My beloved Portland Trailblazers had a game in March against the Raptors of Toronto. It was a close game in the fourth quarter in a game that Portland needed to stat involved in the chase for the tenth and final playoff spot. Portland got the W but not really due to their play, it was more that the Raptors best players were at the far end of the bench and not on the court.
Ever since the Philadelphia 76ers spent years tanking and getting not so much more than Joel Embid and Tyrese Maxey for their troubles, the NBA has been playin whack-a-mole with teams gunning for a number one pick in the draft. Fining teams for sitting star players, flattening out lottery odds so losing doesn’t guarantee a top college prospect. Each year teams loophole their way to the end of the season.
This year, the tactic is to start your best players but then come crunch time, they are already on their way out of the arena. But my favorite sports website the Ringer had a different take on tanking, see HERE.
And I tend to agree, the NBA has done enough short of installing relegation to the G League and does not need to levy more fines. If the best players are playing at least in the first through third quarters, especially in road games, I am cool with that. Tankers are going to lose their own fans and concession revenue so no need to penalize further. And besides that, the tank race is kinda fun too. The draft has been built up to this pivotal NBA event and asking people to not go all in is kind of silly.
For beer, instead of a style, how about a drinking game. Pick your tanking team and each time they lose, you get a real good craft beer. But if they win, you get that old skunky beer that you have been avoiding. Fun, right?