Lakers got screwed by the play-in tournament setup

[Slax]

The purpose of the play-in is to get the best, most exciting teams into the playoffs, instead of depending on a regular season that is filled with injury luck and early season false starts. I think we can ALL agree that the Lakers have tons of talent - LeBron, AD, Russ - and deserved to make the playoffs this year. It is only fair that the best teams have the opportunity to play in the important games. Nobody wants to see the Spurs of all teams playing for an opportunity for a playoff spot while the Lakers sit at home. So the play-ins have failed to do what they were designed to do.

What was wrong with the play-in? Simple, not enough teams invited to play. We need to expand the play-in to cover more records. While 11th best record would have been enough to include the Lakers this team, I think we should expand it to 12 just to be safe.

I have spent four hours going over different possible formats, and I have settled on this as the best one:

Game A: 5th (Jazz) vs 6th (Nuggets) - winner gets 5th seed
Game B: 7th (T-Wolves) vs 8th (Clippers) - winner gets 6th seed
Game C: 9th (Pelicans) vs 10th (Spurs) - winner gets 7th seed
Game D: 11th (Lakers) vs 12th (Kings) - winner gets 8th seed

In my new improved format, the play-in tournament is only one game, providing more excitement for everyone. It also creates more incentive for teams to play hard to get the fourth best record or higher, instead of tanking to the fifth or sixth spot. And finally, you get a strong incentive to make sure you are climbing in standings from 12th best record to the 5th best record so you can compete for a higher seed. No incentives to tank except at the VERY bottom!

And best of all, we would have gotten to see an amazing Lakers-Suns matchup in the first round of these playoffs. Suns might be playing well right now, but you can never count out a team with LeBron, AD, and Russ in the playoffs! The talent is overwhelming.

What do you all think of my idea? Are there enough teams included? I was thinking maybe one more but I couldn't figure out how to make it work with an odd number of teams. Maybe someone else here can figure it out.

[Bornstellar]

You're funny

[SkyBill40]

Pfft.

If the Lakers deserved to be there, they would have won games they had no business losing in the first place. Get a grip, dude. The Lakers DO NOT, under any circumstances, deserve any kind of preferential treatment merely because they're the Lakers. Period.

Rules are the rules. Don't like it? Send a letter voicing your displeasure to the following:

National Basketball Association
Attn: Adam Silver, Commissioner
Olympic Tower 645 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10022
USA

On a separate note, your sarcasm is duly noted.

[Nate505]

The purpose of the play-in is to get the best, most exciting teams into the playoffs, instead of depending on a regular season that is filled with injury luck and early season false starts. I think we can ALL agree that the Lakers have tons of talent - LeBron, AD, Russ - and deserved to make the playoffs this year.

I mean, I didn't think we could all agree at first, but when you put ALL in CAPS, now I totally think an 11th seed should have some sort of shot at anything other than a high draft.

[TRik]

They see me trolling’

[Wolfgang630]

Adam Silver loves this

[MotownMadness]

Is that you ESPN? I watched some bad basketball from my team all year but theres no excuse for anyone looking to win especially having LeBron to not make the play in.

[binjumper]

I rather watch the Spurs than Russ building a house with all those bricks

[kenwood3333]

Rather than doing all these complicated matchups, just let the major market teams like Lakers, Clippers, Knicks and Nets get into the playoff automatically, in order to maximize viewership and revenue for the NBA. Its a for profit sports entertainment show after all.

[lambchop]

Watch on YouTube

them being bad at basketball screwed them. And LBJ knew that even if they made the play in as the 8th seed, a quick 4-0 suns sweep with multiple records being broken forever would have come.

[Slax]

Rather than doing all these complicated matchups, just let the major market teams like Lakers, Clippers, Knicks and Nets get into the playoff automatically, in order to maximize viewership and revenue for the NBA. Its a for profit sports entertainment show after all.

