Bulls, NBA reveal alternate United Center court for in-season tournament games

Chicago Bulls

NEW YORK — The NBA’s in-season tournament will feature new court designs.

All 30 teams, when playing home games in the tournament that starts Friday and runs through Dec. 9, will have a primarily solid-color court on the floor of their arena. The courts will be fully painted, with no visible woodgrain.

The league first released the designs to ESPN, one of its broadcast partners, on Monday before releasing the list publicly. The league did not say what the cost of the project was.

The courts all largely follow the same design scheme, with the NBA Cup — the tournament’s trophy — displayed both at midcourt and in the lanes, a 16-foot-wide runway in a contrasting color down the center of the floor and team names on the baseline.

It will mark the first time that the Bulls, Boston, the Los Angeles Lakers, Portland and New Orleans play on an alternate home court, the league said.

Tinkering with court designs is not a new concept. Most notably, FIBA — the sport’s international governing body — approved glass floors for play in top competitions last year.