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NBA 2024 Play-In Tournament |OT| Win to Get In

Most Fraudulent Play in Tournament Star

  • Domantas Sabonis

    Votes: 31 16.4%

  • Jimmy Butler

    Votes: 12 6.3%

  • Joel Embiid

    Votes: 26 13.8%

  • LeBron James

    Votes: 12 6.3%

  • Stephen Curry

    Votes: 18 9.5%

  • Trae Young

    Votes: 74 39.2%

  • Zion Williamson

    Votes: 16 8.5%
  • Total voters
    189
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Smurf

Smurf

Member
Oct 25, 2017
26,762
2024-SoFi-PlayIn-Logo-White-16-9.jpg

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While the teams that finish Nos. 1-6 in the standings of each conference are guaranteed a playoff spot, the teams that finish Nos. 7-10 in the standings will enter the Play-In Tournament. These teams will battle for the seventh and eighth playoff seeds.

Here is an overview of how it works:

  • Each conference's No. 7 team in the standings will host the No. 8 team. The winners secure the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. The losers will get another chance to earn a playoff spot.
  • Each conference's No. 9 team in the standings will host the No. 10 team. The winners will advance to the final stage of the Play-In Tournament. The losers are eliminated.
  • The losers of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 matchups will host the winners of the No. 9 vs. No. 10 matchups. The winners secure the No. 8 seed in the NBA playoffs for its conference. The losing teams are eliminated.

PlayInTournamentExmplainer-1-1568x882.jpg


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WascallyWabbit

WascallyWabbit

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,606
Man after all this time and Pels still stuck in the play in
I don't think we've seen Zion in the playoffs proper yet
 
captmcblack

captmcblack

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,112
Knicks not ducking anyone, they got metal bats for whoever wants it.

I'm assuming Sixers will be 7th and Heat'll be 8th.
 
Darkwing-Buck

Darkwing-Buck

Member
Oct 25, 2017
28,576
Los Angeles, CA
LA owned OKC this year and matchup way better with them… but i'm mixed on actively tanking just to avoid the inevitable Nuggs. Probably better to just play whose in front of you instead of being scared and manipulating seedings.
 
Satori

Satori

Member
Nov 13, 2017
577
Fuck that if they really would tank to avoid the nuggets. You going to have to face them anyways if you hope to get to the finals. Leave that tanking stuff for the little bros.

I was iffy about the playin but man it's been awesome since it became a thing. I'm a huge fan of it. Can't wait to see where all the chips fall.
 
J.T

J.T

Member
Nov 22, 2017
3,262
Lakers better not fuck around, wrap up the 7th seed. Better to face Denver early and in "full" strength. Not liking the 4:30PM start though.
 
Violence Jack

Violence Jack

Drive-in Mutant
Member
Oct 25, 2017
42,259
My Nugs fucked up against the Spurs and it cost them the #1 seed. But if the Suns can take out the T-Wolves, and if the Lakers get the 8 seed, then I think we'll have an easier path towards repeating.

My eyes are on the Celtics in the East though. They look vulnerable. And the Bucks could very well get knocked out again in the first round.
 
gifyku

gifyku

Member
Aug 17, 2020
2,774
Very disappointed that the Warriors couldn't get to 8th. Atleast, they have been better away than home and so the prospect of two away games to advance is a bit of a silver lining. Messing up the James Wiseman pick set us back so many years along with the two timelines strategy. Still wild that somehow the Warriors won that 2021 title. With Jordan Poole playing a big part.
 
Emwitus

Emwitus

The Fallen
Feb 28, 2018
4,570
Sir Charles said:
Let me be the first to congratulate the Lakers on tanking the game on Tuesday to try for OKC.
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Okc is false hope. SGA can go off. but then you also have nuggets. Besides, if the lakers believe they can win Might as well face them now. You either a clown show or big leagues. and i don't wanna hear bout close games. I hope, if nuggets win, it's a clean blow out sweep so lakers can refresh. as a Lakers fan tho I really want them to win to get rid of that bad taste from our loss last year. I know Lebron will relish that.
 
jman1954goat

jman1954goat

Linked the Fire
Member
May 9, 2020
12,540
The amount of talent in the NBA is so insane right now.

