The current iteration of the NBA Play-In Tournament has been around since the 2020-21 season. The final two playoffs slots in both conferences are decided between seeds 7-10. While many questioned whether it was a good move by the NBA to add it, the tournament has mostly been a success in getting many sets of eyeballs to watch.
With two-thirds of the NBA now either making the playoffs or Play-In Tournament, it isn’t a certainty that teams that had good seasons will take up all the tournament slots. As a matter of fact, we may see the worst Play-In Tournament team ever in the Eastern Conference as we are in season five of having it around.
The Worst Play-In Tournament Team Ever May Occur This Season
Uninspiring Race For 10th Seed In East For NBA Play-In Tournament
The NBA All-Star break has almost been reached. All 30 teams are playing on Wednesday, and there are five games on Thursday. There are no regular season games after that until Wednesday, February 19, where there is just one (Charlotte Hornets at Los Angeles Lakers).
Looking at the standings in the East, there are nine teams that almost certainly will either reach the playoffs or the Play-In Tournament. It’s the race for the 10th spot that isn’t all that inspiring.
Right now, the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference is occupied by the Chicago Bulls. They own a 22-32 record with 28 games remaining. Chicago has lost three straight, and they got bludgeoned by the Detroit Pistons by 40 points on Tuesday. The team also seems to have gotten worse after trading their top scorer Zach LaVine in a three-team deal on February 3.
The team in 11th place in the East is the Philadelphia 76ers, easily the most disappointing squad in the league. They are losers of each of their last four outings, giving them a record of 20-33. Now, part of that has been the health (or lack there of) surrounding Joel Embiid, who has appeared in only 17 games. Even with Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey all appearing in the last three games, they have lost them all.
Remarkably, the Brooklyn Nets at 19-34 and clearly trying to tank sit just 2.5 games back of 10th. Through games played on February 11, the Bulls are on pace to finish with a 33-49 record. That would be the worst record ever for a Play-In Tournament participant.
Spurs Have Worst Record To Ever Qualify
In the 2021-22 season, the San Antonio Spurs had a 34-48 record. Despite finishing 14 games under .500, that was good enough to finish 10th in the Western Conference and earn a trip to the Play-In Tournament. That is the worst record ever for a team that has reached the Play-In Tournament. They were eliminated after one game, losing to the ninth-seeded New Orleans Pelicans by the score of 113-103.
Everyone has been waiting for the 76ers to get it together, but it still hasn’t happened. Embiid has recently stated that he will likely need to undergo another knee surgery at some point. Chicago doesn’t look like a team that will go on a run post-All-Star break. The ‘race’ for 10th in the Eastern Conference is one that nobody seems to want to obtain.
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