Lakers vs. Suns is probably the marquee game of the In Season Tournament quarterfinals, with both teams looking to punch their tickets to Las Vegas.

At the beginning of the season, the idea that any of that would be meaningful, from a big time game in the tourney quarterfinals, to two teams with Larry O'Brien type championship aspirations would care about advancing seemed naive. But now? It's exactly what's happening, because the level of interest and enthusiasm for this inaugural event has been higher than likely the League itself could have hoped.

Players care. Fans, especially judging by the crowds in Indiana and Sacramento on Monday, care. It's most definitely a thing, at this point.

And as Rui Hachimura said at Monday's practice, the Lakers want to win, get to Vegas and "get the whole bag." So why did so many people, even those (like your hosts) who weren't anti-tournament, but figured it would take some time before catching on, underestimate the way it has played out? Well, first we forgot how absurdly competitive these guys are. NBA players hate losing at anything, period. Second, we underestimated how much already rich guys would care about $500,000. Turns out like most normal people, they still see that as a lot of money. Third, turns out not every team needs to be wildly enthusiastic. A combination of teams playing hard anyway (these games count!) with teams who do have some extra intensity (Indiana, for example, gets a spotlight NEVER otherwise granted the Pacers, despite the team being pretty good) lifts all boats. Or most of them. And finally, you get enough media coverage telling you this stuff is a big deal, and even as it feels kinda made up (because it is), once the games are pretty good, it's like hey, why not?

The whole thing is pretty fascinating.

Also fascinating? The actual game the Lakers are playing. It's a chance to clinch the tiebreaker against Phoenix. In December! That's a nice little feather to have this early in the year. Plus, the Lakers will have their full complement of wings (and Anthony Davis) to experiment defensively against Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. Maybe we learn something from this game?

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Previewing Lakers vs. Suns.

SEGMENT 2: Why has the tournament worked better than expected? The Lakers are certainly on board.

SEGMENT 3: Would more rewards, or bigger rewards, make this whole thing even better?

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