Superstitions and curses in sports can be real things. There is the NFL curse, where the Super Bowl losers usually have a bad year the following season. Or how in the World Cup the champions usually get eliminated in the next round of the next World Cup. Could there be a curse for the new NBA In-Season Tournament?
Is the NBA In-Season Tournament a Curse?
Exhibit A: The Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers were 4-0 in the East Group A division of the NBA In-Season Tournament. They then beat the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks to make it to the final; it was no easy task. The Pacers were the underdogs of the tournament. Tyrese Haliburton even made a case for the NBA MVP race and the first-ever In-Season tournament MVP. Then they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the final, 109-123. After that, things started to go downhill for the Pacers just a bit.
Currently, the Pacers have played seven games after the Finals of the NBA In-Season Tournament. In those games, they are 2-5. The young Pacer team is eighth in the Eastern Conference with a 14-13 record and is 5-5 in their last 10 games. They seemed to have lost their confidence and momentum after the tournament. Maybe this could be a curse for the losing team, but the winning team of the NBA In-Season Tournament is not fairing any better.
Exhibit B: The Los Angeles Lakers
The first-ever NBA In-Season champions, the Los Angeles Lakers, have recently put up a banner of the tournament inside their arena. The Lakers won every single game in the tournament. Pretty much all of their players were healthy and consistent. LeBron James looks like an MVP candidate and even won the In-Season Tournament MVP. However, suddenly, the Lakers look bad again. To make things worse, they have lost all of their momentum since winning the tournament. Since winning, they have played six games and are 1-5. They currently sit in ninth place in the Western Conference with a 15-14 record. They are 4-6 in their last 10 games with a four-game losing streak.
So, What Happens Next for Both Teams?
Both teams have struggled since going to the first-ever NBA In-Season Tournament Final, which could be signs of a curse. It does not help that some people believe it was rigged for the Lakers. It also does not help that the Lakers or Pacers have not impressed since the tournament, and they have a combined 3-10 record since the final. Both teams currently sit in a Play-In spot if the season ends today.
The Pacers will host the Orlando Magic today at 7:00 p.m. EST at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. They will visit the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center the day after Christmas. Meanwhile, the Lakers will visit the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center at 8:00 p.m. EST. Then, the biggest basketball rivalry happens on Christmas day, as the Lakers will host the Celtics at the Crypto.com arena.
Both teams have a tough task ahead of them. The young, inexperienced Pacers will hope to make a playoff run sooner rather than later. Meanwhile, the aging and injury-prone Lakers hope to get James his fifth ring.
