2024 NBA Season and Playoffs

[celticsclay]

Well so far the IST seems like....a great idea? It's made people care about random Tuesday night games in late November.

Yeah, the tension tonight really justified the thing for me honestly.  I still hate the courts but if these guys are taking this seriously - and tonight demonstrated that they are - then I'm in.

If you guys are actually excited about it I am happy for you. I honestly have just felt like a gimmick has been jammed down my throat the last few weeks and it hasn’t made me
Care anymore. Like it is kind of cool if the end of bench guys on the Celtics get 500k or whatever but they should really add something tangible to make this matter like winner of it all gets the thirty first pick In the draft.

[blink]

Kings with big comeback and down GS!!!!
love to see DG upset. 

LIGHT the BEAM! haha

[celticsclay]

For what it is worth players/coaches were uncomfortable with the point differential part of this, Donovan was upset we fouled Drummond. https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/39003182/integrity-questioned-season-tourney-point-differential-tiebreaker

[BitterJim]

For what it is worth players/coaches were uncomfortable with the point differential part of this, Donovan was upset we fouled Drummond. https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/39003182/integrity-questioned-season-tourney-point-differential-tiebreaker

I know that the point differential made some of the games more interesting down the stretch and kept players/fans engaged, but I really wish they had found another way of doing the tie breakers. It makes sense in soccer where the scores/margins of victory are lower, but not here

[Neurotic Guy]

For what it is worth players/coaches were uncomfortable with the point differential part of this, Donovan was upset we fouled Drummond. https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/39003182/integrity-questioned-season-tourney-point-differential-tiebreaker

I hated the hack Drummond strategy. Humiliating. I was rooting for him to hit the FTs. To win a game is one thing, but to  achieve a point differential for a meaningless tournament - I don’t like it at all.  NBA providing incentive to run up a score is not a good thing imo.
OTOH, if Celtics learned something about playing hard till a game is truly out of reach, maybe it had some value. But the Drummond business was unnecessary and I’m glad Donovan said something directly to Joe. 

[Kernewek]

On the other hand, basketball players spend every possession trying to score points, and the presence of the tournament shouldn't make a meaningful difference.

To bring back the old discussions about hacking - if you don't want to get fouled every time down the stretch, it's incumbent on you to hit your free throws.

Well so far the IST seems like....a great idea? It's made people care about random Tuesday night games in late November.

Yeah, the tension tonight really justified the thing for me honestly.  I still hate the courts but if these guys are taking this seriously - and tonight demonstrated that they are - then I'm in.

If you guys are actually excited about it I am happy for you. I honestly have just felt like a gimmick has been jammed down my throat the last few weeks and it hasn’t made me
Care anymore. Like it is kind of cool if the end of bench guys on the Celtics get 500k or whatever but they should really add something tangible to make this matter like winner of it all gets the thirty first pick In the draft.

First pick in the draft is absolutely a nonstarter, though. There's no way to make that work.

[yelkao]

For what it is worth players/coaches were uncomfortable with the point differential part of this, Donovan was upset we fouled Drummond. https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/39003182/integrity-questioned-season-tourney-point-differential-tiebreaker

I hated the hack Drummond strategy. Humiliating. I was rooting for him to hit the FTs. To win a game is one thing, but to  achieve a point differential for a meaningless tournament - I don’t like it at all.  NBA providing incentive to run up a score is not a good thing imo.
OTOH, if Celtics learned something about playing hard till a game is truly out of reach, maybe it had some value. But the Drummond business was unnecessary and I’m glad Donovan said something directly to Joe.

What’s meaningless about the tournament? More meaningless than 1 of 82 regular season games?

I wasn’t a fan of the Drummond choice either, but that was because the Bulls were terrible that game and thought we had a better chance of running up the score by playing defense and getting out in transition. Hard to do when you’re rebounding bricked free throws.

[Moranis]

On the other hand, basketball players spend every possession trying to score points, and the presence of the tournament shouldn't make a meaningful difference.

To bring back the old discussions about hacking - if you don't want to get fouled every time down the stretch, it's incumbent on you to hit your free throws.

Well so far the IST seems like....a great idea? It's made people care about random Tuesday night games in late November.

Yeah, the tension tonight really justified the thing for me honestly.  I still hate the courts but if these guys are taking this seriously - and tonight demonstrated that they are - then I'm in.

If you guys are actually excited about it I am happy for you. I honestly have just felt like a gimmick has been jammed down my throat the last few weeks and it hasn’t made me
Care anymore. Like it is kind of cool if the end of bench guys on the Celtics get 500k or whatever but they should really add something tangible to make this matter like winner of it all gets the thirty first pick In the draft.

First pick in the draft is absolutely a nonstarter, though. There's no way to make that work.

he said 31st pick

[Surferdad]

Well so far the IST seems like....a great idea? It's made people care about random Tuesday night games in late November.

