The Play-In: Should it Be Permanent?

Fuck no. You’re either in or you’re out. It’s dumb.

 

For me I think the play-in tournament is pure bullshit. The post above says if you're in, you're in. I think both of us are change averse and we will get used to it... but I don't like it.

That being said they should definitely keep doing it. It keeps markets more engaged for longer. It keeps less teams from tanking. It just keeps competition going which makes the product better overall. Most of all is that last argument you made for doing it and that is the only thing that matters. The NBA is a business and this thing makes it more money... so they have to keep doing it. It's their fiduciary duty to the owners.

 

I like this.

 

As an NBA fan I like it much better because there is more teams with motivation. Look at the Wizards for example, they went on a crazy good run while the previous seasons they would be one more tanking team. Or the Bulls traded for Vucevic. It backfired, but they did something to win and not just try to lose more games. I don't see the downside in that.

Maybe they can impose some restrictions like 4 games back max. I check the standings and Wizards are 1 game back from 8th place. Spurs are 4 games back. I would say that should be the max. If it's only 1 team making the cut then have them play against 8th team and 7th goes to playoffs directly.

 

Isn’t the normal 82 game regular season the play in tournament?

asinine

 

Yes.

 

I have to admit less teams are resting players. On the other hand we always have a number of teams trying to get into the playoffs or fighting for position at the end of the season.
What i don't like is the extra 4 days rest teams 1-6 will get over the 7 and 8th seed. That was never the case before.

 

No. There should be no mini-playoff for a team just to be able to make the playoffs. It should remain as it was before. No team should have their playoff hopes dashed by playing well enough all year to make the playoffs just to miss them by some stupid play-in tournament.

 

I was toying with the idea of the best balance being the top-4 teams also play for seeding, but that seems like a bloodbath that no one would support. It would address your concern, though.

 

I have a great reply to this........ unfortunately you will have to DM me of you want to see it. Have bills I need to pay and don't want to lose my job. Sorry.

 

Nah dude. I don’t want any dick pics.

 

Thing is, Washington may actually get the 8th seed outright and wouldn't have needed the play-in. But I'm def for the play-in.

 

They did after all,but i believe they would have quitted mentally way earlier if the didn't have to hope for the playin. Pacers collapsed though and Hornets got many injuries so Wizards managed to get 8th.

 

Hard to believe Beal and Westbrook would've quit but we'll never know.

 

No. Made sense this year with short schedule. Normally every team in a conference has same schedule. True, Team A might play the Lakers with LeBron and Team B without but still schedules are equivalent. With short schedule not so play-in rectifies any statistical anomalies. In an 82 game season you have a pretty good idea who the top 8 teams are. Only modification I could consider is top 16 teams regardless of conference, to eliminate situation where one conference can have two losing teams in playoffs and the other have two winning teams in lottery.

 

It’s even. Every team played every team in their conference 3 times, and every team in the other conference twice. That’s actually more fair than 82 games schedule where you play some teams three times and others 4 times.

 

So they just showed the schedule on ESPN. Warriors/Lakers or Blazers and Grizzlies/Spurs will be on Wednesday. The game to decide the 8th seed will be on Friday. I guess the East games will be on Tuesday and Thursday.

 

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
I'd bet that it's here to stay.

 

THIS!!!!!

 

not only do I like the play-in concept, I really like the 72 game season and the tiebreak system. Keep both and modify the draft lottery