The NBA decided to change its playoff format last year due to the COVID-19 shortened season, establishing a play-in tournament that could allow a 9th or even 10th seed to make the playoffs.
While that could bring a lot of excitement to the table if we were talking about multiple teams above .500 trying to make the playoffs, that also leaves the door wide-open for underperforming teams to reach the postseason after winning just a couple of games.
That’s why Dallas Mavericks superstar isn’t exactly fond of this idea, and openly criticized him during a zoom media session:
“I don’t understand the idea of a play-in. You play 72 games to get into the playoffs, then maybe you lose two in a row and you’re out of the playoffs. So I don’t see the point of that,” Doncic said, according to ESPN’s Tim McMahon.
"I don't understand the play-in. You play 72 games to get in the playoffs, then maybe you lose two in a row and you're out of the playoffs. I don't see the point of that."
Luka Doncic on the NBA's current playoff format. #MFFL pic.twitter.com/SNkm7aeGDy
— FanDuel Sports Network Southwest (@FanDuelSN_SW) April 13, 2021
Doncic added that the Mavericks will try to control their destiny by clinching the sixth spot in the Western Conference, thus avoiding that undesirable play-in scenario:
“We’re just trying to get to the sixth spot. I think that’s our goal right now. Maybe even [higher] than the sixth spot,” Doncic concluded.
Right now, the Mavericks hold a 29-24 record and have the 7th-best record in the West, trailing the Portland Trail Blazers by a couple of games. Should the season end today, they’d have to beat the Memphis Grizzlies to secure the 7th seed and a playoff spot.
But if they lose, they’d have to meet vs. the winner of the play-in between the 9th and 10th teams in the West (currently the San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors, respectively) to try and clinch that final postseason ticket.