Yeah, the tension tonight really justified the thing for me honestly.  I still hate the courts but if these guys are taking this seriously - and tonight demonstrated that they are - then I'm in.

If you guys are actually excited about it I am happy for you. I honestly have just felt like a gimmick has been jammed down my throat the last few weeks and it hasn’t made me
Care anymore. Like it is kind of cool if the end of bench guys on the Celtics get 500k or whatever but they should really add something tangible to make this matter like winner of it all gets the thirty first pick In the draft.

This is where I'm at too. There wasn't ONE SECOND in that Bulls game where I actually cared about the +23. In fact, I was nauseated at how much Scal was harping on it.

[Who]

Well so far the IST seems like....a great idea? It's made people care about random Tuesday night games in late November.

Yeah, the tension tonight really justified the thing for me honestly.  I still hate the courts but if these guys are taking this seriously - and tonight demonstrated that they are - then I'm in.

If you guys are actually excited about it I am happy for you. I honestly have just felt like a gimmick has been jammed down my throat the last few weeks and it hasn’t made me
Care anymore. Like it is kind of cool if the end of bench guys on the Celtics get 500k or whatever but they should really add something tangible to make this matter like winner of it all gets the thirty first pick In the draft.

This is where I'm at too. There wasn't ONE SECOND in that Bulls game where I actually cared about the +23. In fact, I was nauseated at how much Scal was harping on it.

Same reaction here. I have been irritated by how much the national media keeps talking about it. I do not care. Stop bringing it up all the time. It is nothing but a worthless gimmick.

[Kernewek]

On the other hand, basketball players spend every possession trying to score points, and the presence of the tournament shouldn't make a meaningful difference.

To bring back the old discussions about hacking - if you don't want to get fouled every time down the stretch, it's incumbent on you to hit your free throws.

Well so far the IST seems like....a great idea? It's made people care about random Tuesday night games in late November.

Yeah, the tension tonight really justified the thing for me honestly.  I still hate the courts but if these guys are taking this seriously - and tonight demonstrated that they are - then I'm in.

If you guys are actually excited about it I am happy for you. I honestly have just felt like a gimmick has been jammed down my throat the last few weeks and it hasn’t made me
Care anymore. Like it is kind of cool if the end of bench guys on the Celtics get 500k or whatever but they should really add something tangible to make this matter like winner of it all gets the thirty first pick In the draft.

First pick in the draft is absolutely a nonstarter, though. There's no way to make that work.

he said 31st pick

Ah my mistake - however, many of the same problems. What happens when a team trades their only second-rounder and then wins the in-season tournament? Does the team they traded it to get that pick (as normal)? What's the incentive?

[celticsclay]

On the other hand, basketball players spend every possession trying to score points, and the presence of the tournament shouldn't make a meaningful difference.

To bring back the old discussions about hacking - if you don't want to get fouled every time down the stretch, it's incumbent on you to hit your free throws.

Well so far the IST seems like....a great idea? It's made people care about random Tuesday night games in late November.

Yeah, the tension tonight really justified the thing for me honestly.  I still hate the courts but if these guys are taking this seriously - and tonight demonstrated that they are - then I'm in.

If you guys are actually excited about it I am happy for you. I honestly have just felt like a gimmick has been jammed down my throat the last few weeks and it hasn’t made me
Care anymore. Like it is kind of cool if the end of bench guys on the Celtics get 500k or whatever but they should really add something tangible to make this matter like winner of it all gets the thirty first pick In the draft.

First pick in the draft is absolutely a nonstarter, though. There's no way to make that work.

he said 31st pick

Ah my mistake - however, many of the same problems. What happens when a team trades their only second-rounder and then wins the in-season tournament? Does the team they traded it to get that pick (as normal)? What's the incentive?

It’s actually not that hard and happens in lots of other sports. For example in baseball teams are awarded compensatory picks all the time for having free agents leave. They are also awarded in the NFL and NHL. You just would have language it is not eligible for pick swaps or whatever. When they were discussing this tournament this was brought up and I wouldn’t be surprised if it actually happens in the future.

[Roy H.]

On the other hand, basketball players spend every possession trying to score points, and the presence of the tournament shouldn't make a meaningful difference.

To bring back the old discussions about hacking - if you don't want to get fouled every time down the stretch, it's incumbent on you to hit your free throws.

Well so far the IST seems like....a great idea? It's made people care about random Tuesday night games in late November.

Yeah, the tension tonight really justified the thing for me honestly.  I still hate the courts but if these guys are taking this seriously - and tonight demonstrated that they are - then I'm in.

If you guys are actually excited about it I am happy for you. I honestly have just felt like a gimmick has been jammed down my throat the last few weeks and it hasn’t made me
Care anymore. Like it is kind of cool if the end of bench guys on the Celtics get 500k or whatever but they should really add something tangible to make this matter like winner of it all gets the thirty first pick In the draft.

