The NBA play-in tournament has drawn mixed reviews from around the game. It’s been great for the NBA when it comes to generating storylines, and it has brought the playoff race down to the final games of the season. Some players are not fans, though.
Washington Wizards coach Scott Brooks is sort of on the fence, at least jokingly. The Wizards had already clinched a playoff spot going into Sunday’s action, but it had looked like the team would end up with the No. 9 seed. That’s good enough to get into the play-in, but it would have missed the playoffs under the old system.
On Sunday, the Wizards rallied past the Charlotte Hornets, jumping into the No. 8 seed on the final day of the regular season. Previously, it would have ensured them a playoff spot, as Brooks alluded to in a funny postgame quote.
Scott Brooks, who has previously professed his love for the play-in tournament, says he’s changed his mind now that the Wizards have finished in eighth place: “I’m with the King,” he said. "Who created this play-in thing? Whoever did that, they need to be fired."
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) May 16, 2021
The quote is in reference to recent comments by LeBron James, who said that whoever came up with the play-in idea “needs to be fired.” While there are definitely some who agree with James, there are others who like the idea. Then there’s Brooks, who saw the opportunity to score some laughs and took it.
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