NBA is Officially Back (Official Thread)

[TheRealDeal]

I’m sure the NBA will offer voluntary furlough to players who don’t want to risk it, for legal reasons. I wonder how many will decide it’s not worth it? That’s a lot of $ to pass up but most are already set for life

[The Duke]

Raptors Players Permitted to Cross Border into U.S.

https://www.si.com/nba/raptors/news/border-opens-nba-players

They need to allow the Raptors to hold their camp in Orlando directly.

Or in a team facility, where the original team is not going to be invited to the bubble

[Zeno]

Raptors Players Permitted to Cross Border into U.S.

https://www.si.com/nba/raptors/news/border-opens-nba-players

They need to allow the Raptors to hold their camp in Orlando directly.

Or in a team facility, where the original team is not going to be invited to the bubble

Even that would be putting the team at more risk and living in a very transitional way then the rest of the league.

[Kordic27]

o One tournament to win the number one pick/ draft order for non-playoff teams
-I am sure Lillard would play in that tournament to reinforce his team. (if he is about winning)
-without that, I understand the Lillards, the Currys and others..no point of playing if there is no pathway to the playoffs

o and the main tournament to decide the Champion/playoffs

Ive heard but never understood this argument... the winner of the tournament gets the #1 pick? Is that doing the exact opposite of what the league wants to accomplish with the draft?

[ash_k]

o One tournament to win the number one pick/ draft order for non-playoff teams
-I am sure Lillard would play in that tournament to reinforce his team. (if he is about winning)
-without that, I understand the Lillards, the Currys and others..no point of playing if there is no pathway to the playoffs

o and the main tournament to decide the Champion/playoffs

Ive heard but never understood this argument... the winner of the tournament gets the #1 pick? Is that doing the exact opposite of what the league wants to accomplish with the draft?

GSW and Cleveland have no reason to show up if there is no path to the playoffs. plus they are seating pretty waiting for High Draft lottery pick results. GSW could package that pick and Wiggins for ....... GSW have no reason to play at this point.
Now just imagine telling those non-playoff teams that you could win the number one pick (or top4 via semi-final) by winning the tournament. Imagine what winning the number pick (or top4 via semi-final) could to Portland, NO, Wizards over night . Just saying, it feels like the only incentive that could work for those kind of teams.

[mademan]

With the 4 best teams being, in order, Bucks, Lakers, Raps, Clips, it opens up the possibility for Silver to do what he wants; to have an all LA finals. Bucks and Clips are gonna be in 1 bracket and Lakers/Raps are almost certainly gonna be in the other, regardless if its group play or 1-16

[tecumseh18]

With the 4 best teams being, in order, Bucks, Lakers, Raps, Clips, it opens up the possibility for Silver to do what he wants; to have an all LA finals. Bucks and Clips are gonna be in 1 bracket and Lakers/Raps are almost certainly gonna be in the other, regardless if its group play or 1-16

Don't blame them. Clippers-Lakers would be a pretty awesome finals. Too bad it's going to be Raps/Bucks.

But there will be many great story lines before the Finals. Can't wait to see Zion and Morant in action, fighting to get their teams to through the round-robin the quarterfinals. That's such an obvious attraction that the NBA can't pass up the opportunity. These guys know how to sell a product.

By the time this is done, there will be no talk of asterisks.

[Cobra Kawhi]

So where are we with playoffs? I really don't want group formats...The 1-16 is just a method to get a lakers clippers finals

[Randle McMurphy]

So where are we with playoffs? I really don't want group formats...The 1-16 is just a method to get a lakers clippers finals

Group formats would reduce the value of the regular season and randomize the final results. Considering we're one of the top teams in the NBA, we don't want that.

The 1-16 would help the Raptors due to still playing a trash Grizzlies team in R1 and also avoiding the best team in the NBA until the Finals (the Bucks). If there's any change (and there will be, as the NBA wants to find some way to get the overrated Zion in the playoffs), I'll be hoping for that.

[Cobra Kawhi]

So where are we with playoffs? I really don't want group formats...The 1-16 is just a method to get a lakers clippers finals

Group formats would reduce the value of the regular season and randomize the final results. Considering we're one of the top teams in the NBA, we don't want that.

