Apr 28, 2008
As people watch the NBA playoffs this year, many of them are asking the same question…Golden State didn’t make the playoffs and they had how many wins? The Hawks made the playoffs with how many wins? The answers to those questions are 48 and 37 respectively. Seem unfair? fear not loyal basketball fans, the NBA hears your complaint and is going to do something about it! Well, sort of. From ESPN,
…NBA officials are pledging to consider changes to the playoff format — ranging from small to radical — that could be implemented in time for next season’s playoffs.
But the most likely scenario, according to various league sources, is no change to the current format.
NBA commissioner David Stern echoed that view Friday night when speaking to reporters in Philadelphia before the 76ers played Detroit, saying: “Although I think it’s unlikely anything will happen, I think we’re going to explore it fully.”
Potential playoff changes include, re-seeding after each series is over or allowing the best 16 teams into the playoffs regardless of conference. The likely problems include being able to work with the NBA’s television partners (i.e. ESPN & TNT) if a “re-seeding” format occurred, and the obvious gripes that the Eastern Conference would have if only the best 16 teams were taken (because half of the eastern conference would never make the playoffs)
So…it seems unlikely that we’ll see a new playoff format anytime soon, but a better question is, “Do we need a new playoff format?” I think the answer to that question is a resounding “Yes”. The NBA has always been built individual star-power moreso than fundamental team basketball. Therefore, it would seemingly behoove the NBA to include as many exciting superstars in the playoffs as possible. Now, I’m not specifically saying that the Hawks shouldn’t be in the playoffs and the Warriors should (especially when the Hawks just beat the C’s to tie the series at 2), but it does seem unfair and not necessarily profitable to exclude Baron Davis and the run n’ gun team which seemingly brought the most excitement to last years’ playoffs, especially when the NBA is struggling with their Post-season broadcast ratings.
ESPN: While ‘unlikely’, NBA to discuss possible changes to playoff format
One comment
They have to do something as the inbalance in the league has been in existence for several years now and the salary cap is so restrictive teams find it extremely difficult to get better fast. That’s part of the problem now. The Celtics were a fluke situation that presented itself due to Boston burning their franchise to the ground and, at that, as great as they were this year how many more years will they be able to say that? It’s a big image problem the league has with teams with 50 wins not making the post-season while teams under .500 are.