Dallas Mavericks: What is NBA Play-in and how does it work?

Why the Dallas Mavericks are against the play-in tournament

Both superstar Luka Doncic and owner Mark Cuban came out against the play-in tournament in April. It has been no secret that Dallas wants no part of it.

Luka was not a fan of the 72-game regular season getting thrown out and one game deciding a team’s playoff fate. Cuban had issues with adding more games to the already compressed schedule. He even went as far as to say it was, “an enormous mistake”. Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle was a bit more diplomatic in his response to the NBA’s latest postseason wrinkle.

The Mavs are right. A 72-game season should not come down to one game. The league should not have added additional games after jamming the regular season into a small window, but the play-in tournament is here to stay. Teams must embrace it.

The Mavericks have done a fantastic job winning games down the stretch to avoid it. Yes, they were hit hard by COVID absences early, but they battled back and are on the verge of clinching a playoff spot. It has been an impressive performance. The thought on the play-in chaos may have helped Dallas improve their play.

The NBA play-in tournament begins on May 18 and wraps up on the 21st. The traditional playoffs start on May 22. Fans will not want to miss a second of the action, so stay tuned for all the latest.