Hm that's a pretty good idea. Maybe we could set up a market for them to buy wins off other teams at the end of the season.

[FrobeBryant]

Although I appreciate the enthusiasm, I would rather not watch my Lakers get embarrassed yet again in a nationally televised game.

[jbk1234]

If you can't finish in the top 6 in your conference, you're not that good. If you can't finish in the top 10 in your conference, you're a bad team.

[Dick Tate]

Four hours to find a creative way to get the Lakers their 50th loss.

[DaddyCool19]

I think only the last placed teams in each conference should be eliminated. The first two teams should get

3 vs 14
4 vs 13
5 vs 12
6 vs 11
7 vs 10
8 vs 9

The first and second seed start in the second roind and every team that loses, gets a participation trophy.

[mediocrityrules]

Rather than doing all these complicated matchups, just let the major market teams like Lakers, Clippers, Knicks and Nets get into the playoff automatically, in order to maximize viewership and revenue for the NBA. Its a for profit sports entertainment show after all.

Hm that's a pretty good idea. Maybe we could set up a market for them to buy wins off other teams at the end of the season.

Now you're onto something.

Teams trying to get in a position to have the best chance at the number 1 draft pick, are going to be willing to sell 'games won' to teams that want them because they are trying to get into, or the best position in, the playoffs.

It can be a hectic 2-hour buy/sell session just like the stock exchange. It also allows the bottom teams to make a few more dollars to help compete next year against the stronger teams.

I think this idea brings ultimate parity to the league. I may have just saved the NBA

[KembaWalker]

they should just create like, a manufactured, sanitized environment, where the Lakers and LeBron have the best amenities and no bothersome crowds that can create pressure and stress on players. Give the teams a few months of extra rest before so age and injury aren't an excuse. Ban all teams from gathering except those with access to private mansion full service gyms to hold practices. Then you'd have a real, fair judge of who the best team is.

[Que Rico]

The purpose of the play-in is to get the best, most exciting teams into the playoffs, instead of depending on a regular season that is filled with injury luck and early season false starts. I think we can ALL agree that the Lakers have tons of talent - LeBron, AD, Russ - and deserved to make the playoffs this year. It is only fair that the best teams have the opportunity to play in the important games. Nobody wants to see the Spurs of all teams playing for an opportunity for a playoff spot while the Lakers sit at home. So the play-ins have failed to do what they were designed to do.

What was wrong with the play-in? Simple, not enough teams invited to play. We need to expand the play-in to cover more records. While 11th best record would have been enough to include the Lakers this team, I think we should expand it to 12 just to be safe.

I have spent four hours going over different possible formats, and I have settled on this as the best one:

Game A: 5th (Jazz) vs 6th (Nuggets) - winner gets 5th seed
Game B: 7th (T-Wolves) vs 8th (Clippers) - winner gets 6th seed
Game C: 9th (Pelicans) vs 10th (Spurs) - winner gets 7th seed
Game D: 11th (Lakers) vs 12th (Kings) - winner gets 8th seed

In my new improved format, the play-in tournament is only one game, providing more excitement for everyone. It also creates more incentive for teams to play hard to get the fourth best record or higher, instead of tanking to the fifth or sixth spot. And finally, you get a strong incentive to make sure you are climbing in standings from 12th best record to the 5th best record so you can compete for a higher seed. No incentives to tank except at the VERY bottom!

And best of all, we would have gotten to see an amazing Lakers-Suns matchup in the first round of these playoffs. Suns might be playing well right now, but you can never count out a team with LeBron, AD, and Russ in the playoffs! The talent is overwhelming.

What do you all think of my idea? Are there enough teams included? I was thinking maybe one more but I couldn't figure out how to make it work with an odd number of teams. Maybe someone else here can figure it out.

2/10

[donkeylips]

i think the NBA should save a playoff spot just for the Lakers every year.

[Frank Dux]

screw the play-in, just give the Lakers a permanent playoff berth every year