Most causal fans don’t know what play in is

[Walk on Water]

They just say what are you talking about? Play in? Play out? Maybe that’s why the Mavs folded, cuz they didn’t understand where they were at and gave up.

The NBA needs to realize that most people don’t understand what a play in is. It was hard for me to understand it at first. I mean there’s no other sport where the loser plays the 2nd game of the tournament to try to win again. It’s not for the faint of heart.

Casual fans understand top 8 or top 16. Maybe if it was a 2 team wildcard game, they could get it. But most really don’t understand how it works.

[Axe]

It's also dubbed the 'losers bracket'. By any chance op, do you know which team was the very first one to lose in b2b games there? I strongly doubt you do.

[FKAri]

What's a play-off? Isn't it a play-on since you get to play on? Casual fans are very confused. And since they're confused the Mavs players are also very confused with the whole thing. Right?

[fourkicks44]

What's a play-off? Isn't it a play-on since you get to play on? Casual fans are very confused. And since they're confused the Mavs players are also very confused with the whole thing. Right?

[Full Court]

The whole play-in concept is idiotic in my opinion. Whoever came up with that idea should be fired.

I agree with Lebron on that.

[SaltyMeatballs]

The play-in is stupid and just a big cash grab. NBA should get rid of it and just go back to the traditional format

[RRR3]

The play-in is stupid and just a big cash grab. NBA should get rid of it and just go back to the traditional format

So many people think this but Silver loves forcing his horrid ideas on everyone else.

[Jasper]

most casual fans if they do not follow their 'state' team or city team , typically watch the championship series and that is all.

ISH posters are a rare breed... lol

[bison]

The west’s wild playoff seedings race is proof the play in works and is a massive success. The crybaby b1tches on this forum who whine about everything probably would have complained about the 3 pt line and 24 second shot clock back in the day too. Miserable people.

[BigShotBob]

Not mad at the play-ins at all. At the end of the day they're inconsequential in my opinion

[MrFonzworth]

Not mad at the play-ins at all. At the end of the day they're inconsequential in my opinion

This.

[Spurs m8]

I dunno....bron stans seem to know what it is...biggest casuals in the biz

[Johnny32]

ratings will suggest otherwise i'm sure. would have been better if it was lac vs lal tonight though or if gsw was in it also.

[FKAri]

The downside is that it further devalues the regular season and rewards coasting. I'd prefer if there were less teams in the playoffs but I like the idea of the mediocre teams playing each other. 1 vs 8 in a bo7 is stupid.

They're other things they could've done to tinker with it. Could've made divisions matter more. They have very little meaning in the NBA.

[Nb1]

There should be a bigger motivation getting into the playoffs and some kind of second playoff bracket for the 9-15 ranked "losers" where the one who wins this "losers playoff" has a bigger chance of getting the best draft picks or sth and where their regular season record counts/gives them some kind of advantage.

Because with all this tanking, it clearly takes away from the integrity of the game. It's ridiculous that some teams are trying to lose games/not win enough to get better picks. Specially at the end, some teams could have been in the playoffs if others didnt rest everyone or tried to lose on purpose against a direct opponent of those other teams trying to get in. It's understandable in their case in those circumstances, but they need to create a way where everyone wants to win even to get the best draft picks.