With a handful of games to go, I have to say that the play-ins have been such a fantastic development for the competitive level in the league. I was against them originally (or at least of the view that they were just developed as a cheap and pointless ploy to try and get Zion into the bubble playoffs). Even with the non-playin teams basically set in both conferences, the battles to finish sixth or higher and avoid the playins are fantastic. The difference between finishing sixth vs. seventh. vs. eighth vs. ninth vs. tenth vs. eleventh is so substantial that no team in that range can afford to take their foot off the gas. Which is basically half the league. I'd love it if the standings stay about where they are and we get a Philly/Miami playin game on one side, and a Lakers/Warriors one on the other side.
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