Here is how I would fix the NBA playoffs

[Big Z 1990]

Yes, I would put the top 16 teams regardless conference in, but it doesn't stop there.

I would also keep the playoffs nominally conference-based.

So that if one conference has 9 or more teams in the top 16, the conference with the surplus sends its surplus teams to the other conference's playoffs.

Right now, under my proposed format, the LA Clippers would qualify as the 8th seed in the East over Miami.

And then I would implement re-seeding after the Conference Quarterfinals.

So, the playoff berths not awarded to division winners officially become designated as "Wild Card" berths. Whether one earns a "Wild Card" berth in their own conference or in the opposite conference would depend on where they place in their own conference (i.e. Clippers are an Eastern Conference Wild Card, while Spurs are a Western Conference Wild Card).

 

[bksballer89]

I would leave it as is......

 

[msgkings322]

I would leave it as is......

Yeah what's wrong with them now? And what's the point of letting some mediocre team in the West into the playoffs over some other mediocre team in the East so they can get killed in the first round?

 

[bksballer89]

Yeah what's wrong with them now? And what's the point of letting some mediocre team in the West into the playoffs over some other mediocre team in the East so they can get killed in the first round?

I get the Warriors are great but I don't get why people think the west is soooo much better than the East?

Really not a major difference IMO. In the East, you have 9 teams in the playoffs race. In the west you have 10 teams.

 

[Mecca]

Fuck that.

Cavs, Rockers, Warriors...

Clippers still are in the role of lamb led to slaughter.

I'd rather miss and get a lottery pick.

 

[Big Z 1990]

Sometimes there can be a huge difference in the quality of teams from one conference that would be otherwise left out and teams from the other conference that actually get in.

In 2014 a 48-win Suns team missed the playoffs in the West while a 38-win Hawks team made it in the East.

Had my system been in place, the Suns would have been the 4th seed in the East (according to tie-breakers that I would implement) and the Hawks would have missed the playoffs.

Going further back to 2008, the Hawks were beneficiaries of a flawed system then too, they won only 37 games but snuck in as the 8th seed in the East while a 48-win Warriors team was left out (the Warriors bounced back from this disappointment as you may know and are now one of the top teams in the league, having won 2 of the past 3 Finals; the one they didn't win was the first title for any Cleveland team in 52 years; ironically enough another Cleveland team, the Browns, has yet to bounce back from a similar disappointment that happened at the same time - in 2007 they won 10 games but still missed the playoffs, they have had 10 straight losing seasons since then [culminating in 0-16 last year], something I cite as a reason for the NFL to expand their postseason).

 

[Mecca]

I get the Warriors are great but I don't get why people think the west is soooo much better than the East?

Really not a major difference IMO. In the East, you have 9 teams in the playoffs race. In the west you have 10 teams.

Yeah, this is not the WNBA.

They revamped the playoff seedings out of necessity and it works really well because the two teams that were head and shoulders above the rest, consistently played each other in the WCF.

Add in the fact that the league is in dire straits and they had to do something to drum up interest.

That's not the case in the NBA.

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

LeBron on reseeding: 'Let's not get too crazy'

A bit off topic, but I think this story confirms that Lebron will stay in the east to build his legacy as long as they don’t change the playoffs. I hope they do though, because the Cavs would get annihilated by some western team early on.

 

[Shanemansj13]

LeBron on reseeding: 'Let's not get too crazy'

A bit off topic, but I think this story confirms that Lebron will stay in the east to build his legacy as long as they don’t change the playoffs. I hope they do though, because the Cavs would get annihilated by some western team early on.

Annihilated? Lets not get too carried away here

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

Annihilated? Lets not get too carried away here

He wouldn’t make the finals again unless he switched teams to an already stacked team. I guess losing 4-1 to the rockets or thunder wouldn’t be an annhilitation.

 

[Tapey]

Whats wrong with the current format?

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I think the playoffs is fine the way they are - they have fixed it so that the top eight teams from each conference gets in - that's more teams then the number that gets to play in the NFL or MLB and most likely the NHL which I don't follow. The truth is the top two teams from each conference are really the only teams that deserve to be in the playoffs any way - and at the best the top three teams or four teams at the best. An 8th seeded team really has not earned the right to be called an NBA champion

 

[handicappers]

I think the playoffs is fine the way they are - they have fixed it so that the top eight teams from each conference gets in - that's more teams then the number that gets to play in the NFL or MLB and most likely the NHL which I don't follow. The truth is the top two teams from each conference are really the only teams that deserve to be in the playoffs any way - and at the best the top three teams or four teams at the best. An 8th seeded team really has not earned the right to be called an NBA champion

wrong

 

[Sparhawk]

In my mind, no problems with 8 teams from each conference making the playoffs.

