🏀 Tanking For Playoff Position? Not So Fast!

After going 4-6 down the stretch & securing the 4-seed, the Clippers could still meet the Lakers. [View in browser]( [FOX SPORTS INSIDER WITH MARTIN ROGERS]( [STORY IMAGE AD]( In today’s FOX Sports Insider with Martin Rogers: Tanking for playoff position appears to be the NBA’s newest phenomenon ... we take a look at Albert Pujols and his first game as a Dodger ... and we celebrate the birthday of one of the greatest college QBs of all time. It was a masterful piece of execution, specifically targeted toward a precise goal and the LA Clippers ended up getting exactly what they wanted. Next, they get to sit and watch – and hope it doesn’t blow up in their face. The Clippers tanked. There you go, we said it. Late in the season, with a real and present shot at moving up into the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference and with top position not infeasible, they decided that the grass looked greener further down the ladder. With the Los Angeles Lakers seemingly headed for the 7-seed, Tyronn Lue’s Clippers seemed to figure the opposite side of the bracket would confer a rosier path to a deep postseason run and boy, did they pull it off. It wasn’t easy. If you’re going to tank, you’d better be all-in on it. They were. They went 4-6 down the stretch. Only three teams in the West had a worse record during that period, and they lost to both of those, too. [STORY IMAGE 1] They slipped beneath the Denver Nuggets and finally, to finish the job, they had to lose to the Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday and Sunday. Such things are not simply accomplished, especially when the Thunder were in the midst of their own mega-tank, having won just once in their previous 24 tries. But when you rest every major contributor on your roster, like the Clippers did, that’ll help. And when you don’t foul as you trail by three with 30 seconds left, that’ll pretty much lock it in, also. “We talked about it as a staff and as an organization,” Lue told reporters. “The best thing for us is now that we have everyone pretty much healthy, we want to go into the playoffs with our guys as healthy as possible.” Wink, wink. We get it, Ty. So here the Clippers are with their prized No. 4 seed, but oops, what happens if it all goes wrong for them on Wednesday night? Because for all the intricate planning and deliberate positioning, it certainly can. [STORY IMAGE 2] Forget about shaming the Clippers for their tank, like some have opted to do this week. They did what is permitted in the NBA’s current structure and took advantage of the system. Sure, you can say that with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, they shouldn’t be afraid of anyone. But it was their choice. They didn’t want to play the Lakers and they tried to avoid that possibility. The problem is, that it might all go suddenly awry, and there’s nothing they can do about it. For we have to remember that this isn’t a typical postseason. The Lakers aren’t locked in at No. 7, that’s just the position they found themselves in once 72 games were up. LeBron James and company will face the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday as the NBA’s Play-In Tournament gets underway. The 7-spot goes to the winner, the loser must then face the winner of Memphis-San Antonio for No. 8. All of which makes a couple of things somewhat confounding. Everyone seems to be talking as if the Lakers are a slam dunk to win that game and move straight into the playoffs. The Clippers, apparently, operated under that clear assumption. At home, the Lakers will be a favorite, but hardly an overwhelming one. [According to FOX Bet, LeBron and co. are priced at -188, while the Warriors are at +145](. The Warriors, behind a red-hot Stephen Curry, fresh from claiming the NBA scoring title, can throw everything into flux. [STORY IMAGE 3]( “When it comes down to one game I would say Steph is a little bit more dangerous (than LeBron),” [FS1’s Kevin Wildes said on “First Things First.”]( “LeBron can do more things, but can (Steph) shoot the lights out and singlehandedly carry his team to a victory they are not supposed to have? Yes.” If Golden State was to win and assume the No. 7 place in the bracket, everything the Clippers had done would be for nothing – assuming the Lakers then survived a second-chance play-in game to clinch eighth position. That scenario would mean both L.A. teams, Luka Doncic’s Dallas Mavericks and the Utah Jazz, owners of the league’s best record, would all be sandwiched into the same part of the bracket. Wondering if Curry is motivated to make a statement in a play-in game of mouthwatering importance? You’d better believe it. “Any team (LeBron) has been on, our careers are connected because we’ve played at the highest level,” Curry said. “You expect greatness. That’s the part I’ve enjoyed so much in playing in Finals against him. Those games that matter, it brings out another level of excitement and a sense of urgency about it. (This) is the same kind of scenario in a different kind of situation.” [STORY IMAGE 4] In some ways, in the interests of basketball, a Warriors win over the Lakers might be the best outcome. The NBA has made it a point to alleviate its tanking problem at the foot of the standings by reworking the way the draft lottery operates. Tanking for playoff position is a newer phenomenon, one that has sprung up partly because home court advantage matters less