2024 NBA Season and Playoffs

[Moranis]

They need to look at putting some metrics on the play in teams.  Overall record, how close they are to 7th and 8th, something because there is no way a team like the Hawks should be in the play in at 6 wins under .500 and 6.5 games out of 8th place.  Even the Bulls at 4 wins under .500 and 5.5 games from 8th shouldn't be in either.  Bad teams shouldn't get a chance at the playoffs

[Celtics2021]

They need to look at putting some metrics on the play in teams.  Overall record, how close they are to 7th and 8th, something because there is no way a team like the Hawks should be in the play in at 6 wins under .500 and 6.5 games out of 8th place.  Even the Bulls at 4 wins under .500 and 5.5 games from 8th shouldn't be in either.  Bad teams shouldn't get a chance at the playoffs

No they don’t.

[Roy H.]

They need to look at putting some metrics on the play in teams.  Overall record, how close they are to 7th and 8th, something because there is no way a team like the Hawks should be in the play in at 6 wins under .500 and 6.5 games out of 8th place.  Even the Bulls at 4 wins under .500 and 5.5 games from 8th shouldn't be in either.  Bad teams shouldn't get a chance at the playoffs

No they don’t.

Regardless of whether they should or shouldn't, they won't.  The play-in games generate revenue and some degree of fan interest, so they're here to stay.

[Kernewek]

But also, 'bad teams' in the 7th, and 8th seed have happened before.

Remember all the discussion about a decade+ ago regarding the disparity between teams in the East & West because the 9th seed in the West would have been, like, the 5th seed in the East (or whatever it was)?

[Donoghus]

They need to look at putting some metrics on the play in teams.  Overall record, how close they are to 7th and 8th, something because there is no way a team like the Hawks should be in the play in at 6 wins under .500 and 6.5 games out of 8th place.  Even the Bulls at 4 wins under .500 and 5.5 games from 8th shouldn't be in either.  Bad teams shouldn't get a chance at the playoffs

No they don’t.

Regardless of whether they should or shouldn't, they won't.  The play-in games generate revenue and some degree of fan interest, so they're here to stay.

Bingo.  Creates some good narratives too.  I'm sure the league loves it.

[Who]

I thought they were already doing something about this. That if a team was too far behind in the standings they wouldn't get in the play-in.

They were talking about it last season. Did they not bring that change in?

[Roy H.]

I thought they were already doing something about this. That if a team was too far behind in the standings they wouldn't get in the play-in.

They were talking about it last season. Did they not bring that change in?

There were some parameters like this during the 2020 bubble season if I'm remembering accurately, but I can't remember it getting it serious discussion since.

[Roy H.]

Does anybody buy this?

Shaquille O’Neal says if it were acceptable to form a superteam during his time in the league, he would have signed with the Chicago Bulls to play alongside Michael Jordan. On an episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq, O’Neal explained how the league is different now compared to back in his day. “If we knew that was acceptable, probably a lot of us would have switched up,” O’Neal said. “If I knew that was acceptable I would have just went to Chicago. If I knew that was acceptable, I would have went and played with the Spurs. If I knew that was okay I would have went and played with a team that was almost there, like Utah.” –

This is not the first time that the Hall of Famer has brought up the Bulls or the Spurs when talking about this subject. O’Neal chose them as the teams he would have joined if he wanted to make a super team. “So, it’s supposed to be about competition. If I knew it was okay to join people, ... I would have joined the Bulls,” Shaq said on The Big Podcast. “I would have played with Mike (Jordan) and Scottie (Pippen) and then I would have left them and played in my hometown San Antonio with the Spurs. But, nah, I was like, nope. I want to beat all these guys.” – via Fade Away World

The reason that Shaq didn't join Chicago or San Antonio, I assume, is because they didn't have cap space when he was a free agent.  The Lakers did, plus they fit his "brand" at the time.

[Celtics2021]

Does anybody buy this?

Shaquille O’Neal says if it were acceptable to form a superteam during his time in the league, he would have signed with the Chicago Bulls to play alongside Michael Jordan. On an episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq, O’Neal explained how the league is different now compared to back in his day. “If we knew that was acceptable, probably a lot of us would have switched up,” O’Neal said. “If I knew that was acceptable I would have just went to Chicago. If I knew that was acceptable, I would have went and played with the Spurs. If I knew that was okay I would have went and played with a team that was almost there, like Utah.” –

This is not the first time that the Hall of Famer has brought up the Bulls or the Spurs when talking about this subject. O’Neal chose them as the teams he would have joined if he wanted to make a super team. “So, it’s supposed to be about competition. If I knew it was okay to join people, ... I would have joined the Bulls,” Shaq said on The Big Podcast. “I would have played with Mike (Jordan) and Scottie (Pippen) and then I would have left them and played in my hometown San Antonio with the Spurs. But, nah, I was like, nope. I want to beat all these guys.” – via Fade Away World

The reason that Shaq didn't join Chicago or San Antonio, I assume, is because they didn't have cap space when he was a free agent.  The Lakers did, plus they fit his "brand" at the time.

