LeBron James on the play-in tournament:"Whoever came up with that needs to be fired"

[KGtabake]

Raptors broke him. Lebronto is no more.

If that what makes raptors fans feel better

Guess you didn’t catch that he was joking. Everyone got over the Lebronto thing as soon as we got Kawhi and won a ring

Nobody got over Lebronto because the Raptors didn't have to go through LeBron to win a ring.
Lebronto every time he faces the Raptors in the playoffs, is a well kept tradition.
Don't feel bad about it. He has done the same to us and to the Pacers repeatedly since 2011.
It's just that the Raptors never made it to a 7th game.

[hyper316]

I'm not a fan of 7th for play-in, should have just been for 8th place between 8-10

[BigDan245]

The same people that complain about this play-in tournament are the same people who complain the regular season is pointless.

Remember that Detroit team 2 years ago that made the playoffs with Blake being hurt? Wouldn't it have been nice to see a more competitive team take that spot? If you don't like competition, of course you'll hate this.

Just look at the games right now...They basically all have meaning. 4-12 in the east is all up for grabs. Who avoids the 7 spot? Do the Knicks falter going west? Does Boston rally? It's so interesting right now..Just think how uninteresting everything would be right now without it.

[Danny1616]

If that what makes raptors fans feel better

Guess you didn’t catch that he was joking. Everyone got over the Lebronto thing as soon as we got Kawhi and won a ring

Nobody got over Lebronto because the Raptors didn't have to go through LeBron to win a ring.
Lebronto every time he faces the Raptors in the playoffs, is a well kept tradition.
Don't feel bad about it. He has done the same to us and to the Pacers repeatedly since 2011.
It's just that the Raptors never made it to a 7th game.

It's no longer Lebronto...it's Kylefornia.

[monopoman]

I want the best team to win. I have zero interest in a team getting hot in a single game and pulling off some upset. That's awful!

I'm completely different, as I find upsets the most interesting thing in sports.

I take no joy in people getting lucky. I want to see hard work paying off.

Funny people say this when ratings buck this trend, playoff games in the NFL get far better viewership because one game sends either team home. In the best of 7 series of the NBA it seems outside of hardcore NBA fans and fans of the two teams involved most don't draw nearly the attention.

****, March Madness also probably draws more total viewers than the NBA playoffs do on average. That tournament is far more luck based because every game is win or go home.

[Cubbies2120]

I'm not a fan of 7th for play-in, should have just been for 8th place between 8-10

How would the 3 team play-in work?

IMO it should have been like last year - #8 and #9 play with #9 needing to win twice. Not sure why they're dragging #10 and #7 into it as well besides $$$

[dhsilv2]

I'm completely different, as I find upsets the most interesting thing in sports.

I take no joy in people getting lucky. I want to see hard work paying off.

Funny people say this when ratings buck this trend, playoff games in the NFL get far better viewership because one game sends either team home. In the best of 7 series of the NBA it seems outside of hardcore NBA fans and fans of the two teams involved most don't draw nearly the attention.

****, March Madness also probably draws more total viewers than the NBA playoffs do on average. That tournament is far more luck based because every game is win or go home.

I'm 100% sure the average person likes the upset stuff. They also watch reality tv. They drink makers mark and johny walker. They elect their politicians and then complain about them. In short the average person and things that get high ratings generally suck.

[Kobe187]

Lebron just needs to keep his mouth shut, he’s said so many stupid things in the span of a month.

[Schiltzenberger]

I'm a card carrying LeBron hater, but I'm 100% with him on this. The whole idea of the play-in is ridiculous, absolute garbage.

It's a cripple fight, Jimmah v Timmah..... to see which one gets knocked out a week later. It's not exciting at all, it just delays the real playoff games while rewarding mediocrity. If you can't finish in the top 8 after 70+ games then you do not deserve to be in the playoffs, even if the team in 8th has an injured player...... dumbest take I've seen so far.

If it's so brilliant, why not add all the other teams.... we could have an 11-15 play-in for a 9-12 play-in that will decide the participants of the 7-10 play-in, because it's more exciting and will stop tanking. Then we will reverse the HC advantage so they useless undeserving teams can add to the unpredictability of the competition.

The next draft lottery, a representative of each team will play rock, scissors, paper knockout tournament to decide the draft order, because it's more exciting and will stop tanking. Maybe we should bring in the speaking hat from Hogwarts, each rookie puts it on and gets told where he is playing. Next season whenever a shot is made, fireworks will explode off the top of the backboard because it's so boring without it.

