It’s time for the Los Angeles Lakers to raise the banner.
The inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament winners will commemorate their win over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday with a ‘unique’ banner that will hang in the Crypto.com Arena rafters along with the several NBA Championships and retired jerseys.
Winners of 17 NBA titles, the Lakers will make a championship banner that will differ from its others. The banner will be an ‘add-a-year’ banner, so the team could recognize another In-Season Tournament championship should they win another in the future. The banner will also be a different shape and color than the team’s other banners, The Athletic reported.
The banner will be unveiled at the Lakers’ next home game on Dec. 18, when they host the New York Knicks.
The decision to hang the tournament banner may come as a surprise to Lakers fans, as the team doesn’t hang banners for winning divisions or conferences, unlike most NBA teams.
Los Angeles went a perfect 7-0 in the In-Season Tournament, defeating the Pacers 123-109 in the championship game held in Las Vegas. LeBron James was named the first ever MVP of the tournament, as he and his teammates earned $500,000 for their victory.
James and Anthony Davis were also named to the IST All-tournament team, alongside Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant and Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton.