A question about the draft and the play-in games

Nate the Great · Post #1 » by **Nate the Great** » Fri Jan 8, 2021 6:59 pm

This season has a different playoff structure, as teams with the seventh-best and eighth-best records in each conference will play one game; the winner becomes the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. The teams with the ninth- and tenth-best records will play a game, with the winner playing the loser of the “seven-eight” game for the right to become the No. 8 seed in the playoffs.

Question, does anyone know how this affects the lottery? If the team with the ninth- or tenth-best record becomes the eight seed, is that team still a lottery team? It’s unlikely to matter as that team would then play the top seeded team, but I find it interesting to think that there’s a one-in-a-billion chance that a team could win it all and then get the first pick in the draft.

Has this been explained, or does the NBA just think it’s unlikely to be an issue?

Post #2 » by **Marcus** » Sun Jan 10, 2021 10:38 pm

Damn good question. I might have to do some research into it. I'd assume that the record would remain paramount and hold more weight than the play in aspect but I can see why it wouldn't.

azwfan · Post #3 » by **azwfan** » Mon Jan 11, 2021 12:15 am

Just my interpretation...

Play-in games are not postseason games.
Teams that don't make the postseason are in the lottery.
So therefore a 9 or 10 seed that makes the playoffs will not be in the lottery.

Post #4 » by **Marcus** » Mon Jan 11, 2021 2:31 am

azwfan wrote:Just my interpretation...

Play-in games are not postseason games.
Teams that don't make the postseason are in the lottery.
So therefore a 9 or 10 seed that makes the playoffs will not be in the lottery.

That's what I figured as well. And to be honest I like the idea of the play in having no affect on the lottery. Small of a chance as it may be I'm intrigued by a concept that a team on the brink can win a play in and with some lucky rolls land a top 5 shortly afterwards.

Post #5 » by **VCfor3** » Tue Jan 12, 2021 2:05 am

Marcus wrote:
azwfan wrote:Just my interpretation...

Play-in games are not postseason games.
Teams that don't make the postseason are in the lottery.
So therefore a 9 or 10 seed that makes the playoffs will not be in the lottery.

That's what I figured as well. And to be honest I like the idea of the play in having no affect on the lottery. Small of a chance as it may be I'm intrigued by a concept that a team on the brink can win a play in and with some lucky rolls land a top 5 shortly afterwards.

Yeah I assume the rules will be similar to the POR-MEM play in. All non-playoff teams after the play-in are in the lottery, and all lottery teams have their position determined by pre-play-in rankings/record.