Knicks will have bizarre orange court for NBA in-season tournament

NBA fans won’t have a hard time knowing when they’re watching games that are part of the league’s new in-season tournament. 

The NBA unveiled the new, specially designed courts that each team will play on during in-season tournament games, which feature an image of the NBA Cup at center court with the home team’s logo superimposed on it.

The court colors change depending on each team’s primary colors and are meant to stand out so that fans know when they’re watching an in-season tournament game. 

The Knicks’ court, for instance, is orange with a blue strip down the middle.

“New York” is written out at center court in the team’s new font that they’re using on their City Connect jerseys this season. 

“We’re all trying to figure out the best ways we can elevate this from the regular season so that people understand how important this is,” Christopher Arena, the NBA’s head of on-court and brand partnerships, told the Washington Post. “It all comes together in the most powerful way in these courts. This is the first time we’ve had courts that are completely painted. There’s no wood being shown. Each court takes its inspiration from the uniforms.”

The Nets, meanwhile, have an easier-on-the-eyes gray court.

This is the first time the NBA has ever created alternate courts for all 30 of its teams, and marks the first time that the Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans and Portland Trail Blazers have ever played on an alternate court. 

The reaction to the Knicks’ design was mixed after the league revealed all 30 courts on Monday.

Several Knicks fans replied to a post by the team on X wondering how fans would be able to see the basketball since it could blend in with the court. 

ESPN had reported on Monday that the Knicks had gone back and fourth with the league over the colors.

The Knicks had asked if they would be able to use a “grey-ish shade” instead of the orange for a majority of the court, but the NBA said no. 

“The league stressed the importance of sticking with the team’s core colors,” ESPN reported. 

“To put the focus on the stage, to have something that really forces you to stop and look and focus,” Arena told the Washington Post. “We think that was the right thing to do for this tournament at this time.”

This year will be the first time the NBA holds an in-season tournament, which it is hoping will raise the level of competition in a similar way that the play-in games have done for games later in the season. 

The tournament will begin with group play and eventually dwindle down to single elimination in the quarterfinals. The semifinals and championship game will be played in Las Vegas. 

The Knicks will begin the tournament on Friday when they face the Bucks in Milwaukee. The first tournament game at Madison Square Garden will take place on Nov. 24 against the Heat.