Here is how I would fix the NBA playoffs

[podsox]

I think best thing for everyone is if the draft lottery gave every lottery team 1 ping pong ball. No point to teams putting together crap teams and tanking.

 

[trojanfan12]

Agree, when the East had the better teams, I don't recall playoff complaints. I don't know why people want to fix whats not broken.

I remember playoff complaints. I don't remember there being a call for re-seeding or getting rid of conferences like we have now. But I remember that, for example, there were complaints that the Showtime Lakers had an easier path to the finals in the 80's because the West was considered the weaker conference.

Of course, social media didn't exist back then, so it wasn't discussed nearly as much as it is now.

 

[trojanfan12]

I think best thing for everyone is if the draft lottery gave every lottery team 1 ping pong ball. No point to teams putting together crap teams and tanking.

Either that, or just go back to the worst picking first method and go with Dan Patrick's idea of saying...you can tank, but you must cut ticket, parking and concession prices every season that you choose to tank.

 

[tlance]

I think best thing for everyone is if the draft lottery gave every lottery team 1 ping pong ball. No point to teams putting together crap teams and tanking.

Terrible idea.

Imagine the Warriors winning the lottery?

Tanking will always be a thing in the NBA because 1 franchise superstar means everything. The lottery doesn't deter teams from tanking. Eliminate it.

As for the playoffs?

The problem is that the best 2 teams don't always meet in the Finals. Plans focused on generating more interest in early rounds won't work, because all those early round teams are irrelevant anyway.

 

[msgkings322]

Terrible idea.

Imagine the Warriors winning the lottery?

Tanking will always be a thing in the NBA because 1 franchise superstar means everything. The lottery doesn't deter teams from tanking. Eliminate it.

As for the playoffs?

The problem is that the best 2 teams don't always meet in the Finals. Plans focused on generating more interest in early rounds won't work, because all those early round teams are irrelevant anyway.

You may not realize this but you are agreeing with his post. He said 'lottery teams' get 1 ball each so playoff teams like the Warriors wouldn't. And he's also saying eliminate the lottery. When everyone gets one ball (has an even chance to get the first pick) the incentive to tank is gone. If you just go to a NFL system of worst team gets first pick then tanking would REALLY be a thing.

 

[tlance]

You may not realize this but you are agreeing with his post. He said 'lottery teams' get 1 ball each so playoff teams like the Warriors wouldn't. And he's also saying eliminate the lottery. When everyone gets one ball (has an even chance to get the first pick) the incentive to tank is gone. If you just go to a NFL system of worst team gets first pick then tanking would REALLY be a thing.

Missed the lottery part.

Still though, lotto doesn't work. If that were the system, teams would be tanking to miss the playoffs. Almost all 6-8 seeds have no chance anyway.

 

[msgkings322]

Missed the lottery part.

Still though, lotto doesn't work. If that were the system, teams would be tanking to miss the playoffs. Almost all 6-8 seeds have no chance anyway.

Well, they can't all miss the playoffs, that seems extreme.

 

[tlance]

Well, they can't all miss the playoffs, that seems extreme.

But you best believe some would try.

Would you rather be a first round speed bump for a legit contender, or have a 1/14 shot at landing the top pick?

Changing the lottery only changes who tanks. Unless it isn't based on record at all, somebody will tank. It does not work and should be scrapped. Worst team gets first pick.

 

[msgkings322]

But you best believe some would try.

Would you rather be a first round speed bump for a legit contender, or have a 1/14 shot at landing the top pick?

Changing the lottery only changes who tanks. Unless it isn't based on record at all, somebody will tank. It does not work and should be scrapped. Worst team gets first pick.

How does that help tanking?

 

[tlance]

How does that help tanking?

It wouldn't.

The point is that short of penalizing bad teams, nothing will. People make far too much of this. Tanking has always been a thing since at least the early 80s. People need to stop pretending that there is a way to fix it.

In the interest of parity, bad teams should have the best chance to draft the best prospects. The gap between the best and worst teams in the NBA is and always has been immense. You need stars to win. Teams that don't have them will do what they need to to get them.

 

[trojanfan12]

On tanking...Tanking is always going to be a thing, no matter how they determine draft order.

If it's worst to first, teams will tank to try to have the worst record.

If it's a lottery, teams will tank to collect as many ping pong balls as possible.

If it's every lottery team gets one ping pong ball. teams will tank to miss the playoffs because a 1 in 14 chance is better than no chance at all.

I like Dan Patrick's idea of accepting the tanking, but teams that are doing it have to slash ticket, concession and parking prices in seasons that they do it.

Another interesting idea that I heard a guy on sports talk radio float out there yesterday...

Take the 14 lottery teams, seed them 1-14 and have them play a March Madness style one and done tournament and the picks go in order of finish (Winner gets 1st pick, runner-up 2nd pick, etc...). He said that you have a one and done tournament rather than a series because it gives the lower seeded team a better chance at the upset. Says it would curtail tanking because teams would be looking to play their best basketball going into the tournament.

Don't know if it's that good of an idea, but it's the most fun idea I've seen.

 

[tlance]

On tanking...Tanking is always going to be a thing, no matter how they determine draft order.

If it's worst to first, teams will tank to try to have the worst record.

If it's a lottery, teams will tank to collect as many ping pong balls as possible.

If it's every lottery team gets one ping pong ball. teams will tank to miss the playoffs because a 1 in 14 chance is better than no chance at all.

