The NBA Play-In Tournament was introduced as a pandemic experiment. It is now a permanent fixture and the best structural change the league has made since realignment.
How it works:
- Seeds 7-10 in each conference play a mini-tournament for the final two playoff spots.
- 7 vs. 8: Winner gets 7-seed. Loser plays the winner of 9 vs. 10.
- 9 vs. 10: Loser eliminated. Winner plays loser of 7 vs. 8.
- Final game determines the 8-seed.
Why it works (Source: NBA viewership data, ESPN ratings):
- Eliminates tanking incentive for borderline teams. Before the play-in, the 10-seed had nothing to play for in March. Now they have a playoff path.
- Increases meaningful late-season games. Teams 8-12 in the standings are all jockeying for play-in position in March and April.
- Content goldmine. Play-in games generate massive ratings. They feature star players in must-win scenarios. Source: ESPN ratings show play-in games consistently outperform first-round playoff games in viewership.
- Upsets. The single-game format allows for upsets that a 7-game series would eliminate.
The criticism:
- A team that wins 48+ games could lose in the play-in and miss the playoffs. Is that fair?
- Star players in the play-in risk injury in what is essentially a prequalifier.
- LeBron James famously criticized it: "Whoever came up with that needs to be fired." Source: Post-game press conference, 2021.
My response to the criticism: If you are good enough, you will not be in the play-in. Finish top-6 and it does not apply to you. The play-in only punishes mediocrity, which is exactly what a competitive league should do.
Sources:
- NBA.com — play-in tournament format
- ESPN — viewership and ratings data
- Basketball Reference — standings and late-season records
The tanking argument alone justifies the play-in. Before it existed, 8-10 teams started actively losing in February. Now teams 9-12 are fighting for something in March. That is better basketball.