[Heat3]

If he doesn't want to play in it then he should sit it out if the Lakers are in it. If playing games has become too much of a burden, then retire. No need to add the wear and tear on his body. He has enough money. Leave the game for the people that still want to compete and go on to face other challenges.

[Mike1989]

So last year when the Lakers were walking the west and the top seed, LeBron was in favour of the play in tournament. But this year with the Lakers slipping and possibly falling into the play in tournament, LeBron is now criticising the idea as the worst thing ever. Go figure, I bet if the Lakers were still one of the top seeds his opinion would be different...

End of the day I don’t mind the play in, it does create some excitement and give teams something to play for and it keeps the rest of the teams on their toes.

[Chanel Bomber]

I agree with LeBron.

The play-in tournament is a farce.

[Chanel Bomber]

The same people that complain about this play-in tournament are the same people who complain the regular season is pointless.

Remember that Detroit team 2 years ago that made the playoffs with Blake being hurt? Wouldn't it have been nice to see a more competitive team take that spot? If you don't like competition, of course you'll hate this.

Just look at the games right now...They basically all have meaning. 4-12 in the east is all up for grabs. Who avoids the 7 spot? Do the Knicks falter going west? Does Boston rally? It's so interesting right now..Just think how uninteresting everything would be right now without it.

How do you know that?

Do you keep track of every post as part of your research?

Seems like you arbitrarily made that association to conveniently strengthen your point.

I don't think the regular season is pointless, yet I consider this play-in tournament to be a joke and an insult to the teams who played 72-games to earn their playoff spot.

It's a farce and a cash grab.

[kj_]

Isn’t the point to counteract possible schedule imbalanced due to a shortened scheduled.

Winning the play in games would be “earning it”. Win and you’re in. Or win twice if you have to. Or not lose twice if that’s what your position dictates.

Seriously though. Just win and you’ve earned it. Or win enough to finish 6th.


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[eathb_au]

Without a play in, you wouldn't see Steph Curry go off as they would have sat him for the rest of the season

[Slacktard]

I'm not a fan of 7th for play-in, should have just been for 8th place between 8-10

How would the 3 team play-in work?

IMO it should have been like last year - #8 and #9 play with #9 needing to win twice. Not sure why they're dragging #10 and #7 into it as well besides $$$

but yea, #8 being the only spot is how it should be
#8 seed gets a bye, #9 plays #10. Winner plays #8. Winner gets final spot.

[lakerz12]

That was a remark specific to the situation a year ago- when the season was unexpectedly cut short.

Did you not bother to check that or do you not think that distinction matters? Because it's pretty clear it does.

This season was cut short too so...

No, this season was not "cut" short. It was planned to be shorter.

We knew from the outset it was going to be 72 games- schedules were equalized accordingly.

Last year the season was cut short with schedules of uneven difficulty.

It's different. I refuse to believe you don't know this.

It’s different. But is it different enough to go from saying it’s a good idea to saying that whoever came up with it should be fired?

The person who came up with the idea LeBron liked last year, should be fired now for that same idea?

You have to do some mental gymnastics to rationalize that one.

The circumstances of the seasons are not so different to justify that degree of a flip flop.

[Snakebites]

This season was cut short too so...

No, this season was not "cut" short. It was planned to be shorter.

We knew from the outset it was going to be 72 games- schedules were equalized accordingly.

Last year the season was cut short with schedules of uneven difficulty.

It's different. I refuse to believe you don't know this.

It’s different. But is it different enough to go from saying it’s a good idea to saying that whoever came up with it should be fired?

The person who came up with the idea LeBron liked last year, should be fired now for that same idea?

You have to do some mental gymnastics to rationalize that one.

The circumstances of the seasons are not so different to justify that degree of a flip flop.

Yeah, I think the fact that the season wasn’t properly ended last year is a critical enough difference and that it makes the situation fundamentally different. The issue there was that some teams had easier or harder remaining schedules at the point of the stoppage. Here the playing field was level to begin with, it’s just an extra step to make the playoffs.

I’m also, god help me, willing to grant that he might have actually changed his mind independent of his own situation, but that’s not necessary to my position here.

Was Lebron’s statement too extreme? Sure, but I also doubt he was being literal about the guy being fired. He said it in a moment of frustration. It happens. This isn’t worth getting so worked up here no matter what side of the issue you fall on.

[Winsome Gerbil]

Funny how this opinion pops up just as soon as its likely to affect his team, and not sooner.

[youngthegiant]

I can't believe LeBron isn't getting more heat for his other quote. He pretty much said if he isn't 100% that the Lakers have no chance of winning. That's pretty soft man.