First pick in the draft is absolutely a nonstarter, though. There's no way to make that work.

he said 31st pick

Ah my mistake - however, many of the same problems. What happens when a team trades their only second-rounder and then wins the in-season tournament? Does the team they traded it to get that pick (as normal)? What's the incentive?

It’s actually not that hard and happens in lots of other sports. For example in baseball teams are awarded compensatory picks all the time for having free agents leave. They are also awarded in the NFL and NHL. You just would have language it is not eligible for pick swaps or whatever. When they were discussing this tournament this was brought up and I wouldn’t be surprised if it actually happens in the future.

Yeah, just make it so the 31st pick can't be traded as a future asset, i.e., it can only be moved once the team has actually won the tournament.

[BitterJim]

On the other hand, basketball players spend every possession trying to score points, and the presence of the tournament shouldn't make a meaningful difference.

To bring back the old discussions about hacking - if you don't want to get fouled every time down the stretch, it's incumbent on you to hit your free throws.

Well so far the IST seems like....a great idea? It's made people care about random Tuesday night games in late November.

Yeah, the tension tonight really justified the thing for me honestly.  I still hate the courts but if these guys are taking this seriously - and tonight demonstrated that they are - then I'm in.

If you guys are actually excited about it I am happy for you. I honestly have just felt like a gimmick has been jammed down my throat the last few weeks and it hasn’t made me
Care anymore. Like it is kind of cool if the end of bench guys on the Celtics get 500k or whatever but they should really add something tangible to make this matter like winner of it all gets the thirty first pick In the draft.

First pick in the draft is absolutely a nonstarter, though. There's no way to make that work.

he said 31st pick

Ah my mistake - however, many of the same problems. What happens when a team trades their only second-rounder and then wins the in-season tournament? Does the team they traded it to get that pick (as normal)? What's the incentive?

It’s actually not that hard and happens in lots of other sports. For example in baseball teams are awarded compensatory picks all the time for having free agents leave. They are also awarded in the NFL and NHL. You just would have language it is not eligible for pick swaps or whatever. When they were discussing this tournament this was brought up and I wouldn’t be surprised if it actually happens in the future.

So this would be a separate pick in addition to the team's normal 2nd rounder? That could work, although 31 might be too valuable if they aren't giving up anything (like they would be if swapping their 2nd). It would be easy to move that pick around, though, there's no reason they couldn't put it at like 41 or something (or give the option between getting another pick (say #41) or swapping your second rounder for #31)

[Kernewek]

On the other hand, basketball players spend every possession trying to score points, and the presence of the tournament shouldn't make a meaningful difference.

To bring back the old discussions about hacking - if you don't want to get fouled every time down the stretch, it's incumbent on you to hit your free throws.

Well so far the IST seems like....a great idea? It's made people care about random Tuesday night games in late November.

Yeah, the tension tonight really justified the thing for me honestly.  I still hate the courts but if these guys are taking this seriously - and tonight demonstrated that they are - then I'm in.

If you guys are actually excited about it I am happy for you. I honestly have just felt like a gimmick has been jammed down my throat the last few weeks and it hasn’t made me
Care anymore. Like it is kind of cool if the end of bench guys on the Celtics get 500k or whatever but they should really add something tangible to make this matter like winner of it all gets the thirty first pick In the draft.

First pick in the draft is absolutely a nonstarter, though. There's no way to make that work.

he said 31st pick

Ah my mistake - however, many of the same problems. What happens when a team trades their only second-rounder and then wins the in-season tournament? Does the team they traded it to get that pick (as normal)? What's the incentive?

It’s actually not that hard and happens in lots of other sports. For example in baseball teams are awarded compensatory picks all the time for having free agents leave. They are also awarded in the NFL and NHL. You just would have language it is not eligible for pick swaps or whatever. When they were discussing this tournament this was brought up and I wouldn’t be surprised if it actually happens in the future.

So this would be a separate pick in addition to the team's normal 2nd rounder? That could work, although 31 might be too valuable if they aren't giving up anything (like they would be if swapping their 2nd). It would be easy to move that pick around, though, there's no reason they couldn't put it at like 41 or something (or give the option between getting another pick (say #41) or swapping your second rounder for #31)

As one of the people who brought up the problems with playing for draft picks or draft position in the earlier threads, it's important to highlight one crucial difference between the situations that Clay has highlighted with compensatory picks and the like: players are not usually competing for the right for their team to have more opportunities to draft their replacements, nor will they (and they shouldn't, really). This is the inverse of the major failings with 'The Process', in some ways - if the reward for winning is draft picks, players are incentivised not to win the tournament, because winning the tournament (for picks) only benefits management.

The overall goal is good basketball that people care about early in the season - which means you need to have player buy-in and engagement. If that is the goal, why on earth would anyone in the league play harder for the team to have more picks vs a payout?