There is significance whenever the Phoenix Suns face the Los Angeles Lakers, but when you add on Phoenix’s 0-2 record in the matchup this season and that it is the headlining fixture of the NBA In-Season Tournament quarterfinals, we’ve got quite the regular season basketball game on our hands.
All of that for Tuesday’s contest should bring some extra intensity.
To start with the tournament itself, if you’re understandably skeptical on what that provides, this is when the money at stake really gets magnified. We’ve already seen group play prove to a certain extent how much the competitive nature of these guys heightens these games and that should only increase now that a single-elimination bracket exists with added incentives beyond that.
Quarterfinalist players and head coaches locked up $50,000 each, with assistant coaches also receiving a chunk of a prize pool as well. Advance to the semifinals and that bumps to $100,000, putting $50,000 on the line in these games. Finalists get $200,000, meaning it’s $100K up for grabs in the semis, and the $500,000 awarded to those members who win it all equates to a $300,000 difference to fight for in the title game.
That is life-changing money for guys like Udoka Azubuike and Saben Lee, who are on two-way contracts that are salaried for under $600,000. It’s a sizable amount of dough for the nine other Suns making $2-3 million this year, and as for the top earners, it still matters to them.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton told The Associated Press “I’m sure the richest guy in the world would be happy to get $500,000″ and New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson pointed out this is the type of money he could give to his family.
As for the game itself, Phoenix will be relishing the chance to get one back on the Lakers that earned the right for this showdown to be in L.A. after winning Group A over the Suns. One guy in particular should the most, and that goes for Devin Booker on practically any night, but he missed both losses versus the squad he always gets up for.
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