The 1-16 would help the Raptors due to still playing a trash Grizzlies team in R1 and also avoiding the best team in the NBA until the Finals (the Bucks). If there's any change (and there will be, as the NBA wants to find some way to get the overrated Zion in the playoffs), I'll be hoping for that.

Thanks for that

Yea delegitimizing the regular season would REALLY piss me off. All that work to build a 46-18 record down the drain.

[Randle McMurphy]

So where are we with playoffs? I really don't want group formats...The 1-16 is just a method to get a lakers clippers finals

Group formats would reduce the value of the regular season and randomize the final results. Considering we're one of the top teams in the NBA, we don't want that.

The 1-16 would help the Raptors due to still playing a trash Grizzlies team in R1 and also avoiding the best team in the NBA until the Finals (the Bucks). If there's any change (and there will be, as the NBA wants to find some way to get the overrated Zion in the playoffs), I'll be hoping for that.

Thanks for that

Yea delegitimizing the regular season would REALLY piss me off. All that work to build a 46-18 record down the drain.

Reducing 60+ games into a 6 game round-robin after a 4+month layoff to get into the playoffs has to be one of the dumber ideas the NBA has ever had and is a sure way to get an undeserving champion, but most of the non-elite teams would be in favour of it (which is probably why it has been discussed as much as it has).

[Raptorfan2012]

Group formats would reduce the value of the regular season and randomize the final results. Considering we're one of the top teams in the NBA, we don't want that.

The 1-16 would help the Raptors due to still playing a trash Grizzlies team in R1 and also avoiding the best team in the NBA until the Finals (the Bucks). If there's any change (and there will be, as the NBA wants to find some way to get the overrated Zion in the playoffs), I'll be hoping for that.

Thanks for that

Yea delegitimizing the regular season would REALLY piss me off. All that work to build a 46-18 record down the drain.

Reducing 60+ games into a 6 game round-robin after a 4+month layoff to get into the playoffs has to be one of the dumber ideas the NBA has ever had and is a sure way to get an undeserving champion, but most of the non-elite teams would be in favour of it (which is probably why it has been discussed as much as it has).

Slap in the face for teams like the Raptors, so you know the League is thinking about it

[Dr Positivity]

If the NBA wants 20 teams so Lillard and Zion are in, I think the move is have the top 6 get in, then have the others face off in a best of 3 or so.

Play-in single elimination game: Pelicans vs Kings - they have the same record, and NBA gets an extra Zion game.

Best of 3:
Brooklyn vs Charlotte
Orlando vs Washington

Dallas vs New Orleans/Sacramento
Memphis vs Portland

East ones go on NBA TV. West have pretty nice starpower with Doncic, Zion, Ja and Lillard.

[OakleyDokely]

Group formats would reduce the value of the regular season and randomize the final results. Considering we're one of the top teams in the NBA, we don't want that.

The 1-16 would help the Raptors due to still playing a trash Grizzlies team in R1 and also avoiding the best team in the NBA until the Finals (the Bucks). If there's any change (and there will be, as the NBA wants to find some way to get the overrated Zion in the playoffs), I'll be hoping for that.

Thanks for that

Yea delegitimizing the regular season would REALLY piss me off. All that work to build a 46-18 record down the drain.

Reducing 60+ games into a 6 game round-robin after a 4+month layoff to get into the playoffs has to be one of the dumber ideas the NBA has ever had and is a sure way to get an undeserving champion, but most of the non-elite teams would be in favour of it (which is probably why it has been discussed as much as it has).

How is that much different than the 7 game round robin that we have now though?

A team with 60 regular season wins could lose to a team with only 45 wins in a 7 game series, making the regular season results worthless.

If you want to determine a champion off a big sample size, you play a balanced regular season schedule and award the team with the most wins after the regular season the champ like they do in most top soccer leagues.

