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標題：NBA wants to adopt postseason play-in tournament permanently, per report

      （消息來源：聯盟打算永久實施季後附加賽制度）

來源：CBS Sports https://bit.ly/2S20R81


作者：Jasmyn Wimbish

原文＋翻譯：

（本文中的「tanking」等詞，均譯為「消極應戰」，不過同時也有「坦」的意思）

After doing a trial run of a play-in tournament to determine the eighth seed
in both conferences last season down in the Orlando bubble, the NBA may be
looking to adopt the format permanently. Entering this season, the league and
players approved the play-in tournament which would involve the teams ranked
seventh through 10th in both conferences to determine the seventh and eighth
seeds in the East and the West.



Although we're still weeks away from the actual play-in tournament, it's clear
the purpose of the new format -- to stop teams from tanking -- has paid off
with just under a month left in the regular season. There are still 24 teams
competing for a spot in the playoffs, which is the highest the league has had
in history at this point in the schedule. Unlike past seasons where teams who
weren't near the top eight of the conference would start to look ahead and
rest players in an effort to gain better lottery odds, there are very few
teams who are actively doing that this season. It's lead the league to plan on
implementing the play-in tournament permanently past this season.



Howard Beck of Sports Illustrated: "The future of the play-in tournament, whi-
ch was adopted on a one-year trial basis, is a huge key. But given the impact
it's already made, league sources expect easy approval to make it permanent."

《體育畫報》記者 Howard Beck：

「在一年的試行基礎上進行之附加賽制度的未來，將是一個極大的關鍵。但鑑於該賽制已
　經產生的影響，來自聯盟的消息來源預計，將會能更易於批准永久化實行該賽制。」

When the league approached team owners about adopting the play-in tournament
for this season, it was passed unanimously by all 30 team governors, and the
players approved it as well. So there's no reason this new format won't be
made part of the NBA season going forward. The main purpose of the play-in
tournament ahead of the postseason is to incentivize teams who may not be
championship contenders to still remain competitive over the course of the
season. The final month of the season is where teams really start to wave the
white flag if they're not within a few games of the eighth spot, but this
year has been a different story.



In the East, the Raptors and Bulls are just two games back of the Wizards for
the 10th spot in the play-in tournament. While in the West, the Pelicans and
Kings are still technically in the running to make the play-in despite being
4.5 games back of the Warriors for the 10th spot. The play-in tournament does
more than just stop teams from tanking, though, it also gives those teams
near the top of the standings reason to keep winning.



Teams like the Blazers, Mavericks, Celtics, Heat, Hawks and Hornets are all
trying to avoid the seventh spot in the final standings. Whichever team
finishes seventh in each conference still must play at least one more game in
the play-in tournament to determine their seeding, which isn't ideal ahead of
the playoffs.



Although this season hasn't been ideal given its compact timeline, limited
fans, if any, in the arena, the rise in player injuries and health and safety
protocols, the play-in tournament has certainly been positive among all of
this. It's kept these late-season games compelling as seeding has become inc-
redibly important down the stretch, and its resulted in some historic perfor-
mances in the final month from players like Stephen Curry who is trying to
will his team to a playoff spot. It's unclear what format the play-in tourna-
ment will take going forward, but keeping it part of the NBA schedule seems
like a smart idea for a league that is trying to limit tanking.




短評：

看來聯盟是在想著辦法，保持賽事的精彩度吧？

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