If The Playoffs Format Was Top 16 In The NBA

J-Mezzy · Post #1 » by **J-Mezzy** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 3:03 pm

If we were to keep our current conference play, but rather than have 8 teams from each conference, we'd have the top 16 play againts each other, 10 teams would be from the Western Conference and 6 from the East.

Celtics
Pistons
Lakers
Spurs
Rockets
Hornets
Suns
Mavs
Jazz
Magic
Warriors
Nuggets
Cavs
Raptors
Blazers
Wizards

Would you rather have this type of format? I know it can't happen because of distance and fairness and all that, just hypothetically, do you think this would lead to a more fun playoffs ?

CelticKing · Post #2 » by **CelticKing** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 3:21 pm

Celtics - Wizards = Celtics
Pistons - Blazers = Pistons
Lakers - Raptors = Lakers
Spurs - Cavs = Spurs
Rockets - Nuggets = Rockets
Hornets - Warriors = Hornets
Suns - Magic = either one

Mavs - Jazz = Mavs

Then you have...

Celtics - Mavs
Pistons - either Suns or Magic
Lakers - Hornets
Spurs - Rockets

I say it would be more fun that it is now. Keep all the bad Eastern teams out, and it will teach them (and their GMs) that they need to build better teams to be able to make the playoffs.

Dtown84 · Post #3 » by **Dtown84** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 3:22 pm

You miscounted (West 10, East 6)

It really doesn't matter to me, aside from the fact that the first round is no longer a bye and the second round might be tougher for the Pistons.

Post #4 » by **King Roosk** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 3:42 pm

I don't think Toronto wants to deal with Kobe Bryant for an entire series.

Jordan45822 · Post #5 » by **Jordan45822** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 3:44 pm

NO keep the East vs West tradition. 8 from each conference. Denver and Portland to bad so sad for you. It would also not be fair for teh East doesn't matter 6-8 are under .500 its not the first teams under .500 make the playoffs

guy1 · Post #6 » by **guy1** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 3:46 pm

I would hate it. First of all, rivalries would take a backseat. You wouldn't see teams play each other for consecutive years as much. Also, it would just be weird, cause a Finals match one year could be a First Round series the next. Imagine the Lakers-Celtics in the Finals this next year, then next year they play in the first round. Another thing is they would need to change the schedule up. Really whats the point of conferences if they do this? They would have to change the schedule where every team plays every other team the same amount of times, instead of having teams play their conference the majority of the time.

I think its fine, but if they want to change anything, just have a trade/free agent committee whose purpose is to monitor any trades/free agent signings from conference to conference. For example, right now, they would basically turn down any trade/free agent signing from East to West that makes the West stronger.

duppyy · Post #7 » by **duppyy** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 4:06 pm

Raps vs Kobe in a 7 game series Kobe will get 100pts.

Post #8 » by **gswhoops** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 4:07 pm

Jordan45822 wrote:Denver and Portland to bad so sad for you. It would also not be fair for teh East doesn't matter 6-8 are under .500 its not the first teams under .500 make the playoffs

Please explain to me, then, the logic of having 37-26 Denver out of the playoffs while having 26-37 Atlanta in the playoffs, just because of geography.

Post #9 » by **CBS7** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 4:36 pm

Even though it would put the Bulls pretty far out of the playoffs, it would be the smart and fair thing to do. However, it will never happen.

Jordan45822 · Post #10 » by **Jordan45822** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 4:47 pm

gswhoops wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

Please explain to me, then, the logic of having 37-26 Denver out of the playoffs while having 26-37 Atlanta in the playoffs, just because of geography.

Easy Denver are the 9th seed in the West and Hawks are the 8th seed in the East. Changing the playoff format would be PATHEITC with a capitial P. People need to live with it. And people to need get off the West Coast bias banwagon crap and respect the East.

Mr. Savage · Post #11 » by **Mr. Savage** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 4:52 pm

gswhoops wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

Please explain to me, then, the logic of having 37-26 Denver out of the playoffs while having 26-37 Atlanta in the playoffs, just because of geography.

thanks.

You can see in football (real football), where there are no conferences there are still more heated rivalries than the people from US could ever imagine.

Real vs Barca
Juve vs Milan
Arsenal vs. ManU

And even in the NBA, the probably most famous rivalry is probably Lakers vs. Celtics and as far as I can remember they aren't any close to each other geographically.