I like Dan Patrick's idea of accepting the tanking, but teams that are doing it have to slash ticket, concession and parking prices in seasons that they do it.

Another interesting idea that I heard a guy on sports talk radio float out there yesterday...

Take the 14 lottery teams, seed them 1-14 and have them play a March Madness style one and done tournament and the picks go in order of finish (Winner gets 1st pick, runner-up 2nd pick, etc...). He said that you have a one and done tournament rather than a series because it gives the lower seeded team a better chance at the upset. Says it would curtail tanking because teams would be looking to play their best basketball going into the tournament.

Don't know if it's that good of an idea, but it's the most fun idea I've seen.

Major flaws in that one too.

First, teams like NOLA would be incentivized to shut Davis down, miss the playoffs and go for the tournament win. Second, what about the teams like the Lakers and Nets who traded their picks away? That would really suck for the team that acquired the pick, as the Nets and Lakers would have no reason to play well.

 

[trojanfan12]

Major flaws in that one too.

First, teams like NOLA would be incentivized to shut Davis down, miss the playoffs and go for the tournament win. Second, what about the teams like the Lakers and Nets who traded their picks away? That would really suck for the team that acquired the pick, as the Nets and Lakers would have no reason to play well.

Those were my thoughts. In fact, my first thought when he said it was "What about a team like the Lakers who have no pick?" Although they do have the Cavs pick now.

Which brings another question...does that pick remain based on the Cavs record or become a lottery pick?

That's why I said I'm not sure it's a good idea, but it's definitely the most fun idea. Gotta at least give it that. lol

 

[tlance]

Those were my thoughts. In fact, my first thought when he said it was "What about a team like the Lakers who have no pick?" Although they do have the Cavs pick now.

Which brings another question...does that pick remain based on the Cavs record or become a lottery pick?

That's why I said I'm not sure it's a good idea, but it's definitely the most fun idea. Gotta at least give it that. lol

Or, do the Cavs get to play in the tournament?

 

[trojanfan12]

Or, do the Cavs get to play in the tournament?

 

[larryjohn]

Those were my thoughts. In fact, my first thought when he said it was "What about a team like the Lakers who have no pick?" Although they do have the Cavs pick now.
Which brings another question...does that pick remain based on the Cavs record or become a lottery pick?
That's why I said I'm not sure it's a good idea, but it's definitely the most fun idea. Gotta at least give it that. lol

It could be a "new pick" -- e.g., the first pick in the 2nd round.

 

[podsox]

Terrible idea.

Imagine the Warriors winning the lottery?

Tanking will always be a thing in the NBA because 1 franchise superstar means everything. The lottery doesn't deter teams from tanking. Eliminate it.

As for the playoffs?

The problem is that the best 2 teams don't always meet in the Finals. Plans focused on generating more interest in early rounds won't work, because all those early round teams are irrelevant anyway.

Warriors wouldn't be in the lottery. Only teams in the lottery (teams that don't make the playoffs)

 

[tlance]

Warriors wouldn't be in the lottery. Only teams in the lottery (teams that don't make the playoffs)

Yeah, missed that.

Still, doesn't stop tanking, just changes the teams that would tank.

 

[SoCalWizFan]

Of course the odds increase for EACH team that makes the playoffs when the format is deigned to advance the TOP TEAMS only. Part of the reason for the imbalance is because teams with lesser records are making the playoffs while teams with better records miss the playoffs solely because of their geographic location. And who with a functioning brain would think with that type of system in place we would see competitive series?

Let's not forget why they are even considering the change in the first place - to attract and/or keep viewership. We don't know what that looks like in terms of the new system because they haven't proposed ANYTHING at this point. But one would have to think that would mean they're looking for more competitive series throughout ALL the rounds. They can't change the order in which the teams meet, such as 1 vs. 8 because if 8 plays 7 what is left for the final round? So, what is the alternative? To find a way to get better competition into the playoffs.

Finally, we've seen more than a few teams compete very well against GS. To your point about 1-8 seeds of both conferences being very close only proves our point about the series being more competitive if ONLY the teams with the top records make it into the post season. With a top 16 team playoffs it would eliminate people being able to predict who will make it to the Finals & tune out until then - which is the point anyway.

Ok - again name me any system where a team besides the Warriors, Rockets, Cavs & perhaps Raptors/Celtics are not in the finals. Don't confuse teams being competitive w/ the Warriors in the regular season w/ how this will unfold during the playoffs. We have seen that when the Warriors are engaged they can blow away just about anyone.

Don't get caught up in say a random win by the Thunder or similar - this won't translate into extended success in multiple 7 game series in the playoffs. The playoffs are a completely different animal. The playoff system or seeding is not the issue. The issue (if you want to call it that) is that that there are 3-4 teams in the NBA that are just flat out much better than the rest of the league & no playoff system is going to change that.

 

[bksballer89]

Ok - again name me any system where a team besides the Warriors, Rockets, Cavs & perhaps Raptors/Celtics are not in the finals. Don't confuse teams being competitive w/ the Warriors in the regular season w/ how this will unfold during the playoffs. We have seen that when the Warriors are engaged they can blow away just about anyone.

Don't get caught up in say a random win by the Thunder or similar - this won't translate into extended success in multiple 7 game series in the playoffs. The playoffs are a completely different animal. The playoff system or seeding is not the issue. The issue (if you want to call it that) is that that there are 3-4 teams in the NBA that are just flat out much better than the rest of the league & no playoff system is going to change that.

Thunder would have a higher chance of making the finals than the celtics or raptors in this format