Ranking the top 25 players left in the NBA's in-season tournament - ESPN

After witnessing a handful of tiebreaker-based blowouts, some dramatic finishes and a highly controversial call in the quarterfinals, we've finally reachedthe in-season tournament's semifinal stage — the Vegas stage --where some of the league's best talent will battle for the inaugural in-season tournament crown.

We all had questions about just how much the players would care about a tournament that, on its face, has no real bearing on the rest of the season or the playoffs. But we saw the emotion from a young Pacers team — and their fans! — and their franchise player saying this is the most intense basketball he has played. We saw Austin Reaves' gamebreaking triple on Tuesday night, and the delirious Laker crowd in Los Angeles. It's clear the players are into this, and the Vegas atmosphere and NCAA tournament treatment should only heighten the excitement.

With the semifinals kicking off Thursday evening, here are the 25 best players still playing in the tournament, all battling for a tidy $500,000 check — and the first-ever NBA Cup.

2023 stats: 30.2 PPG, 10.7 RPG and 5.2 APG

How scary is this? If it looked easy for Giannis to dominate before… it's even easier now. The superstar, who turned 29 years old Wednesday, is shooting a career-best 61.1% from the floor and is being assisted on his two-point looks at the highest rate since the 2018-19 campaign. The reason is simple: Lillard, and the effort and space required to defend him, frees up better looks for the Greek Freak, something the world saw after just one preseason game together.

2023 stats: 23.0 PPG, 12.6 RBG and 3.1 APG

The only factor that's ever really determined Davis' position in player rankings is health. And much to the Lakers' delight, he's not only been