Lakers win inaugural NBA in-season tournament, drawing surprising reaction from basketball world

Aside from blinding courts and the belief that fans didn't follow the tourney until it reached the semifinals, it looks like a massive success for the NBA. 

First, they needed the players to buy in, and it seems that the $500K prize for each player and bragging rights did the trick. For some, the final games and the championship had a playoff-like feel to them.

Things couldn't have worked out better for the NBA, with the championship decided between the upstart Pacers and Tyrese Haliburton and LeBron James and the Lakers. 

James received MVP honors, averaging 26.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 7.6 assists and a 56.8 field-goal percentage for the tournament. However, while he had a standout night in the title game, finishing with 24 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and two steals, center Anthony Davis pulled the weight. 

Davis was dominant, especially down the stretch, recording a game-high 41 points on 16-of-24 shooting while adding 20 rebounds, five assists and four blocks. 

Meanwhile, on the other side, Haliburton led the way with 20 points and 11 assists. Entering play Saturday, Haliburton averaged 26.9 points, 12.1 assists and 2.2 turnovers over the previous 18 games. Per OptaStats, he's the first player since Magic Johnson in 1986-87 to post such a streak. 

The NBA's ultimate goal was to make games during the middle of the long season mean something. After the first rendition of the tournament, they've seemingly accomplished that feat. 

There will likely be changes to how it's structured and maybe the time frame in which it's played, but it's clear after Saturday it's here to stay.