41. "It's about as interesting as it usually is. Maybe even less so" In response to In response to 33
For example, the Warriors and the Grizzlies play today for who gets the eighth seed. In previously years, it's the difference between play-offs and no play-offs. This year, the Warriors win... and instead the Grizzlies get to play again. That pretty much lowers the stakes and the impact of the last game.
Then the play-in games are b.s. I'm sure ESPN is creaming themselves over Lakers/Warriors, but why should the Warriors have a shot at getting the 7th seed over a team that finished 3 games ahead of them? And if the Lakers were to lose that game, they'd have a chance to lose their play-off spot to a team that finished 4 or even 9 games worse than them.
The eight team per conference thing worked in the past, and would have turned out just fine this year too. As said above, play-in games are for the NCAA. As a make sure fewer at-large teams make the Tourney. Leave the NBA where it is.