The NBA's inaugural in-season tournament is nearing its climax in Las Vegas, and the basketball world is in near-unanimous agreement that the event has been a resounding success.

Four years after the league first announced its plans to create a 30-team tournament played alongside the regular season, four teams will contest Thursday's semifinals, hoping to secure a place in Saturday's final.

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers will face off against the New Orleans Pelicans in the Western Conference semifinals, while the Milwaukee Bucks will take on the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference.

The tournament's success can be measured by a number of factors, including the surge in viewership figures and attendance numbers. The NBA says that attendances in November jumped to an average of 18,206, the highest average on record for November.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver's vision of mirroring European club football's structure has also seemingly paid off. Fans are now more engaged with the regular season thanks to the added excitement of the tournament.

Players have also embraced the tournament, with each player on the winning team receiving a $500,000 bonus. However, some players believe that the prize pool could be even bigger.

Overall, the NBA's in-season tournament has been a resounding success. It has breathed new life into the regular season and has given fans something else to look forward to.

The league is already considering extending the tournament to more teams in future years. If it continues to be this successful, it's likely that we'll see even more teams involved in the years to come.