AP Convey/Jeff Chiu
The NBA’s play-in event would maybe well have its detractors, nonetheless Golden Sigh Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is no longer amongst them.
“I love it,” he acknowledged, per 95.7 The Sport. “The final month’s been infinitely more enthralling for NBA fans. Or no longer it’s critical… If you end seventh and likewise you lose two straight, then you doubtless weren’t apt enough to advance in the playoffs anyway. That is apt the truth.”
Steve Kerr’s comments stand in stark contrast to those of LeBron James.
“Whoever got right here up with that s–t needs to be fired,” he told journalists following the Lakers’ loss to the Toronto Raptors on Could maybe well 2. Even supposing even that contradicted what James acknowledged before the 2020 playoffs when he advocated for teams fighting for the final playoff spots to amass part in a play-in event.
James wasn’t one of the best critic, as Dallas Mavericks governor Model Cuban got right here out against the premise when speaking to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon:
“I ranking why the NBA is doing it. But if we will be inventive thanks to COVID, we ought to tranquil lunge straight up 1-20 and let the underside 4 play in. This is the year in particular to achieve it for the reason that 10 video games lower [from the normal 82-game schedule] have been in conference.
“The worst fragment of this methodology is that it doubles the stress of the compressed schedule. Reasonably than taking part in for a playoff put of living and having the skill to relaxation avid gamers as the standings develop into clearer, teams want to methodology every sport as a playoff sport to either ranking into or dwell in the prime six for the reason that consequences, as Luka acknowledged, are broad. So avid gamers are taking part in additional video games and more minutes in fewer days.”
This year’s play-in event will feature the Nos. 7-10 seeds in every conference.
The No. 7 seed will play the No. 8 seed in a one-sport matchup, and the victor will elevate the No. 7 put of living in the archaic eight-team bracket. The loser will play the loser of the perfect-sport matchup between the Nos. 9 and 10 seeds. Whichever team then wins that sport would maybe well perchance be the No. 8 seed.
That Kerr and James appear to disagree is important because their teams would maybe well play every varied in the No. 7 vs. No. 8 sport in the Western Conference.
James’ Los Angeles Lakers are currently in the No. 7 put of living, while the Warriors are a half-sport earlier than the Memphis Grizzlies for the No. 8 seed.