Yeah, I don’t buy it for a second.  Super teams were not possible in the way they are today because there was a salary cap but no player max.  So MJ could make $30 million while the cap itself was $27 million.

[celticsclay]

Does anybody buy this?

Shaquille O’Neal says if it were acceptable to form a superteam during his time in the league, he would have signed with the Chicago Bulls to play alongside Michael Jordan. On an episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq, O’Neal explained how the league is different now compared to back in his day. “If we knew that was acceptable, probably a lot of us would have switched up,” O’Neal said. “If I knew that was acceptable I would have just went to Chicago. If I knew that was acceptable, I would have went and played with the Spurs. If I knew that was okay I would have went and played with a team that was almost there, like Utah.” –

This is not the first time that the Hall of Famer has brought up the Bulls or the Spurs when talking about this subject. O’Neal chose them as the teams he would have joined if he wanted to make a super team. “So, it’s supposed to be about competition. If I knew it was okay to join people, ... I would have joined the Bulls,” Shaq said on The Big Podcast. “I would have played with Mike (Jordan) and Scottie (Pippen) and then I would have left them and played in my hometown San Antonio with the Spurs. But, nah, I was like, nope. I want to beat all these guys.” – via Fade Away World

The reason that Shaq didn't join Chicago or San Antonio, I assume, is because they didn't have cap space when he was a free agent.  The Lakers did, plus they fit his "brand" at the time.

I think both things can be true. Like he probably did not join cause of salary but also didn’t ever think about it seriously because it was not a mindset back then. If it was more acceptable maybe he would have told a contender to move everyone and sign him and fill their team with vet mins but that didn’t really happen back then as a team building model right?

[jpotter33]

Does anybody buy this?

Shaquille O’Neal says if it were acceptable to form a superteam during his time in the league, he would have signed with the Chicago Bulls to play alongside Michael Jordan. On an episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq, O’Neal explained how the league is different now compared to back in his day. “If we knew that was acceptable, probably a lot of us would have switched up,” O’Neal said. “If I knew that was acceptable I would have just went to Chicago. If I knew that was acceptable, I would have went and played with the Spurs. If I knew that was okay I would have went and played with a team that was almost there, like Utah.” –

This is not the first time that the Hall of Famer has brought up the Bulls or the Spurs when talking about this subject. O’Neal chose them as the teams he would have joined if he wanted to make a super team. “So, it’s supposed to be about competition. If I knew it was okay to join people, ... I would have joined the Bulls,” Shaq said on The Big Podcast. “I would have played with Mike (Jordan) and Scottie (Pippen) and then I would have left them and played in my hometown San Antonio with the Spurs. But, nah, I was like, nope. I want to beat all these guys.” – via Fade Away World

The reason that Shaq didn't join Chicago or San Antonio, I assume, is because they didn't have cap space when he was a free agent.  The Lakers did, plus they fit his "brand" at the time.

Yeah, I don’t buy it for a second.  Super teams were not possible in the way they are today because there was a salary cap but no player max.  So MJ could make $30 million while the cap itself was $27 million.

Also - since when is that three-peat Lakers team not a super team? If you have arguably two top-10 to top-15 players of all time on your team, you’re a super team.

[jpotter33]

https://x.com/hpbasketball/status/1762858841669001530?s=46&t=lGU0TGXtwjkuVuoin6WTNw

Matt Moore’s season win projections. Has us at 65 wins, a whopping 12 (!) games over Cavs in the 2 spot and 5 games up on OKC in the West with 60 wins.

Have to say, though, this would be an awful playoff map for us. Philly with potentially Embiid in round 1, NYK or Miami in round 2, then likely Cleveland or Milwaukee in round 3.

[Phantom255x]

https://x.com/hpbasketball/status/1762858841669001530?s=46&t=lGU0TGXtwjkuVuoin6WTNw

Matt Moore’s season win projections. Has us at 65 wins, a whopping 12 (!) games over Cavs in the 2 spot and 5 games up on OKC in the West with 60 wins.

Have to say, though, this would be an awful playoff map for us. Philly with potentially Embiid in round 1, NYK or Miami in round 2, then likely Cleveland or Milwaukee in round 3.

I think it's gonna be a tough path regardless from the 2nd round and beyond. You're definitely going to end up playing 2 of Miami/Cleveland/New York/Philly/Milwaukee, I don't see how you avoid it. Just have to hope maybe an upset occurs in the play-in and we play a bad team like Chicago before the next 3 rounds.

[Kernewek]

I don't know how the rest of you are feeling, but I have a feeling Embiid has called it on this season and is keeping it unofficial to avoid the depressing effect it would have on him and the team.

[celticinorlando]

I don't know how the rest of you are feeling, but I have a feeling Embiid has called it on this season and is keeping it unofficial to avoid the depressing effect it would have on him and the team.

I have thought this all along. I do not expect we see him back this season. Philly is going nowhere and if they bring him back he will be gimpy and out of shape (he is always out of shape).