Doing away with playoff seeding by conference

soapblaster · Post #1 » by **soapblaster** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:24 pm

I think that it is about time that the NBA stopped seeding the playoffs by separating the Eastern and Western Conferences. I understand that it was origionally done so because traveling cross country was tough and tiring, not to mention too expensive. These are my reasons for doing a Universal seeding system:

1) With the money the NBA brings in, expense is no longer an issue. Teams have their own planes anyway and no longer fly on regular flights.

2) Travel time shouldn't be an issue, with how long they have stretched the playoffs. The finals used to be wrapping up in the beginning of June, now it doesn't even start until well after June 1.

3) There is usually always a disperity between conferences. Lately it has been the west, but there is usually always one team that is on the outside looking in, just because they play in a better conference.

If this universal system were in place today, 2 teams in the west that are not even in the playoffs (if they started today) would be seeds 4 & 5 in the east. (based on winning percentage) Here is how the matchups would look today if there was a universal playoff seeding.

1) Boston (.879) vs. 16) New Jersey (.514)
2) Detroit (.743) vs. 15) Toronto (.514)
3) Phoenix (.714) vs. 14) Washington (.515)
4) San Antonio (.697) vs. 13) Utah (.528 )
5) Dallas (.686) vs. 12) Houston (.528 )
6) L.A. Lakers (.676) vs. 11) Golden State (.556)
7) New Orleans (.657) vs. 10) Denver (.618 )
8 ) Portland (.629) vs. 9) Orlando (.622)

If you want to see how it would be set up with today's system, go here. http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/playoffmatchups

Seriously, are there any real reasons that the NBA couldn't go to this format? I think it would benefit them a lot, because then you get the best teams into the playoffs, thus better matchups.

What are your thoughts?

UDRIH14 · Post #2 » by **UDRIH14** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 4:17 pm

dont they have like 2 day break in between games then 3 day break....

they should do it, im gettin tired of seein weak as eastern teams below .500 in the plaoffs while some western team misses out west with superior record

NetsForce · Post #3 » by **NetsForce** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 4:59 pm

If one conference is dominant, like the West is right now you'll end up cutting out a large segment of your audience... Uh how should I put this, basically many people on the East coast / people who are fans of Eastern Conference teams don't get to watch Western Conference teams during the regular season and are thus not fans of those teams, the same applies with many people on the West coast / people who are fans of Western Conference teams.

So even if all the games were being televised nationally, if there say only two or three Eastern Conference teams in the playoffs and the casual fan hasn't really had the chance to watch the Western Conference teams that are also in the playoffs, they're just not going to be that interested in watching the playoffs...

Or something like that, fans like you and me could would probably watch the playoffs regardless since we're familiar with most if not all of the teams in the NBA, but the casual fan wouldn't.

soapblaster · Post #4 » by **soapblaster** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 5:37 pm

NetsForce wrote:If one conference is dominant, like the West is right now you'll end up cutting out a large segment of your audience... Uh how should I put this, basically many people on the East coast / people who are fans of Eastern Conference teams don't get to watch Western Conference teams during the regular season and are thus not fans of those teams, the same applies with many people on the West coast / people who are fans of Western Conference teams.

So even if all the games were being televised nationally, if there say only two or three Eastern Conference teams in the playoffs and the casual fan hasn't really had the chance to watch the Western Conference teams that are also in the playoffs, they're just not going to be that interested in watching the playoffs...

Or something like that, fans like you and me could would probably watch the playoffs regardless since we're familiar with most if not all of the teams in the NBA, but the casual fan wouldn't.

That's a legitamate point. I would think, for the most part though, that there would be at least one or two dominant eastern conference teams to interest a great deal of people.

I just think the current setup hurts the integrity of the game and the system.

You do have a good point though.

Tabasco · Post #5 » by **Tabasco** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 5:44 pm

I've always thought that this would be a good idea. Last years finals was absolute crap because San Antonio was so much better than Cleveland. It wasn't even fun to watch. Plus it would make for some interesting playoff matchups that would never happen otherwise.

If it was up to me I'd do it.

Post #6 » by **tkb** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 6:06 pm

soapblaster wrote:If you want to see how it would be set up with today's system, go here. http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/playoffmatchups

Funny how Yahoo don't know how the rules regarding top 4 seeding works. They have Portland with the 3rd seed, and Portland should have the 4th seed (winning your division doesn't secure you a top 3 spot longer, only a top 4 spot).

