Orlando Magic Star Paolo Banchero 'Going Hard' for In-Season Tournament
Back at the beginning of July, the NBA In-Season Tournament was introduced in an effort to make the regular season more exciting, and it seems to be working.
With how well the Orlando Magic has been playing so far this season, the team will be carrying some confidence into the In-Season Tournament. And with how many people were down on the Magic going into the season, winning this tournament could be a big deal for the team.
The Magic is set to get its first look of the tournament on Tuesday. The team seems ready to compete, and Paolo Banchero talked more about the team's mindset going into the In-Season Tournament.
Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) defends Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (22) in the team's win on Sunday
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"It has some meaning I think," Banchero said. "Shoot, $500,000 is on the line. I don't know about you, but I'm going hard... The intensity is elevated naturally just from the court [and] the uniforms. I'm sure the crowd's gonna be more a little more into it. And then for us, it being our first tournament game, you've been seen it on TV and whatnot, so you want to be a part of it."
There was some questions about whether or not teams would be really interested in the tournament, as it did not provide any playoff advantage. But so far this season, players have been invested in the In-Season Tournament, mostly because it adds more motivation to win in the regular season.
The Magic will get its first taste of NBA In-Season Tournament action on Tuesday whenever the team travels to New York to take on the Brooklyn Nets. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. from the Barclays Center.
