"Tuned in with my hot popcorn": Magic Johnson heaps praise on Adam Silver and NBA for 'electrifying' In-Season Tournament
While the NBA In-Season Tournament seemed confusing initially, it has caught the attention of many, including NBA legend Magic Johnson. The reason behind this is due to the competitive nature of the tournament. With a cash prize and a trophy at stake, all teams were locked in and gave off NBA Playoffs matchup vibes throughout the event.
Magic Johnson shared the same sentiments on social media by describing how much fun he's had watching the NBA In-Season Tournament games so far. He appreciated how the players took the tournament seriously despite not fully grasping what was at stake initially. Because of that, he had nothing but praise for NBA Commissioner Adam Silver for coming up with an in-season tournament.
Here's what he had to say on X:
"I want to give a big shoutout to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and his staff for putting on an electrifying in-season tournament," Johnson tweeted. "You can tell the players are into the tournament because the games are exciting and engaging night after night."
Magic Johnson continued:
"I’ll be tuned in with my hot popcorn ready to watch my Lakers play the Pelicans but first, I’m going to catch Giannis, Damian Lillard and the Bucks against Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers. The way Haliburton is playing this year, he should be an All Star!"
Magic Johnson's LA Lakers are set to face the New Orleans Pelicans in the semi-finals
Following the LA Lakers' triumph over the Phoenix Suns in the NBA In-Season Tournament quarterfinals, the stage is now set for the semifinals scheduled to occur on Thursday, Dec. 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Joining the Lakers are the Indiana Pacers, New Orleans Pelicans and Milwaukee Bucks, all victors in their respective quarterfinal matchups.
The Eastern Conference semifinal pitting the Pacers against the Bucks will commence at 2:00 p.m. PT and will be broadcast on ESPN. Simultaneously, the Western Conference semifinal featuring the Lakers and Pelicans is slated to start at 6:00 p.m. PT, airing on TNT and TruTV. NBA icon Magic Johnson recently expressed interest in both matchups via social media.
LA has shown a notably different approach to tournament games, exhibiting heightened engagement compared to some of their previous regular-season performances. Nonetheless, Anthony Davis emphasized that he isn't altering his approach despite the buzz surrounding the In-Season Tournament games. The narrative of Davis facing his former team in the semi-finals with a chance to advance to the In-Season Tournament championship adds an intriguing layer.
In the event of a loss on Thursday, the Lakers will enjoy a substantial rest period before hitting the road next Tuesday to face the Dallas Mavericks.