Abolishing conferences and division would be a great thing to do.

Milkdud · Post #12 » by **Milkdud** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 4:53 pm

Jordan45822 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

Easy Denver are the 9th seed in the West and Hawks are the 8th seed in the East. Changing the playoff format would be PATHEITC with a capitial P. People need to live with it. And people to need get off the West Coast bias banwagon crap and respect the East.

maybe people would respect the east if the bottom of there playoff bracket didn't consist of some sorry ass teams. If a team can't even pull off a .500 record they don't have any business being in the playoffs NBA.

Mr. Savage · Post #13 » by **Mr. Savage** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 4:54 pm

Jordan45822 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

Easy Denver are the 9th seed in the West and Hawks are the 8th seed in the East. Changing the playoff format would be PATHEITC with a capitial P. People need to live with it. And people to need get off the West Coast bias banwagon crap and respect the East.

Nice.

We will have Philly in playoffs, who barely get 13,000 people to watch their games, while a team like Portland or Golden State with great fans might be left out.

I don't even know of Philly fans are actually happy with their team being in the playoffs, since they'll be swept anyway. If the format was Top 16, they'd actually have a shot for the 1st pick in the draft.

Use your brain before you actually write.

Post #14 » by **gswhoops** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 4:57 pm

Jordan45822 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

Easy Denver are the 9th seed in the West and Hawks are the 8th seed in the East. Changing the playoff format would be PATHEITC with a capitial P. People need to live with it. And people to need get off the West Coast bias banwagon crap and respect the East.

West Coast Bias? It's simple FACTS (with a capital F).

The West has 10 teams that are over .500. The East has 6. The 8 seed in the West (Golden State) would be the 4th seed in the East. The West is simply stronger, top to bottom, than the East. There's no doubt about it from any rational basketball fan.

Simply put, making the top 16 teams, regardless of conference, compete puts better basketball on the floor. I'd much rather see Denver or Portland (who are good teams that could be competitive in the playoffs) in the post season than see Boston and Detroit get essentially first round byes playing sub-.500 teams. Conversely, it helps the East become more competitive with the West in the long run because more West playoff teams means more East lotto teams, which means more young talent going to the East, which means they can eventually get better.

shrink · Post #15 » by **shrink** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:19 pm

gswhoops wrote: Please explain to me, then, the logic of having 37-26 Denver out of the playoffs while having 26-37 Atlanta in the playoffs, just because of geography.

Jordan45822 wrote: Easy Denver are the 9th seed in the West and Hawks are the 8th seed in the East. Changing the playoff format would be PATHEITC with a capitial P. People need to live with it. And people to need get off the West Coast bias banwagon crap and respect the East.

Do you understand your post did not provide one legitimate point?

I don't live on the West Coast, but it seems unfair to me that two teams that are 10 games over 500 ... playing more games against tougher competition in the west ... should not be in the play-offs. If the play-offs are to decide the best team in the NBA, why should ATL be in there? Regional ivalries were a big thing 50-75 years ago, but in today's era of satellite TV and 24-hour sports, most of us NBA fans simply want to see the best teams competing for a title.

Milkdud · Post #16 » by **Milkdud** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:20 pm

do people think Philly/ATL really has even a glimmer of a chance vs the top of the east. Im hard pressed to believe they will even win 1 game.

srt4b · Post #17 » by **srt4b** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:21 pm

DOESN'T MATTER THE BEST 4 TEAMS GET TO THE ECF EVERY YEAR ANYWAY

InsideOut · Post #18 » by **InsideOut** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:22 pm

Yes, it's a joke the East will end up with several sub .500 teams in the playoffs. Why someone feels these eastern teams deserve respect is beyond me. However, when all is said and done you'll still end up with arguably the best 4 teams fighting it out to get to the finals so alls well that ends well.

Gordon Bombay · Post #19 » by **Gordon Bombay** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:25 pm

it happens in every sport...denver and portland just need to get over it and win a few more games

MrCheerios · Post #20 » by **MrCheerios** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:33 pm

Gordon Bombay wrote:it happens in every sport...denver and portland just need to get over it and win a few more games

Why not just fix the playoff format so that deserving teams get in? I doubt you'd be as cool with the current system if the cavs were in the west, out of the playoff picture while the hawks were looking in.