Getty Image / Harry How
The NBA Cup is back for a second year, and the midseason tournament is expected to be a big hit again this year. Getting some meaningful NBA games well before the start of the playoffs is a good change of pace from mindless regular season games of the past.
Part of the NBA Cup is each team designing a custom court to be used on its home floor for use in NBA Cup Games. The designs can be great, or not so great, and the Sixers’ all-blue design is being hammered during their first NBA Cup game on Tuesday.
The NBA Cup splits the league into six groups of five, with a round-robin format within each group. The top eight teams (six group winners, two at-large berths) make it to the knockout round which culminates in semifinals and finals in Las Vegas. Cash prizes are awarded to the winning player. In the inaugural tournament last season, the Los Angeles Lakers won it the inaugural NBA Cup.
This year’s cup opened up Tuesday night, and The Sixers played the rival Knicks in a marquee game on TNT. Philadelphia entered at 2-7, and needs to start playing well.
Not only did they lose, but they unveiled this hideous court. Take a look.
NBA Cup court #Sixers pic.twitter.com/wSKeosohwF
— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) November 12, 2024
With all due respect to Ashton Jeanty and Boise State and their fantastic season, the all-blue playing surface is a terrible looking. It’s jarring, loud, and unsightly. Fans on Twitter were breaking out the memes for the court to show their disapproval.
Wow, the #NBACup courts look great! https://t.co/RDRaxFAb8s pic.twitter.com/0qJs0uI6v2
— Jeff D. Lowe (@JeffDLowe) November 13, 2024
Sixers court pic.twitter.com/JrDhrUEaFt
— Zach Harper (@talkhoops) November 13, 2024
tuned in to the Knicks x Sixers and THE COURT pic.twitter.com/1hV90ojRIm
— demonio celestial™ (@UnoCincoUno) November 13, 2024
The court is almost as bad as the Sixers are playing. They lost 111-99, and are now 2-8.