NBA 2k League: The Ticket Preview

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 04: A general view of the NBA 2K League Draft at Madison Square Garden on April 4, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

The NBA 2k League’s 21 teams will begin the 2019 season’s final in-season tournament begins on Thursday, June 13 in Orlando, Fla. The prize the teams are seeking is 1/3 of the Banner Chain trophy, $180,000 and a guaranteed spot in the playoffs.

The Bracket and Schedule

The single elimination tournament will begin with five play-in contests involving the bottom 10 seeds in the regular-season standings. The winners of these games will face the tournament’s top five seeds in ascending, re-seeded order (the top seed will play the lowest remaining seed, the second seed will play the second-lowest remaining seed, etc.) in the tournament’s quarterfinals. All times listed are Eastern and all games can be streamed live for free on the NBA 2k League Twitch and YouTube channels.

21 Pistons GT at 12 T-Wolves Gaming, 4 p.m.
20 Lakers Gaming at 13 Raptors Uprising GT, 5 p.m.
19 Heat Check Gaming at 14 Bucks Gaming, 6 p.m.
18 Knicks Gaming at 15 Jazz Gaming, 7 p.m.
17 Hawks Talon GC at 16 Pacers Gaming, 8 p.m.

Thursday night’s contests will conclude with two first-round games with the winners progressing to the quarterfinals.

10 Wizards District Gaming at 7 Cavs Legion GC
9 Grizz Gaming at 8 Magic Gaming

Favorites to Win the Tournament

Standings are no predictor of tournament success in the NBA 2k League, as evidenced by previous results. The ability to win three or four consecutive games comes down to communication, execution, scouting of the opponents and sometimes the luck of the draw in the bracket.

Blazer5 Gaming – It’s hard to argue that the team which has rattled off 10 consecutive regular-season wins is anything but one of the strongest contenders to claim the franchise’s second tournament title. B5 won “The Turn” in the first season, though it has struggled in tournament games since, going 1-2. A win in this year’s “The Ticket” would not only cement their position in the playoffs but further make them a favorite to win the league championship as well.

Mavs Gaming – See above with some slight alterations. Mavs Gaming rattled off 10 straight wins to begin the season, setting a league record. Tournament success has also eluded this team. The talent on this roster is experienced and proficient, with players like point guard Dimez and center PeteBeBallin. If the guaranteed playoff spot isn’t enough incentive to improve their tournament fate, then perhaps splitting $180,000 will be.

Warriors Gaming Squad – If defense wins championships, mark this team down as the favorite. Warriors Gaming Squad leads the league in scoring defense and turned that into tournament success in this year’s The Turn tournament. If they can get another run of performances from The Turn MVP Type in The Ticket, another part of The Banner Chain trophy will become property of Warriors Gaming Squad.

76ers GC – In the category of teams who excel in tournaments, 76ers GC has to be at the top. Winners of The Tipoff tournament and runners-up in The Turn this year already, this team simply becomes a different animal in tournament play. They come in hot to boot, having won their last three regular season games and scoring 95 points their last time out. If they can keep up that momentum, they can bring home another tournament pot as well as guarantee themselves a playoff spot.

Celtics Crossover Gaming – Another team which has struggled during this regular season but has a proven track record of tournament success, Celtics Crossover Gaming is another squad that can’t be overlooked. Desperation may be a great motivator for this team, as without winning this tournament, their prospects of qualifying for the playoffs with their regular-season record are daunting. If point guard oFAB is his usual self, Celtics Crossover Gaming has a great chance to win.