One of the bright spots from last year's in-season tournament was how it generated high-intensity games that fueled seasonlong rivalries. Take, for example, the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers, who face off in an NBA Cup game Friday.
Last season, the Pacers beat the Bucks in the semifinals in Las Vegas with Tyrese Haliburton mimicking a "Dame Time" celebration over Bucks guard Damian Lillard after a late 3-pointer sealed a spot in the final. Their next matchup saw the Bucks prevail in a game that included a scuffle over a game ball after Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a franchise-high 64 points.