It's crazy how many good teams are in the lower spots of the playoffs
 
Embiid

Embiid

Member
Feb 20, 2021
6,048
Emwitus said:
Okc is false hope. SGA can go off. but then you also have nuggets. either if the lakers believe they can win Might as well face them now. You either a clown show or big leagues. and i don't wanna hear bout close games. I hope, if nuggets win, it's a clean blow sweep so lakers can refresh.
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OKC has no answer for AD, or even Lebron. They're severely undersized. OKC not trading for Daniel Gafford is the reason they're going to get ousted these playoffs. They had the opportunity but passed. Lakers lose on Tuesday then beat OKC in a relatively stress free 6 game series. That's my prediction at least.
 
freetacos

freetacos

Member
Oct 30, 2017
13,730
Bay Area, CA
Satori said:
Fuck that if they really would tank to avoid the nuggets. You going to have to face them anyways if you hope to get to the finals. Leave that tanking stuff for the little bros.

I was iffy about the playin but man it's been awesome since it became a thing. I'm a huge fan of it. Can't wait to see where all the chips fall.
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Yeah the Lakers absolutely do not want a "win or go home" play-in game if they lose the first one. You either get the Kings who have destroyed the Lakers this year, or Steph who could get hot in any one game. They want a 7 game series, no matter the opponent. The "tanking/ducking to avoid Nuggets" will be trash media-head talking points and nothing else
 
Embiid

Embiid

Member
Feb 20, 2021
6,048
freetacos said:
Yeah the Lakers absolutely do not want a "win or go home" play-in game if they lose the first one. You either get the Kings who have destroyed the Lakers this year, or Steph who could get hot in any one game. They want a 7 game series, no matter the opponent. The "tanking/ducking to avoid Nuggets" will be trash media-head talking points and nothing else
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It would be a home game for LA tho so they'll have the refs/Silver. Honestly I genuinely think it's the best strategy for them. Obviously you can't sit your guys on Tuesday, you have to play, but a loss could be a blessing in disguise. The second game, a do or die game, would be at home and there's no way the league lets them lose that no matter who they're playing, SAC or GS. And then after that you get a gift with a series vs OKC.

Again, I know it's a stupid thing to even suggest but it's imo the best path for them.
 
freetacos

freetacos

Member
Oct 30, 2017
13,730
Bay Area, CA
Embiid said:
It would be a home game for LA tho so they'll have the refs/Silver. Honestly I genuinely think it's the best strategy for them. Obviously you can't sit your guys on Tuesday, you have to play, but a loss could be a blessing in disguise. The second game, a do or die game, would be at home and there's no way the league lets them lose that no matter who they're playing, SAC or GS. And then after that you get a gift with a series vs OKC.

Again, I know it's a stupid thing to even suggest but it's imo the best path for them.
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Oh that's definitely the best path matchup-wise if it happens organically, for sure. But I don't think there will be any type of "ducking" (obviously the Lakers are mid enough to drop the game on Tues without any tanking necessary). If you had a magic 8 ball and guaranteed the Lakers would win the second play-in game, I'm sure they'd prefer that path
 
Embiid

Embiid

Member
Feb 20, 2021
6,048
freetacos said:
Oh that's definitely the best path matchup-wise if it happens organically, for sure. But I don't think there will be any type of "ducking" (obviously the Lakers are mid enough to drop the game on Tues without any tanking necessary). If you had a magic 8 ball and guaranteed the Lakers would win the second play-in game, I'm sure they'd prefer that path
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I wouldn't call them mid anymore. They're 23-10 since February 1st, one of the best records in the league. Same deal with the Warriors run since around then. Problem is the west is so dominant that even a great .696 winning % for almost half the season is still not enough to compensate for playing .500 ball in the first half, which is a wild stat. .696 is a 57 win pace, same as the #1 seed Thunder winning %.
 
Serene

Serene

Community Resettler
Member
Oct 25, 2017
52,594
freetacos said:
Oh that's definitely the best path matchup-wise if it happens organically, for sure. But I don't think there will be any type of "ducking" (obviously the Lakers are mid enough to drop the game on Tues without any tanking necessary). If you had a magic 8 ball and guaranteed the Lakers would win the second play-in game, I'm sure they'd prefer that path
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as a pels fan I'm at the point where I have 0% belief we can win on tuesday unless the lakers are throwing. lol

they've just had the pels number all year, like the pels have with the kings
 
Embiid

Embiid

Member
Feb 20, 2021
6,048
Serene said:

View: https://x.com/hmfaigen/status/1779677817325912066

lol
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This is amazing. I'm stunned someone actually put out a real article on this.

