Don't look now, but fans (and players) care about NBA basketball in November and December! The inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament wrapped up group play last week, and eight teams remain alive for a chance at eternal glory. To go down in the history books. To become the very first NBA IST champions…and win a cool $500,000 each in prize money. That could also act as a strong motivator.

When the concept of an in-season tournament was initially floated months ago, questions ranged far and wide. How will this affect the regular season? Will teams be forced to play more games in an already-packed NBA schedule? What is the incentive to win? And ultimately…why should we care?

This skepticism was anything but surprising – people often resist change in sports, especially when it involves a league with so much history. With regular season games becoming less and less meaningful, league superstars constantly load managing, and fans ultimately receiving a watered-down product, something had to be done. Change in the NBA was imminent. The fans knew it. The media knew it. It turns out Adam Silver knew it as well.

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The NBA officially announced the In-Season Tournament on July 8, 2023. All 30 teams were drawn into groups of five, key dates were announced, and the champion would be crowned following a final-four showdown in Las Vegas. The tournament announcement received plenty of backlash. Most NBA fans and media members weren't convinced this would solve any of the league's problems. While it may not be perfect to start, at least it's something. The NBA recognized they had a problem and took measures to find a solution. The cries of disgruntled fans had not fallen on entirely deaf ears.

Now, after 60 games of group play, it's safe to say that the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament has been successful on multiple levels. Group play games across ESPN and TNT averaged 1.5M viewers, up 26% vs. last season's comparable windows. The Kings and Warriors matchup on the final night of group play averaged 2M viewers – the most-watched NBA IST game to date. Based on these numbers, one thing is clear: fans are watching. Credit to Adam Silver and the league for accomplishing that, but it's not just them we have to thank.

The whole concept of an in-season tournament would never have worked if the players didn't care. If guys continued to load manage and treat the games like the regular season, fans would follow suit, and this tournament would die out before it ever got off the ground. Good news: the players care. The final night of group play featured the Celtics playing their starters big minutes in a game already out of reach. The reason? Boston had to beat Chicago by 22 or more points to advance to the knockout stage. While the game's outcome was decided early on, the Celtics' starters continued trying to score to hit that point differential. They even played hack-a-Shaq on Andre Drummond while they were up 30!

Intently watching the closing minutes of a regular season blowout may be a typical weeknight for gambling enthusiasts like myself, but the vast majority of people never thought they'd find themselves in this predicament. There were even reports of Celtics players celebrating in the locker room while watching Brooklyn beat Toronto to secure their spot in the next round.

That's what makes the IST so great – it's different. It gets people talking. The specialized courts, the new jerseys, and the point differential rules all drive engagement. Don't believe me? Open the app formerly known as Twitter on the night of tournament games. See for yourself how many people are talking about the NBA on a random Tuesday night in November. It's a refreshing change of pace from 82 regular season games that don't matter that much individually.

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While the tournament itself is here to stay, expect minor changes over the next few years. For example, this year, there was a distinct advantage for teams that played on the final night of group play. These teams knew precisely how many points they had to win or lose by to still qualify for the knockout rounds. The league will likely address this issue in next year's tournament iteration. Discussions of an automatic playoff or play-in berth for winning the IST have also been repeatedly floated, which is an intriguing wrinkle if executed correctly.

It's not perfect, but the IST is proving to be a rejuvenating change for the NBA. The reason that NCAA March Madness is so popular is the uncertainty of it all. One game, win or go home. Survive and advance. Anything can happen. Outside of Game 7s, the best-of-seven playoff series in the NBA rarely provide this level of excitement. The final eight IST teams will compete in a format just like that, and it will surely be electric.

The quarterfinals feature a mixture of the league's biggest stars, oldest franchises, and the most exciting young teams we've seen in a long time. Will one of the historic juggernauts, such as the Celtics or Lakers, come out on top, or will a young and hungry team like the Pacers or Kings get hot and find themselves in Vegas? The truth is, none of the eight remaining teams can be counted out. I don't know about you, but I've never been more excited to watch NBA basketball in December – and that's what makes the NBA In-Season Tournament a resounding success.