NBA players can’t get together right now on a real court for some playoff basketball, but they can get together virtually for an NBA 2K Tournament.
The first-ever “NBA 2K Players Tournament” tips off tonight and in the current desert of sports programming, plus the fact we’re all forced to be home, this esports event becomes must-watch NBA content. There are 16 NBA players — including Kevin Durant, Trae Young, Donovan Mitchell, Zach LaVine and Devin Booker — going head-to-head in a tournament that will stretch out for eight days. All of it will be televised on some platform.
Here are the details.
Broadcast Schedule (all times Eastern)
FIRST ROUND:
Friday, April 3 on ESPN:
• 7-7:30 p.m.: NBA 2K Players Tournament Preview Show
• 7:30-8:30 p.m. ET: Derrick Jones Jr. (16) vs. Kevin Durant (1)
On ESPN2:
• 8:30-11:30 p.m.: Other matchups
Sunday, April 5 on ESPN2:
• 12-4 p.m.: Other first-round matchups
QUARTERFINALS
Tuesday, April 7 on ESPN2:
• 7-11 p.m.
SEMIFINALS & FINALS
Saturday, April 11 on ESPN:
• Timing to be announced.
WHERE TO WATCH LIVE STREAM
•ESPN App
• NBA.com
• NBA App
• Twitter (@NBA2K, @NBA),
• Twitch (@NBA2K, @NBA),
• YouTube (@NBA2K, @NBA)
• Facebook (@NBA2K, @NBA).
Competition bracket
.@NBA2K's "Players-Only" tournament will air starting this Friday on @ESPN. Here are the brackets - who do you think is gonna take it all? pic.twitter.com/51ltOfjeqR
— Boardroom (@boardroom) March 31, 2020
Competition Format
The first two rounds are single elimination, then the semifinals and finals are a best-of-three.
Each player had to submit eight teams he can choose to play with during the tournament.
However, and this is a big part of the strategy, each player can only use each team once. Meaning players may not want to burn using the powerhouse teams — the Lakers, Bucks, etc. — in the early rounds of the tournament. If both players try to choose the same team, the away team gets the first choice.
Enjoy this everyone; it is going to be fun.