It doesn’t really make sense if the whole point of the tournament is to promote tryharding early in the season. If that’s the goal, then reward the teams that are successful for all games not just in their group.
The emphasis on point differential has also led to some awkward moments where players or coaches are forced to “break the code”. While I think that will continue to happen I think putting more value regular season wins more will minimize those situations.
Point differential is totally fine to use to determine the winner of a group because everybody played the same teams.
Point differential is insane to use to determine wild cards when the groups can be so wildly unbalanced. Phoenix is in over Minnesota because they played in a group with us, Memphis, and Portland, 3 bottom 4 teams in the west.
Phx lakers grizzlies jazz blazers. At the time the groups were made, this was not an easy group to come out of. It seemed pretty on par with the other groups. Things change. It’s a round robin tournament. Tough nubs all around in these things.