RTM · Post #7 » by **RTM** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 6:20 pm

The jet lag between Portland and Orlando would be too much to have players deal with every 2 days. Cases like this are the reason that league wide playoffs can't work.

soapblaster · Post #8 » by **soapblaster** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 6:47 pm

RTM wrote:The jet lag between Portland and Orlando would be too much to have players deal with every 2 days. Cases like this are the reason that league wide playoffs can't work.

There are two days between games when there is no travel involved. Three days are given when they do travel. I really don't see how Jet Lag would be a problem...

hermes · Post #9 » by **hermes** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 7:15 pm

i like the idea

HarlemHeat37 · Post #10 » by **HarlemHeat37** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 7:21 pm

it sucks for teams that are in the West that don't make it, but I don't see a point in changing anything..who knows what will happen in a few years? maybe the East will be back on top, and then the West teams will be lucky to be in the playoffs in a weak conference..

the teams that are out simply have to play with the hand they've been dealt..if you don't make it in your own conference, then get better..

G35 · Post #11 » by **G35** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:34 pm

NetsForce wrote:If one conference is dominant, like the West is right now you'll end up cutting out a large segment of your audience... Uh how should I put this, basically many people on the East coast / people who are fans of Eastern Conference teams don't get to watch Western Conference teams during the regular season and are thus not fans of those teams, the same applies with many people on the West coast / people who are fans of Western Conference teams.

So even if all the games were being televised nationally, if there say only two or three Eastern Conference teams in the playoffs and the casual fan hasn't really had the chance to watch the Western Conference teams that are also in the playoffs, they're just not going to be that interested in watching the playoffs...

Or something like that, fans like you and me could would probably watch the playoffs regardless since we're familiar with most if not all of the teams in the NBA, but the casual fan wouldn't.

That is a great point because now that I have moved from California to TX it sucks trying to catch the late start games. A lot of the Western conference games don't start to 8 or 9pm Central time.

However at this moment in the NBA the more exciting teams play in the West.

Lakers are probably #1
Suns
Dallas
San Antonio
Golden State
Houston
Denver

Compared to the EC

Boston
Miami (Wade/Shaq)
Detroit
Cleveland

But this year Miami is the worst team in the NBA and Cleveland is not playing as well as last year. So the Eastern conference teams will not attract as much nat'l interest because their teams are struggling......

farzi · Post #12 » by **farzi** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:08 pm

G35 wrote:
NetsForce wrote:
Lakers are probably #1
Suns
Dallas
San Antonio
Golden State
Houston
Denver

Has a more homerish statement ever been uttered? Probably, but that was damn close imo.

NetsForce · Post #13 » by **NetsForce** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:25 pm

I think he was talking about in terms of excitement. At least I hope he was...

farzi · Post #14 » by **farzi** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:34 pm

Even still

Christine-In-AZ · Post #15 » by **Christine-In-AZ** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 10:33 pm

Fine by me if there is a balanced schedule, or close to balanced. Otherwise it wouldn't be fair.

G35 · Post #16 » by **G35** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 10:47 pm

farzi wrote:Even still

Yes I was talking in terms of nat'l fan interest. With LA being the #2 market in the country and Kobe being arguably it's marquee player along with Lebron, Wade, Duncan and KG and the Lakers record who would you put above the Lakers in national fan interest.........Even still......

TradeMachine · Post #17 » by **TradeMachine** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 10:54 pm

I like this idea, but the flaw remains in the regular season matchups which feature western conf. teams facing better competition for more games than eastern conf. teams (Eg. Portland plays teams like NO and LA four times this season, but Orlando would have only played the same teams twice, so the final records wouldn't be equal in terms of level of competition faced).

If there was a way for every team to play the same number of games against every other team in the league, then this could work.

Train Wreck · Post #18 » by **Train Wreck** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 11:58 pm

It's fine the way it is... It would be an absolute joke to change it. It's the same way in every sport for good reason. Hypothetically Speaking, Boston could be the #1 seed and Golden State could be the # 16 seed. Is it really fair for Boston to have to travel all the way across the country to play after earning the # 1 seed? Their second round matchup could be against a team like Detroit who only had to play Toronto in the first round. That traveling takes it's toll on you.

Yes, there are teams in the West who would easily make the playoffs in the East, but the 9 and 10 seeds in the West have a 0 chance to win the NBA Finals anyways so who really cares? (Besides the fans of their teams)