Mavs' Carlisle: 'You've got to embrace' play-in tournament

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic have openly criticized the NBA's play-in tournament, but head coach Rick Carlisle is taking a different approach.

"My position on it is this: If it's in place and it's going to happen, it's great, and you've got to embrace it," Carlisle said Friday, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon. "If you're in a situation where you end up playing in a play-in tournament, that's going to be a great experience. That's how you've got to look at it."

The NBA's board of governors approved a play-in tournament for the 2020-21 campaign last November. Teams that finish seventh through 10th in each conference will participate.

LeBron James is among the notable figures who have criticized the league for implementing it.

Dallas currently occupies the West's No. 5 seed. While Carlisle supports the play-in tournament, he hopes his club has nothing to do with it this season.

"Everybody's trying to avoid it," Carlisle said. "Everybody wants that - I don't know what they're going to call it going forward - that guaranteed playoff position, the one through six.

"But, look, my attitude about it is simply that. If it's there, you've got to love it, and you've got to do your best to avoid it."