It's a manufactured race, not a real postseason race. If they let 24 teams in and the Brewers sit 15 games below .500 but only one game out, is that a good race? During the best system they would be 6 games back of the division and postseason in a bad division right now. You would not be particularly happy with that.
Comparing it to the Herb Kohl Bucks is pretty accurate as the NBA system is awful and nobody cares about making the last couple playoff spots.