[Dr Positivity]

With the 4 best teams being, in order, Bucks, Lakers, Raps, Clips, it opens up the possibility for Silver to do what he wants; to have an all LA finals. Bucks and Clips are gonna be in 1 bracket and Lakers/Raps are almost certainly gonna be in the other, regardless if its group play or 1-16

Yea but it also opens up the possibility of no LA team in the finals, while if he goes by conferences they're virtually guaranteed one. Does Silver like to live dangerously?

[Randle McMurphy]

Thanks for that

Yea delegitimizing the regular season would REALLY piss me off. All that work to build a 46-18 record down the drain.

Reducing 60+ games into a 6 game round-robin after a 4+month layoff to get into the playoffs has to be one of the dumber ideas the NBA has ever had and is a sure way to get an undeserving champion, but most of the non-elite teams would be in favour of it (which is probably why it has been discussed as much as it has).

How is that much different than the 7 game round robin that we have now though?

A team with 60 regular season wins could lose to a team with only 45 wins in a 7 game series, making the regular season results worthless.

If you want to determine a champion off a big sample size, you play a balanced regular season schedule and award the team with the most wins after the regular season the champ like they do in most top soccer leagues.

Playing a mediocre team in a best of 7 (95%+ chance of advancement historically) is significantly different than playing a round robin against two other good teams and a mediocre one. All it would take is one or two bad games for an elite team (like, say, the Raptors game 1 against Orlando last year) and they'd be out, which is not the situation right now. There would be no margin for error at all.

[WuTang_CMB]

Bill Simmons and Kevin O'Connor was saying they were hearing a FIFA Group Stage tourney. I hate the idea. Puts zero value on the season. I still think you reward what teams have done up until this point.

I think you guarantee the top 16 for the playoffs.

You take the remaining 8 teams and have them do a play in tournament. Take the two winners from there.

Now you have your final 18 teams for the Bracket Style Tournament.

- 4 Friendly games for each team (random opponents)
- Tournament starts (LAkers and Bucks get bye in first round)
- best of 7 each series

I dont know ... much better than the Group stage crap... and i love the world cup .. just dont think that works here .. ur basically throwing out the regular season rankings

[OakleyDokely]

Reducing 60+ games into a 6 game round-robin after a 4+month layoff to get into the playoffs has to be one of the dumber ideas the NBA has ever had and is a sure way to get an undeserving champion, but most of the non-elite teams would be in favour of it (which is probably why it has been discussed as much as it has).

How is that much different than the 7 game round robin that we have now though?

A team with 60 regular season wins could lose to a team with only 45 wins in a 7 game series, making the regular season results worthless.

If you want to determine a champion off a big sample size, you play a balanced regular season schedule and award the team with the most wins after the regular season the champ like they do in most top soccer leagues.

Playing a mediocre team in a best of 7 (95%+ chance of advancement historically) is significantly different than playing a round robin against two other good teams and a mediocre one. All it would take is one or two bad games for an elite team (like, say, the Raptors game 1 against Orlando last year) and they'd be out, which is not the situation right now. There would be no margin for error at all.

Top teams like MIL really shouldn't have much problem finishing top 2 in a group of 5. If they can't manage that, they weren't going very far anyways. If all the top teams are separated from one another (which they will be), they will be playing almost all their games against mid to lower tier teams.

[Randle McMurphy]

Top teams like MIL really shouldn't have much problem finishing top 2 in a group of 5.

Depends on how many games there are. If you're only playing every team once or twice, there's every chance the Bucks could lose a surprise game or two and get knocked right out of there. It would be a major difference from the current format where top teams are allowed multiple stinkers (four to be exact).

I'd be more accepting of it once such randomization benefits the Raptors (although for the integrity of the league, I hope they never change it), but that isn't right now.

[OakleyDokely]

Top teams like MIL really shouldn't have much problem finishing top 2 in a group of 5.

Depends on how many games there are. If you're only playing every team once or twice, there's every chance the Bucks could lose a surprise game or two and get knocked right out of there. It would be a major difference from the current format where top teams are allowed multiple stinkers (four to be exact).

I think the proposal is 8 games, x2 vs every team.

You wont get knocked out by losing one or even two games. My guess is 6 wins out of 8 will get you through. In some groups, 5 might be enough.

You can give the higher seeds an advantage by giving them the tiebreaker if there's a tie.