But I think I, and a lot of other people, discounted just how competitive these guys are. Sure, the money is a factor…but the fact that it’s an actual tournament with a winner making for truly competitive games in December is motivation enough for them I guess.

The added benefit, I suppose, is that it gives young teams like the Pacers the confidence of performing on a big stage. Do I think they can beat the Celtics in a series? No. But if there’s a way to kind of mirror a playoff environment, that can be huge for players mindsets.

It’s cool! I wonder if next year will feel the same, or if this is has been as much fun because it’s the first. Still - the NBA definitely has a great product and they have to be happy having Bron, KD, Giannis, Tatum, Haliburton, Zion, etc in this tournament.