{"id":113455,"date":"2021-05-03T18:45:40","date_gmt":"2021-05-03T18:45:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fin2me.com\/?p=113455"},"modified":"2021-05-03T18:45:40","modified_gmt":"2021-05-03T18:45:40","slug":"opinion-sorry-lebron-james-person-who-came-up-with-play-in-game-idea-should-get-a-raise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fin2me.com\/business\/opinion-sorry-lebron-james-person-who-came-up-with-play-in-game-idea-should-get-a-raise\/","title":{"rendered":"OPINION: Sorry LeBron James, person who came up with play-in game idea should get a raise"},"content":{"rendered":"
The NBA play-in game format is great – unless you’re trying to avoid it.<\/p>\n
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Mavs star Luka Doncic and LeBron James have complained about the play-in game mainly because they won’t want to be a part of it.<\/p>\n
James is the latest to criticize the format, saying after Sunday’s loss to the Toronto Raptors, “Whoever came up with that (expletive) needs to be fired.”<\/p>\n
James is wrong. President of league operations Byron Spruell and his basketball operations staff might get raises.<\/p>\n
The only reason James doesn’t like it now is because the Lakers are in danger of falling into the play-in game format and potentially missing the playoffs.<\/p>\n
The play-in game format has fulfilled its intended effect. More games matter, and that’s what the NBA wanted.<\/p>\n
The play-in format works like this: seeds 7-8 play each other and seeds 9-10 play each other. The winner of 7-8 gets the seventh seed and the loser of 7-8 plays the winner of 9-10. The winner of that game gets the eighth seed. The 7-8 seeds need to win just once to make the playoffs and 9-10 seeds need to win twice to make the playoffs.<\/p>\n
Sunday’s Raptors-Lakers game was a perfect example of making a late-season game meaningful. In a season with no-play-in format, the game would have had little consequences. The Lakers would be locked into a playoff spot and the Raptors would be too far out of a playoff spot.<\/p>\n