Division Winners no longer guaranteed top 4 spot

[gordontrue]

IMO, if they're going to take away all reward for winning division... they should just toss divisions and balance the schedule for each conference.

The teams in the toughest divisions suffer with this rule (southwest). They will play more games against good teams, fewer games against awful teams.... and yet everyone's W-L is being treated equally.

 

[Demonjoe93]

Makes scheduling easier is my assumption. Scheduling gets a little more complicated without divisions

I suppose that makes sense. You know which teams you'll always play four times a year.

 

[trojanfan12]

I heard a question on a sportstalk show that was both interesting and funny. If you're a team like the Clippers, who hang division championship banners, do you take them down? Do you no longer hang them if you win your division?

What if you win your division, but miss the playoffs? Do you still hang a division championship banner?

 

[bksballer89]

I heard a question on a sportstalk show that was both interesting and funny. If you're a team like the Clippers, who hang division championship banners, do you take them down? Do you no longer hang them if you win your division?

What if you win your division, but miss the playoffs? Do you still hang a division championship banner?

Really no purpose in hanging banners for this anymore unless you're a shitty franchise

 

[PhilSimms11]

I'm confused. I've read multiple articles that said division winners are no longer guaranteed top-4 seeds. That tells me that division winners get a spot, but could be seeded #8. I've also read that they are now strictly going by the top-8 teams regardless of division title; meaning you could win your division and be a DNQ. Which is it? I thought it was the former.

 

[PhilSimms11]

The 2005-06 Nuggets (44-38, #8) and the 2006-07 Heat (44-38, #5) are the closest I've seen a team(s) that won a division missing the playoffs in the 3-division format--that is if division winners are not guaranteed playoff spots. Simply put, a division winner missing the playoffs is not likely to happen.

 

[bksballer89]

The 2005-06 Nuggets (44-38, #8) and the 2006-07 Heat (44-38, #5) are the closest I've seen a team(s) that won a division missing the playoffs in the 3-division format--that is if division winners are not guaranteed playoff spots. Simply put, a division winner missing the playoffs is not likely to happen.

Yeah very unlikely for sure

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Awful move, got to be given something for winning your division. Only way this works is if they go to top 16 teams by record making the playoffs.

I disagree - try playing some fantasy basketball sometime and see how it feels when some one else in a weaker division and a better record than you gets to be in the playoffs and you're screwed merely because you're in the division with the three best teams in the league - This move was the best move they have made in the last 50 years