LY: LEBRON JAMES NOT A FAN OF NBA’S PLAY-IN FORMAT
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 20: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers warms up prior to a game against the Atlanta Hawks at Staples Center on March 20, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
By: Allan Ly
RP Show Intern
Los Angeles Lakers superstar Lebron James is not a fan of the NBA’s new March Madness-style Play In tournament. He shared his thoughts on Twitter this week saying: “Whoever came up with this s–t, needs to be fired.”
The NBA Play In tournament will change how the NBA playoffs are run this year. The teams which finish 7-10 in their conferences will play for the 7th and 8th seed.
Considering the Lakers have not yet clinched a playoff spot, this is an entirely different scenario from last season when they captured first in the NBA West on the way to their 17th league title.
I honestly believe this is better for sports because this will encourage more competition and fewer teams – like the Oklahoma City Thunder – to tank for lottery picks.
Finally, the phrase of Sam Hinkie, who was the former NBA General Manager of the 76ers, “trust the process,” can go away as teams do not have to be in the lottery basement for star players.
The Play In Tournament has the potential to be like the NCAA tournament and create Cinderella teams.
The 2020-2021 NCAA tournament, as reported by Bleacher Report Kerry Miller for the first time in history, had the most double-seeded teams win this year’s tournament.
This new NBA idea makes me wish that the Play In Tournament was here earlier instead of now.
As a fan of the Toronto Raptors growing up, it was frustrating when they would miss the playoffs.
Unfortunately, the 2009-2010 Toronto Raptors did not make the playoffs that year as they finished 9th.
Chris Bosh is a former Toronto Raptor and, like usual, was having a great season where he was averaging 22 points per game and grabbing 11 rebounds.
The Play-In Tournaments can capitalize on a player’s prime instead of wasting them.
Last year Bradley Beal would love this kind of format as his Washington Wizard finished ninth in the East, and he was putting up monster numbers of 31 points per game.
Literally, the poor guy tried his hardest to get the Wizards to the playoffs, as from February 23, 2020, and the 24th, he dropped 50 points back to back in losing efforts.
Fringe playoff teams can keep their stars if they have this kind of chance instead of trading them on the trade deadline.
Compare this to other sports like European soccer and how teams have a stranglehold on their leagues.
For example, PSG plays in Ligue one and from 2012- 2020, they won their league a total of seven out of eight times.
That is the same for a team like Bayern Munich, who won in their league Bundesliga eight times in a row and are looking for nine this season.
Considering that there are new kings in Italian soccer after nine seasons in Serie A, Juventus is not the champs as Inter Milan finally won.
The dominance of this kind of magnitude from those teams is impressive; however, this alienates the fans and makes it unwatchable.
The NBA Play In Tournament will be played on May 18-21.
(Follow Allan Ly on Twitter at @AllanTheIntern)
