The NBA's Race To The Finish Line Makes It Clear That The Play In Tournament Is A Smashing Success
With the NBA always looking for ways to tweak their product, oftentimes that leads to some pretty terrible ideas. You hear about some sort of in season tournament being thrown around, there are discussions about changing overtime scoring rules for real games, tweaking the challenge rules etc.
Most of the time, the general public trashes Adam Silver and the league for these ideas that seem silly and unnecessary, but every once in a while one of their ideas actually proves to be pretty awesome.
That is the case with the Play In tournament.
When it first got introduced, there was obvious pushback. In the first season with it (2020-21) we had a team that was 12 games over .500 still not guaranteed a playoff spot (Lakers won and finished 7th aat 42-30). Last year the Wolves were 10 games over .500 and it was the same thing (46-36). The concern at the time this was announced that you could still have a really good season and still not be guaranteed a playoff spot. Should a team that is 10+ games over .500 be at risk to have their season ended by a team floating around .500 or worse? It was a fair concern at the time.
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But now that we've lived through a couple of seasons with the Play In, I find it hard to argue that it hasn't been a fantastic idea. Once we get to the tournament, who doesn't love the drama? It's basically Game 7-level intensity before the playoffs even start. Outside of the Hornets, the games have been pretty entertaining. Not only that, but it's basically saved the last month plus of the regular season. Teams aren't coasting in the final months like they may have been in the past, and in that situation, we all win.
Take the current standings in both conferences for example. For the most part, we have about 9-10 games left for everyone. Thanks to the Play In idea, we're in store for one of the best finishes in recent memory
In the East, there is just a 2 game difference from the 5-7 seed. The Knicks currently lead the H2H season series with someone like MIA 2-1, but they have one more game to play on 3/29. If MIA wins that game they split, and as the division leader, MIA would jump NYK should they finish with the same record. How big was a shot like this last night from the Cavs?
Well, not only did it drop BKN into the Play In, but it also then made the MIA/BKN game on 3/25 pretty damn important. Since MIA won the H2H series, if they finish with the same record they'll jump MIA. Is anyone's head spinning yet?
Even in the back half of the Play In, nothing is settled. Everyone from 8-12 is still alive to make the dance/figure out their positioning. Personally, I think it's great for the league that a team like IND who in previous years would just shut everyone down given they're 33-40 will most likely do the opposite because they're still alive for the Play In.
As many potential storylines as there are in the East, it doesn't really compare to what's going on out West. Look at those standings! Unlike the East, we live in a world where a team that on March 22nd sits in the 4 spot is one bad week away from being in the Play In. Just 3 games separate the 4 seed from the 12th seed! In this conference, the potential Play In matchups are proof alone that this idea is a smashing success.
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You're telling me we could get Steph/Luka? Or Steph/LeBron? Or Luka/LeBron? Imagine if those games happen in the 9/10 matchup and not 7/8? You can't tell me that doesn't get your juices flowing and it's all realistic! Let's say Zion magically comes back and we get a NO/LAL 9/10 game. You're telling me that doesn't interest you given the whole AD/Pelicans saga?
For years, once we got to late March and teams had under 10 games to play, the games were basically unwatchable. Maybe there was some 8th/9th seed drama, but not really. Now? Every single night is must watch for pretty much every game on the NBA slate. These games have real implications that could end up dictating someone's playoff run. You don't think teams at the top of the West are praying the Warriors find their way into the Play In, preferably as a road team (9-29)? Then again, let's say the Warriors finish 8th, are you happy as a Nuggets fan? One of the best seasons in forever and your reward is Steph Curry in the playoffs. Good luck! Let's say they dodge that bullet, well they could also get a healthy LeBron/AD. I would imagine they are praying things to stay MIN/DAL or that GS falls no lower than 7th.
So while I tend to give Adam Silver a lot of shit for many of his terrible ideas, I have to give him credit for this one. No matter how you slice it, the Play In tournament works. It gave the end of the year some actual juice and forced teams to actually play their good players. I'm sure there will be a year where a good team ends up in 7th and gets upset by a .500 team or whatever, but oh well.
If you don't like it, win more games during the year and stay out of the Play In.