Wiz of Awes
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Wizards tip off the In-Season Tournament vs. the struggling Miami Heat

ByCem Yolbulan|
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 07: Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat handles the ball against Kyle Kuzma #33 of the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on February 07, 2022 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 07: Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat handles the ball against Kyle Kuzma #33 of the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on February 07, 2022 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)

The NBA is trying different things to create hype and intrigue around the 82-game regular season. The newest change they implemented this season is the In-Season Tournament, and it kicks off today with seven games, including the Washington Wizards versus the Miami Heat at 8 pm EST.

The tournament will consist of two stages: group play and the knockout rounds. 30 teams have been randomly separated into 6 groups of 5 teams. Each team will play the other four teams in their group. The winner of each group plus one wildcard team will qualify for the quarterfinals.

In the group stage, the Washington Wizards will compete in East Group B with the Charlotte Hornets, the New York Knicks, the Miami Heat, and the Milwaukee Bucks.

Although it’s unlikely for the Washington Wizards to win the group, it will be an excellent opportunity for the young Wizards to showcase their talents against high-level competition. They need the boost to get their season back on track.

For a team like the Wizards, the In-Season Tournament should be one of the primary goals of the season. A young, rebuilding team like Washington is unlikely to reach the playoffs, so this provides a chance to play meaningful games early in the season and take home a trophy; the new NBA Cup.

Plus, there is a monetary incentive:

Players on a team that loses in the quarterfinals win $50,000
Players on a team that loses in the semifinals win $100,000
Players on a team that loses in the championship win $200,000
Players on a team that wins the championship win $500,000

For a team that has plenty of players on rookie-scale contracts like the Wizards, these incentives are not bad. They could provide the extra motivation to find that competitive spirit.

The Wizards couldn’t be facing the Miami Heat at a better time. Miami is 1-4 for the season, and their stars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo have been in and out of the lineup. Butler is still day-to-day for tonight’s matchup but considering he played the last game against the Brooklyn Nets, he is likely to play. Still, they have not found the right rotation and team chemistry that proved to be key in their Finals run last season.

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