We Play to Lose the Game

Even with the NBA Playoffs fast approaching, winning may not be the best way for the Memphis Grizzlies to secure a favorable playoff position.

Last game of the season. Playoff positions and homecourt advantage are at stake. For some it's win or your season is over. For others a win secures homecourt advantage and a superior playoff position. Or does it?

Imagine, if you will, a scenario in which losing would secure a team a first round homecourt advantage and winning would in fact not allow them that advantage. Well that scenario could become a reality for the Memphis Grizzlies who are currently seeded sixth in the Western Conference and third in the Southwest Division behind San Antonio and Dallas.

This seeding glitch -- because that's what it is, a glitch -- can occur thanks to the division realignment brought about in the 2004-2005 season when the Charlotte Bobcats were introduced into the league as an expansion team. The league went from 29 to 30 teams and when that happened four divisions, two in the west and two in the east, became six with three in each conference. The league rules currently dictate that the three division winners from a conference be seeded in the top three playoff positions, with seeds 1-3 being decided by the best record among the three division winners. The problem with this system arises from the fact that a team's status as a division winner supersedes even win-loss records when it comes to their placing as top three seed; simply put, a team can have a better record than a division winner and still be seeded lower than the team claiming a division lead.

This is what has happened in the case of the Grizzlies, who according to win-loss record, are the fifth best team in the Western Conference. Thanks to the current seedings system, however, they are currently sixth. And while the Grizzlies(44-33) are certainly capable of overtaking the Clippers(44-32) for that fifth seed, it wouldn't be a beneficial move for Memphis. To understand why, you really need to look at the standings.

1. San Antonio -- 59-18
2. Phoenix -- 50-26
3. Denver -- 43-34
4. Dallas -- 58-19
5. LA Clippers -- 44-32
6. Memphis -- 44-33
7. Sacramento -- 41-37
8. LA Lakers 41-37

Now check what the standings would be if they went strictly by win-loss record and tie breakers.

1. San Antonio -- 59-18
2. Dallas -- 58-19
3. Phoenix -- 50-26
4. LA Clippers -- 44-32
5. Memphis -- 44-33
6. Denver -- 43-34
7. Sacramento -- 41-37
8. LA Lakers 41-37

As you can see some changes are minor(Phoenix from 2 to 3) and some are more noticeable(Denver from 3 to 6). But look at what it means for Memphis: in the current standings as the sixth seed the Grizzlies would play Denver(43-34) and have homecourt advantage, but if they were to move up the standings they'd face Dallas in the first round(58-19) and beyond simply losing homecourt they would be facing a far superior opponent than Denver. Thus, Memphis would benefit themselves by playing for a lower seed, so long as they maintain a better record than the Nuggets in doing so.

Of course this isn't the beginning of such a problem, this dilemma occured even when there were two divisions per conference. Occasionally the three seed might have a better record than the two seed and the seventh spot might look better than the sixth. But the problem was never to this degree. There is a wide margin of both talent and winning percentage between Dallas and Denver and moreover a similar gap between the depth of the Southwest and Northwest divisions. The best team from the Northwest division will likely not be better than second best team in the Southwest so long as Dallas and San Antonio keep their core units intact. Therefore this issue could be one that arises in future seasons.

Does all this mean that Memphis should be out trying to lose games? Of course not. Beyond the blatant disrespect for the game of basketball and competitive sports everywhere, trying to exploit a mistake in the seeding system by purposely losing games could seriously backfire. With five games left to play it is not impossible for the Kings or Lakers to overtake the Grizzlies and if both teams manage a late win streak Memphis could be left with the most formidable first round opponent of them all -- the defending champion San Antonio Spurs.

All this means is that because of the ignorance of the league losing could benefit a team, even if that's not what they're trying to do.

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