But, let's try something interesting.

The team with the best record overall should get to select their opponent (from 2-16).
Then the team with the 2nd best record (unless the #1 team chose them!) chooses their opponent.
So on and so forth. The 7th best record chooses from the three remaining teams and the last two teams play each other.

This could then be televised.
Brings another element of strategy.

In theory, you could do this for the first three rounds.

 

[flyerhawk]

I didn't realize this was such a huge problem.

 

[larryjohn]

Bill Simmons is annoying ... but he has an interesting idea for playoffs.

The basic idea is the first round (and sometimes the 2nd one) is boring and pretty useless.

His idea -- is keep top 14 seeds like they are. (ignore conferences) Then have a single elimination playoff with other teams (all who aren't in top 14) for the last 2 spots. (which would last about 1 week) The winner of this playoff would get an added bonus of something like a better draft pick (or maybe add 1 pick -- they get top pick of 2nd round) ... and maybe a $5M trade exception. (or something that makes winning this really important)

Then regular playoffs happen.

There are variants. Cut regular season to 74 games. Give the top 2 seeds their choice of who they play in the first round. (from selection of any of the other 14 playoff teams) Change first round to 5 games.

The general idea is that the "playoff to make the playoff" would be 'must watch' TV ... much more interesting than the normal first round. (although that could end up to be boring -- which is why moving it to 5 game playoff would help)

 

[trojanfan12]

I get the Warriors are great but I don't get why people think the west is soooo much better than the East?

Really not a major difference IMO. In the East, you have 9 teams in the playoffs race. In the west you have 10 teams.

It's about the top of each conference. The middle and bottom of the 2 conferences are about the same, but the gap between the top of the West and the top of the East is huge.

If the playoffs started today and we just went with 16 teams without regard to conference the top 8 would be.

1. Rockets
2. Warriors
3. Raptors
4. Celtics
5. Spurs
6. Minny
7. Cavs
8. OKC

And most consider the Cavs the favorites to come out of the East.

So, you have 5 of the top 8 from the West. The highest seeded EC team is the Raptors at #3 and the current 7 seed in that format is actually the favorite to come out of the East in the current format.

That's why the East is considered so much worse, imo.

 

[bksballer89]

It's about the top of each conference. The middle and bottom of the 2 conferences are about the same, but the gap between the top of the West and the top of the East is huge.

If the playoffs started today and we just went with 16 teams without regard to conference the top 8 would be.

1. Rockets
2. Warriors
3. Raptors
4. Celtics
5. Spurs
6. Minny
7. Cavs
8. OKC

And most consider the Cavs the favorites to come out of the East.

So, you have 5 of the top 8 from the West. The highest seeded EC team is the Raptors at #3 and the current 7 seed in that format is actually the favorite to come out of the East in the current format.

That's why the East is considered so much worse, imo.

You're basing this on record or personal opinion? If it is by record then this incorrect. Both the wizards and pacers are currently better than okc record wise.

 

[trojanfan12]

You're basing this on record or personal opinion? If it is by record then this incorrect. Both the wizards and pacers are currently better than okc record wise.

More personal opinion and I missed that when I first started the post. Meant to go back and delete the "right now" part. Didn't catch that I hadn't until reading your post. That's what I get for the wake and bake. lol

Imo, that's what the top 8 will look like by the end of the season. Maybe not in that specific order, but that's who I think it'll be.

 

[bksballer89]

More personal opinion and I missed that when I first started the post. Meant to go back and delete the "right now" part. Didn't catch that I hadn't until reading your post. That's what I get for the wake and bake. lol

Imo, that's what the top 8 will look like by the end of the season. Maybe not in that specific order, but that's who I think it'll be.

I just think after the Warriors & Rockets the 2 conferences are pretty close 3-9 when it comes to records.

Most shocking thing I saw when comparing teams from the west record vs the east & vice versa is that the T-Wolves are 9-15 vs the East