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0 One excellent feature of the NBA and commissioner David Stern is that they repair mistakes with their video game. Case in point– in 2003 the NBA changed the preliminary of the playoffs from a best-of-five video game series to a best-of-seven to help make sure that the better group advances. That’s why it’s mind boggling to wonder why they will not change the playoff format to represent debacles like this season.
If a non-sports fan took a quick check at the 2006 Western Conference Standings and then the Playoff bracket, they would scratch their heads in shock. The Dallas Mavericks had the 2nd best record in the conference at 60-22, 3 games behind conference leading San Antonio. The Denver Nuggets were 44-38, 19 games behind San Antonio. Come playoff time the Nuggets were the # 3 seed while the Mavericks were the # 4 seed. All due to the fact that Dallas occurs to play in the exact same department as San Antonio and the leading three seeds HAVE TO be division winners. So now Dallas and San Antonio are fulfilling in the 2nd round of the playoffs instead of the Western Conference Championship, where the 2 best teams ought to be conference.
To include to the mayhem, the # 6 seeded LA Clippers had a better record than the # 3 seed Nuggets. If you are going to reward department winners with the top 3 seeds, shouldn’t you likewise reward them with house court advantage? Or you might just reward the teams with the better record with the home court benefit AND the greater seed!
The # 5 seeded Memphis Grizzlies were playing the # 6 seed Clippers with the loser having the within track to the # 6 seed and home court advantage in the very first round. The Clippers “lost” the game and went on to get the # 6 seed, home court advantage, and a relatively simple win over the Nuggets in the first round.
The NBA can not allow this to occur once again. There must never ever be a video game where it is in each teams finest interest to lose.
The most simple and logical service to this problem is to guarantee each division winner a spot in the playoffs, but then seed the groups based on their records with the greatest seed always having home court. All incorporate record would go to the division winner. This still makes winning the department crucial– it ensures you an area in the playoffs and the upper hand in tie breakers– however likewise guarantees that the best groups get the very best seeds and house court benefit. I liken it to the NCAA Tournament– winning the Big Ten or the ACC does not guarantee you a primary seed, it guarantees you a spot in the tournament.
Here’s what the seeding looked like this year:.
- * San Antonio (63-19).
- * Phoenix (54-28).
- * Denver (44-38).
- Dallas (60-22).
- Memphis (49-33).
- LA Clippers (47-35).
- LA Lakers (45-37).
- Sacramento (44-38).
- Division Winner.
Here’s what it would have looked like in my proposed system:.
- * San Antonio (63-19).
- Dallas (60-22).
- * Phoenix (54-28).
- Memphis (49-33).
- LA Clippers (47-35).
- LA Lakers (45-37).
- * Denver (44-38).
- Sacramento (44-38).
- Division Winner.
Remarkable! The very best teams really have the highest seeds AND have the house court benefit, all while still protecting the importance of winning a division. This would prevent Dallas and San Antonio from playing in the 2nd round, guarantee that Memphis would have house court benefit and not be stuck playing Dallas, and prevent Denver from getting the # 3 seed simply for winning the division … all while keeping the stability of winning a division by providing Denver the # 7 seed over Sacramento for winning their department.
Please, please do the best thing for next season Mr. Stern and embrace a system that is reasonable for every single group. Don’t let this disaster turn into the new BCS. Do what you constantly do– fix what’s wrong.
Come playoff time the Nuggets were the # 3 seed while the Mavericks were the # 4 seed. All since Dallas occurs to play in the very same division as San Antonio and the top 3 seeds HAVE TO be division winners. To add to the turmoil, the # 6 seeded LA Clippers had a better record than the # 3 seed Nuggets. The # 5 seeded Memphis Grizzlies were playing the # 6 seed Clippers with the loser having the within track to the # 6 seed and home court advantage in the first round. The most easy and sensible option to this problem is to guarantee each department winner a spot in the playoffs, however then seed the teams based on their records with the greatest seed constantly having house court.
