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NBA play in games are a waste of time. Back in my day the top eight seeds (best eight records) in each NBA conference made the post season. The top seed would play the eight seed. The second seed would play the 7th seed. And so on. Very easy. Very simple.
Now we have stupidity. The seventh and eighth seeds play each other in a one game "series" for the right to be the seventh seed. The eighth seed drops to play another game against the one game winner of the ninth vs tenth seed. The loser of the nine vs ten is eliminated. The loser of the seventh vs eighth seed plays the winner of the ninth vs tenth seed. The winner of that game is the official eighth seed and will take on the top seed when the "real" playoffs begin.
NBA PLAY IN GAMES ARE STUPID
Did you follow all of that? Stupid right? NBA play in games are manufactured nonsense. Did you know the play in games are not considered regular season or playoff games? Their stats don't count. They are ghost games. Jimmy Butler's 38 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists in the Warriors win over the Grizzlies don't count. Butler, no matter what team he plays for, shows up in the playoffs. His nickname is Playoff Jimmy. What do we call him for his previous performance? Play in Jimmy? It doesn't have the same ring to it.
As a rule I don't like play in games. Either you make the playoffs or you don't. Nobody thinks the tenth seed Miami Heat are winning the championship. Don't waste our time. That goes for the NCAA Tournament as well. I refuse to watch the play in games and I wait for the field of 64 to take the court when the real tournament begins. I will do the same thing for the NBA playoffs, which start for real on Saturday.
For more NBA talk and analysis tune in each weekday to Craig Shemon and Company on ESPN Southwest Florida from 2-6pm.