So if a championship is the only thing that matters, the Lakers' decision entering their Tuesday NBA Play-In matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans is simple: They should throw the game.

Yes, really.

Rest their stars, make up (or rest some real) injuries, or even channel their inner Cavaliers and play a four-big tanking lineup. It doesn't matter how they do it, they just need to in order to avoid the Denver Nuggets.
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😂
I figured these takes would be relegated to Internet forum/reddit shitposts like mine, but it's a real article. He's 100% right btw.
 
OP
OP
Smurf

Smurf

Member
Oct 25, 2017
26,762
If it's chip or bust for the Lakers, they're gonna have to beat Denver at some point, so tanking the play in game makes no sense unless you're praying for a Jokic injury.
 
Embiid

Embiid

Member
Feb 20, 2021
6,048
Smurf said:
If it's chip or bust for the Lakers, they're gonna have to beat Denver at some point, so tanking the play in game makes no sense unless you're praying for a Jokic injury.
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Avoiding Denver in the first round gives them an extra shot of losing to the Wolves or Suns or whoever, or some fluke Jamal Murray injury. Delaying the matchup to a later round and hoping one of those scenarios goes down would be the best strategy in terms of championship or bust odds for the Lakers, just playing by the numbers.
 
OP
OP
Smurf

Smurf

Member
Oct 25, 2017
26,762
time to start the debate


View: https://twitter.com/bronmuse/status/1779634945448988856?s=46


Embiid said:
Avoiding Denver in the first round gives them an extra shot of losing to the Wolves or Suns or whoever, or some fluke Jamal Murray injury. Delaying the matchup to a later round and hoping one of those scenarios goes down would be the best strategy in terms of championship or bust odds for the Lakers, just playing by the numbers.
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Lets be real, if you're afraid of Denver enough to tank a play in game, you don't think the Wolves/Suns/Whoever are beating them. If anything the injury history is on the Nuggets side, if anything delaying the matchup would be better for them, not the Lakers.
 
GamePnoy74

GamePnoy74

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,565
LAL tanking Tuesday to aim for OKC means they still have to play GSW (1-3 this season) or SAC (0-4 this season) for the 8th spot.

No path is an easy start for them.
 
Embiid

Embiid

Member
Feb 20, 2021
6,048
Smurf said:
Let's be real, if you're afraid of Denver enough to tank a play in game, you don't think the Wolves/Suns/Whoever are beating them. If anything the injury history is on the Nuggets side, if anything delaying the matchup would be better for them, not the Lakers.
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Denver split the series with the Wolves 2-2 and went 2-1 vs the Suns, both wins were tight including one in OT. The playoffs are a different animal but there's a chance, it's not a lock at all Denver would win those matchups.

However, Denver's beaten the Lakers 8 straight times… read that again, 0-8 their last 8 games versus the Nuggets. Doing what the Cavs did today on Tuesday would give them the best odds.
 
overcast

overcast

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,509
Hate to say it, but I would much rather get the Warriors/Lakers make it than the Pels/Kings. Pelicans have a dangerous team when Brandon Ingram plays, but I gotta see Old Bron in the playoffs.
 
Darkwing-Buck

Darkwing-Buck

Member
Oct 25, 2017
28,576
Los Angeles, CA
The only time I think a team tanked for a better matchup with nominal success was the Clippers in 2021. On one hand they made the WCF and avoided a first round Lakers team (LOL) but on the other hand they still got easily bounced with Kawhi bowing out after the first series so it was kinda all for naught cause of injuries.

That was the only time I actually saw a manipulation of the brackets before.
 
YoungDetective

YoungDetective

Member
Nov 25, 2018
766
Throwing games for better seeding is some real loser mentality. Lakers can either beat the Nuggets or they aren't good enough for a championship. Losing in the 1st or losing in the WCF is still losing. This isn't a team that celebrates round 1 and 2 victories...
 
NinjaScooter

NinjaScooter

Member
Oct 25, 2017
54,687
YoungDetective said:
Throwing games for better seeding is some real loser mentality. Lakers can either beat the Nuggets or they aren't good enough for a championship. Losing in the 1st or losing in the WCF is still losing. This isn't a team that celebrates round 1 and 2 victories...
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There's also a big difference between tanking games during the regular season once you've secured a playoff spot and are angling for seeding/matchups, and intentionally losing a game that would clinch a playoff spot to put yourself in a do or die single game elimination situation. It's completely stupid.
 
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