In addition, the playoff play-in proposal, as outlined by ESPN would include two four-team tournaments featuring the seventh, eighth, ninth, and 10th seeds in each conference. The seventh seed would host the eighth seed, with the winner of that single game earning the seventh spot. The loser would play the winner of the ninth seed vs. the 10th seed for the final playoff spot.
So you have 6 playoff spots guaranteed in each conference.
the final 2 spots in each conference can go to:
BOTH of the 7th and 8th seeds (in order determined by playing each other) OR
ONE of the 7th and 8th seeds with the other to the 9th or 10th seed.
I love this change so much. Along with going to a 78 games regular season.
The teams in the play-in will have one or two play-in games but they will have playoffs atmosphere.
You get rid of four lousy contests at the end of the year when things are usually already decided and you make your regular season games more almost 5% more meaningful. Which then limits teams resting players as that could cause them to drop out of the guaranteed playoff spot.
I don't like the mid-season tournament. And it seems to add more games that ultimately dont mean anything. Just create a pre-season tournament and be honest that they are pre-season games imbued with no meaning.
I don't like re-seeding the conf finalists. Keep it East vs West.