Reactions to this year’s new expanded play-in tournament have included a fair share of dissent, particularly from those teams who are fighting for the No. 7 spots in their league.

The most recent outspoken voice was LeBron James, who said “whoever came up with that (expletive) needs to be fired.” A few weeks ago, it was the Dallas All-Star Luka Doncic or owner Mark Cuban making some noise. Both the Mavs and Lakers were or are on the edge of needing to earn their way into the playoffs through the play-in game.

The Celtics are right around that spot, too.

Entering Thursday, Boston is tied with Miami for sixth in the Eastern Conference at 35-31. There hasn’t been much vocal angst against the play-in from Boston’s brass, whether that’s Coach Brad Stevens or Danny Ainge.

“It is what it is,” Ainge said on his weekly radio appearance. “There’s a play-in tournament and we’ve known about it from the beginning of the year. This is what it is. It doesn’t really do any good to voice my opinion on it. There’s some good and bad stuff of it.”

The premise of the play-in tournament is simple: the Nos. 7-8 seeds, which normally automatically qualify into the playoffs, need to win at least one game to advance to the first round. The Nos. 9-10 seeds, which normally don’t qualify, need to win two games to advance to the first round.

The first game is the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds squaring off, while the No. 9 and No. 10 seeds face each other, where the higher seeds host each game. The loser of the 7 vs. 8 game hosts the winner of the 9 vs. 10 game, where the victor of that win-or-go-home game earns the No. 8 seed in the conference’s playoffs.

It will help some teams. The Washington Wizards, for example, have soared in recent weeks and climbing up the standings. All they needed to do was get to No. 10, while in any other year, the trek to No. 8 in the conference might have been daunting.

The play-in tournament has had some trickle-down effects, too. Ainge noted at the trade deadline more teams were holding onto assets because they were still technically in the playoff race. That breeds competition; not too many teams are openly tanking this season.

“It’s good that it keeps everybody involved,” Ainge said. “There’s also teams that get hurt during the course of the regular season, it keeps them alive for the postseason. Built up to make it so you have to play in, but at least it keeps you alive. I think that there are some good things about the play-in tournament. I prefer the older way, but this is what we’re dealt with and we have to make the most of it.”

IN AN OTHERWISE forgettable fourth quarter during Wednesday’s 132-96 win over Orlando, Boston center Tacko Fall seemingly put up a highlight by himself. The 7-foot-5 Fall was matched up with the 7-foot Mo Bomba, setting up a clash of giants in the paint.

Fall got the better of Bamba on a particular isolation play. Fall pump-faked a few times before getting Bamba on a fake, ultimately laying up the ball for two points after an up-and-under move. Fall finished his five minutes with two points, three rebounds and four blocks.

“That was a great move,” Kemba Walker said of Fall. “I mean, he hit him with a little move outside, got in the paint, up and under. It was super smooth. He works on that stuff all the time, so it was good to see him do it in a game.”

JAYLEN BROWN is unlikely to be available for Friday’s game at Chicago, according to Ainge. Brown, who’s nursing a sprained ankle, is likely return Sunday against the Miami Heat.

Stevens said Wednesday there was an outside chance Brown made the trip to Chicago, but that won’t be the case any longer. The Celtics have a crucial two-game set on May 9 and 11 against the Heat that will impact playoff positioning for both teams.

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