If anything, it makes games more meaningless. With so many teams making the playoffs, you don't have to try as hard. The Lakers are currently 4 games ahead of the Warriors in 9th. If there was no play-in, there'd be a real danger of them falling out of the playoffs, what with Schröder being in the protocol and out for a couple of weeks. LeBron would likely be playing tonight(he's not) and they might have rushed both him and AD back. With the play-in, all you have to do is make sure you finish above the 5 tanking teams and you're set. Let your star players nurse their injuries, and then count on them carrying you in the play-in.