The NBA in-season tournament is reaching its tҺrilling final stages in Las Vegas, with the semifinal matchups set after wins by the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers. The East semifinal will feature the No. 2 Indiana Pacers against the No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks, while in the West, the No. 3 New Orleans Pelicans will face off against the No. 1 Los Angeles Lakers. These games will take place on Thursday, with the final scheduled for Saturday in Las Vegas.

The tournament has added excitement to the regular-season games, as the semifinals will count toward each team’s record. However, the final itself will not affect the regular-season standings. Players and coaches from the final four teams are guaranteed a payout of $100,000 each, but if they win the tournament, that amount will increase to $500,000.

In a rematch of a highly anticipated game from the group stage, the Lakers emerged victorious against the Suns in a tҺrilling contest. Despite the Suns’ valiant effort, the Lakers held on to win 106-103, with LeBron James leading the charge with 31 points, 11 assists, eight rebounds, and five steals. Kevin Durant also had an impressive performance for the Suns, contributing 31 points, seven rebounds, and four assists.

The game, however, was not without controversy. The Suns had a chance to potentially tie the game with a steаl, but the referees allowed James to call a timeout even though the ball was loose, which goes against the rules. This decision ultimately impacted the outcome of the game.

Meanwhile, the Bucks showcased their оffensive prowess against the New York Knicks, scoring a season-high 146 points in a dominant 146-122 victory. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way with 35 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds, while the team shot an impressive 23-of-38 from beyond the 3-point line. Julius Randle put up a strong figҺt for the Knicks, scoring 41 points on a perfect 9-of-9 shooting in the first half.

The Bucks’ strong shooting performance, combined with their defensive efforts in the third quarter, allowed them to pull away and secure a comfortable 24-point win. Antetokounmpo fell just short of a triple-double but made a significant impact on both ends of the court.

As the tournament heads towards its conclusion, basketball fans are eagerly anticipating the tҺrilling semifinal matchups and the highly anticipated final, where one team will emerge as the champion of the in-season tournament.