 The games don't matter, load management, tanking. Common reasons we hear as to why some sports fans don't like the NBA regular season. Starting in the bubble, the NBA introduced the play-in tournament concept. Fast forward to today, and the format has evolved into a subsidiary event to the corporation that is the playoffs. Very similar to being the main trending character on Twitter for the day. The play-in tourney is all fun and games until it's you. We've seen some players advocate for this qualification, only to backtrack when it's their time to fight on the Western Front. And that right there is the beauty of it all. The play-in tournament serves as a dark cloud following around NBA franchises, burdening them with the responsibility of winning. Otherwise, the league involuntarily chooses you as tribute to participate in a battle royale for your playoff life. With 10 days left in the regular season, 5th place and 11th place in the Western Conference were separated by only seven and a half games. Nine games in the East. While teams at the top of the conference are safe from this new format, it's the middle of the pack franchises who, at this point in the season, would usually be load managing in preparation for the first round. Not anymore. Just one three-game losing streak can drop the five seed into the danger zone. At the other end of the table, there are only realistically six total teams without a chance at the postseason. Out of 30, what this results in is more fans, more engaged with regular season results because there's something to play for from start to finish longer than ever. That means more eyeballs on the product, which means higher ratings, resulting in increased advertising rates, more ticket sales, merchandise and concessions being sold at the arena, all with one underlying theme in common, money. Supply and demand, right? With the play and tournament creating supply of opportunity, more teams at the trade deadline are demanding improvement as buyers, less tanking, less buyouts, less process. If you're a seven or eight seed who thinks your presence in the play and game is unwarranted, prove it! All you have to do is win one game in two tries against teams you claim you're better than. Is there some luck involved in a sun death winner take all? Absolutely. But it's those who create their own luck will prove just how necessary this play and tournament was, is and will be for the foreseeable future.