NBA tanking: It's no exact science

Do you have writer's block? In need of an idea on a blog post to write? 

Simply turn on sports talk radio for a few minutes while driving back from a tennis match (or whatever you may be doing on a Friday evening), and you'll likely hear an opinion that you completely disagree with. 

Then start punching the keys.

Tonight, I got my inspiration from a couple of buffoons on ESPN Radio who kept talking about the issue of NBA teams tanking. For a good three minutes, the hosts pounded home the point that NBA teams can't possibly tank because it would just take too much effort and planning.

I didn't record the conversation, but I think I heard something about how it would be so difficult to "coordinate the effort" between players, coaches, and, yes, the "GM."

At which point I chuckled, switched over to my favorite classic rock station, rolled down the window of the Civic, and got on with my life.

But now I need to correct these guys. So here's my brief take on "NBA tanking."

1. It exists.

2. There are no "coordinated efforts."

3. It's simple, really. 

Hey, I love the NBA. The collection of talent you see during a given game is incredible. The things players can do, from hanging in the air for an eternity to dropping 81 points to taking over a game (a la LeBron, Game 5, 2007 Eastern Conference Finals — sorry Pistons fans) are incredible.

But it's not hard to see when players aren't, well, completely into a game. There are simply games that players care less about than others. That's reflected in their effort, in sloppiness. 

That's tanking. 

An even easier-to-track tanking occurs when players are "shut down" for the season. 

Do you think LaMarcus Aldridge would have gotten hip surgery immediately if the Blazers were in the playoff race? Meanwhile, Derrick Rose practically had to be handcuffed by management to be kept from playing in the Bulls' pivotal game against the Heat last night despite several ailments.

Players who could play, who are being paid to play the full season, not playing?

That's tanking. 

So, no, tanking doesn't involve Byron Scott or Mark Jackson standing in front of their team and saying, "Guys, we need to lose the rest of our games!! I talked to the GM earlier and we decided it's the right thing to do."

(Although that would be highly entertaining and, I'm sure, would somehow leak onto Twitter.)

No, tanking is a bit more subtle.

But still very alive. And as long as the league retains the current lottery system with the fun ping pong balls, I don't see it going by the wayside anytime soon.

Maybe that'll be my next topic: the lottery system. 

I'll wait until I hear a dumb opinion on it...