The significance of point differential became evident in the NBA on Tuesday night, as teams vying to stay alive in the inaugural in-season tournament had to secure not just a win but a substantial margin to advance.
While the New York Knicks secured the second spot in Group B after defeating the Charlotte Hornets 115-91, they claimed the sole wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference due to a tiebreaker based on their point differential in the preliminary round, a concept not embraced by all players. Josh Hart expressed his reservations, stating that the focus on running up the score in the final minutes felt odd and somewhat compromised the integrity of the game.
Similarly, the Cleveland Cavaliers finished group play with a 3-1 record but fell short in point differential to advance to the quarterfinals. In a game against Atlanta, coaches faced a delicate situation as the Cavaliers aimed to extend their lead even after the opposing team pulled its starters.
In Boston, the Celtics needed both a win and a substantial point differential against the Chicago Bulls to qualify for the tournament quarterfinals. Despite winning 124-97, players and coaches, including Jaylen Brown and coach Joe Mazzulla, acknowledged the unusual focus on point differential. Mazzulla even expressed discomfort in running up the score, leading to a discussion with Bulls counterpart Billy Donovan during a stoppage in play.
Donovan, while understanding the necessity for teams to play strategically, voiced his displeasure with the league’s decision to implement the point-differential system, particularly criticizing the deliberate fouling tactics employed in the fourth quarter. The overall sentiment among players and coaches was that while they played to win, the emphasis on point differential introduced an unfamiliar and uncomfortable dynamic to the game.
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