA fans will occasionally see their favorite teams play on a different court. The reason for this is the NBA Cup. Last season, the NBA Cup was still known as the In-Season Tournament—a new early-season competition to keep teams, players, and fans engaged. 

After the excitement of the NBA being back on wears off, games can start to get a little boring so far away from the playoffs. Sometimes, it might not even feel like games matter. The NBA Cup is designed to change that. It offers a cash price to all players on the winning team, a banner, glory, and a chance for young teams to experience high-pressure situations. Plus, all NBA Cup games except for the championship game count towards teams’ regular season records. 

Winning as many NBA Cup games as possible is in most teams’ interest. Last season, LeBron James used it as a chance to add to his resume and lead his team to the first NBA Cup championship. Likewise, the Indiana Pacers took the opportunity to emerge as one of the up-and-coming teams in the Eastern Conference. Several NBA Cup games are on national TV and thus offer an opportunity for small market teams to impress a national audience. 

The Magic will have a similar chance this season, even with Paolo Banchero’s injury, as their final game of the group stage against the New York Knicks will be on national TV. 

Why are teams playing on different courts for the NBA Cup? 

Since the NBA Cup is still fairly new, it can sometimes be difficult for fans to keep track of which games are Cup games and which aren’t. Between November 12 and December 3, each Tuesday and Friday will be “Cup Nights” for the group stage. 

To learn more about the group stage and the NBA Cup’s format, click here. 

Besides that, the courts are also meant to be a clear indicator of whether a game counts toward the NBA Cup or not. Each team has a unique new court design, featuring the NBA Cup and other team-specific attributes. 

Last season, the new courts received mixed reviews. While most fans approved of the general idea, they were put off by the bright colors and daring designs. The Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat, for example, played on bright red courts, and the New Orleans Pelicans’ court was purple with a bright green stripe in the middle. 

The colors on this season’s NBA Cup courts are a little more mellow, and the courts do not feature the big stripe through the middle of the court. Just take a look at the difference between the Knicks’ courts one fan pointed out: 

Just like fans are still getting used to the new format, the league is still experimenting with designs.