when there are few, if any, fans in the stands. If the Clippers’ ploy backfires it would surely sting for Leonard and George, whose combined tenure in Tinseltown hasn’t exactly gone to plan over the past two seasons. But it might send a message that losing, in the name of winning, can be a self-defeating exercise. [STORY IMAGE 5] Here’s what others have said ... Antoine Walker, First Things First: “I would love for the Clippers and Lakers to match up, but I like this strategy by the Clippers. I’d rather play the Mavs than the Lakers. In Miami, we tried to avoid the Bulls. I understand this strategy.” Nick Wright, First Things First: “I’m extremely disappointed in myself. I took the route that the Clippers are a real contender this year. And no, they’re not. They know they’re not.” Colin Cowherd, The Herd: “The Clippers are so terrified of facing the Lakers, being on their side of the bracket, that they tanked to Houston and Oklahoma City. … If they met in an octagon, the Lakers would be moving forward and Clippers would be backpedaling.” SPONSORED Healthy hydration isn’t just about drinking water. It’s about water PLUS electrolytes. Sweat consists of water and sodium, and both need to be replaced to properly hydrate and prevent ailments like muscle cramps, headaches and energy dips. The guidance to drink 8 glasses of water per day - thirsty or not - has become standard. However, drinking beyond thirst is a bad idea and has been known to cause low sodium, especially in endurance athletes. Products like LMNT offer a perfect solution to healthy hydration and have all your electrolyte needs covered. Former research biochemist Robb Wolf and Ketogains founders Tyler Cartwright and Luis Villasenor formulated LMNT to provide the optimal ratios of sodium, potassium, and magnesium for health, performance, and energy. [Try it today with this exclusive with a free LMNT Sample Pack, just pay the cost of shipping - $5 for U.S. customers.]( [IN OTHER WORDS] - Albert Pujols’ first game as a Dodger illustrated why he’s a good fit in their injury plagued lineup. [FOX Sports MLB Writer Pedro Moura has the story](. - Vlad Guerrero Jr.‘s explosion and the Mariners’ unlikely rise made for a good time in baseball last week. [FOX Sports MLB Writer Jake Mintz has the details](. - [Arizona State coach Herm Edwards joined FOX Sports College Football Writer RJ Young]( on “The No. 1 Ranked Show” to discuss how football has changed. [THE INTERNET IS UNDEFEATED] [THE INTERNET IS UNDEFEATED]( Happy Birthday, Vince Young! To celebrate, we take a look back at Young’s unforgettable performance in the 2006 Rose Bowl. In that game, Young totaled 467 yards of offense, including his infamous game-winning rushing touchdown on fourth down with 19 seconds remaining on the clock. Young’s incredible performance is considered by many to be the top moment in NCAA Football history. Wishing you a happy 38th birthday, Vince! [VIEWER'S GUIDE] Charlotte Hornets at Indiana Pacers (TNT, 6:30 p.m. ET) Miles Bridges and the Charlotte Hornets take on Domantas Sabonis and the Indiana Pacers in the 2021 NBA Play-In Tournament. New York Yankees at Texas Rangers (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET) DJ LeMahieu and the New York Yankees take on the Texas Rangers. Washington Wizards at Boston Celtics (TNT, 9 p.m. ET) Russell Westbrook and the Washington Wizards go up against Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics in the NBA Play-In Tournament. [BET OF THE DAY] [BET OF THE DAY] Odds provided by [FOX Bet]( NBA Championship Winner Brooklyn Nets: +225 Los Angeles Lakers: +450 LA Clippers: +450 Utah Jazz: +750 Milwaukee Bucks: +750 After a wild stretch run, including a crazy final day of the regular season, the NBA playoff field is finally set. That means it is time to look at some NBA title odds heading into the postseason. The Brooklyn Nets are listed as the heavy favorites heading into the playoffs at +225. The Nets have won 14 of their last 18 games and have the most star-studded lineup in the league when healthy, featuring a combined 34 All-Star appearances on their roster. Despite being the No. 7 seed in the West and having to play in the NBA Play-In Tournament, the Lakers have the second-best odds at +450. The defending champs enter the postseason on a five-game winning streak, thanks in part to getting LeBron James and Anthony Davis back on the court. The Clippers also are listed at +450, followed by the Utah Jazz and Milwaukee Bucks at +750. This is a wide-open field, which makes this year’s NBA Playoffs so appealing. But if you are going to side with one team, it’s hard not to take the trio of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving. [WHAT THEY SAID] “Leadership is diving for a loose ball. It’s about being able to take it as well as dish it out. That’s the only way you're going to get respect from other players.” — Larry Bird [FOLLOW FOX SPORTS] [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [YouTube]( [Instagram]( Download FOX Sports App: [Fire TV]( [Roku]( [Google Play]( [App Store]( [Fire TV]( [Roku]( [App Store]( [Google Play]( Also available on these devices: [fireTV | AppleTV | ROKU | Google Chromecast | XBOX ONE | SAMSUNG Smart TV] [fireTV | AppleTV | ROKU | Google Chromecast | XBOX ONE | SAMSUNG Smart TV] Trademark & Copyright Notice: ™ and © 2021 Fox Media LLC and FOX Sports Interactive Media, LLC. All rights reserved. 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