Playoff Seeding...4th or 5th?

[Christine-In-AZ]

Why does the NBA have Utah currently listed as the 4th seed (over PHX) if they wouldn't have home court advantage on the 5th seed?

Doesn't that make the Jazz the 5th seed?

Trivial, I know, but it seems to me it makes more sense to list Utah as the 5th seed...and easier to deceipher the crazy west standings too.

[Illuminati]

Look at these kids, they eat this **** up.

Anyway, ticket sales will break the roof. Utah will be a 4th seed at the end.

[AgEnT50]

Why does the NBA have Utah currently listed as the 4th seed (over PHX) if they wouldn't have home court advantage on the 5th seed?

Doesn't that make the Jazz the 5th seed?

Trivial, I know, but it seems to me it makes more sense to list Utah as the 5th seed...and easier to deceipher the crazy west standings too.

Because they lead their division & a division winner is guaranteed a top-4 seed


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[Christine-In-AZ]

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Because they lead their division & a division winner is guaranteed a top-4 seed

I understand that, but in this case aren't the Jazz actually the 5th seed because they would have a road disadvantage. That makes them a 5th seed under the 4th seed ...why not list it that way?

[Scalabrine]

hes saying why not it be a top 5 seed.

this way it wouldnt be confusing ever, you can just say each divison winner gets a top 5 seed and then you wouldnt have to say a divisoin winner gets a top 4 seed but if the 5th seed has a better record they have home court advantage.

It sort of reminds me of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim thing, its just pointless and creates confusion.

[AgEnT50]

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I understand that, but in this case aren't the Jazz actually the 5th seed because they would have a road disadvantage. That makes them a 5th seed under the 4th seed ...why not list it that way?

That's just the way it's setup, a division winner is guaranteed a top-4 seed. They are not listed as a 5th seed or lower because...that way a team that wins their division doesn't wind up getting an 7th or 8th seed & playing the #1 seed(the Hornets). Apparently David Stern doesn't want division winners playing the 1st round ...and that's how it should be. But if a team has a better record than division winner...then they have the home court advantage....understand?

[AgEnT50]

hes saying why not it be a top 5 seed.

this way it wouldnt be confusing ever, you can just say each divison winner gets a top 5 seed and then you wouldnt have to say a divisoin winner gets a top 4 seed but if the 5th seed has a better record they have home court advantage.

It sort of reminds me of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim thing, its just pointless and creates confusion.

I understand that...but what if it got to the point where all top-8 teams had a better record than the Jazz? That's where the so-called reward comes in for winning your division

[Christine-In-AZ]

But if a team has a better record than division winner...then they have the home court advantage....understand?

I understand the setup completely, but if a 4th seed is playing a 5 seed and the 5th seed has homecourt advantage. Then the 4th seed ain't the 4th seed! It's the 5 spot. I say the NBA should list it that way.

Is there a 4th seed trophy or does a team get a bigger cash prize for getting a 4 seed over the 5th?

[AgEnT50]

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I understand the setup completely, but if a 4th seed is playing a 5 seed and the 5th seed has homecourt advantage. Then the 4th seed ain't the 4th seed! It's the 5 spot. I say the NBA should list it that way.

Is there a 4th seed trophy or does a team get a bigger cash prize for getting a 4 seed over the 5th?

your gonna have to take that up with Mr. Stern

[Manocad]

I understand the setup completely, but if a 4th seed is playing a 5 seed and the 5th seed has homecourt advantage. Then the 4th seed ain't the 4th seed! It's the 5 spot. I say the NBA should list it that way.

Is there a 4th seed trophy or does a team get a bigger cash prize for getting a 4 seed over the 5th?

The problem here is that you're assuming a higher seed has to have home court advantage, and that's not the case. Home court advantage is determined by record whereas seeding takes another factor--winning the division--into account. The two are not tied together.

[Dtown84]

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I understand the setup completely, but if a 4th seed is playing a 5 seed and the 5th seed has homecourt advantage. Then the 4th seed ain't the 4th seed! It's the 5 spot. I say the NBA should list it that way.

Is there a 4th seed trophy or does a team get a bigger cash prize for getting a 4 seed over the 5th?

It's pretty impossible to argue with that

umm maybe Jazz fans (should the Jazz fail to improve their standing), would just prefer to be called the 4th seed. Sure it's in name only, but hey they're division champs they've earned the right.

Yeah that's a reach. It's just one of those things we can all acknowledge doesn't make sense, but Stern doesn't feel like fixing at the moment. Division champion guaranteed at least the fifth seed, seriously this should take like two minutes at a meeting table.

[Dtown84]

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The problem here is that you're assuming a higher seed has to have home court advantage, and that's not the case. Home court advantage is determined by record whereas seeding takes another factor--winning the division--into account. The two are not tied together.

But they should be, other wise seeding just determines what bracket your in. Seriously Joe Casual fan will expect a game 1 or a game 7 to be played on #4's home court, we might as well make it easier on him, and the rest of us.

[Manocad]

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But they should be, other wise seeding just determines what bracket your in. Seriously Joe Casual fan will expect a game 1 or a game 7 to be played on #4's home court, we might as well make it easier on him, and the rest of us.

That's all seeding is SUPPOSED to be for--to determine who plays who. The fact that some sports use record to determine the seeding doesn't mean that the purpose of seeding is to rank teams by record or determine home court advantage.

[Dtown84]

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That's all seeding is SUPPOSED to be for--to determine who plays who. The fact that some sports use record to determine the seeding doesn't mean that the purpose of seeding is to rank teams by record or determine home court advantage.

And seeding is 98% in the pros based soley on record. It would be one thing if they said, if your a divisional winner you will have the 4th seed and homecourt regardless of record.

But to my knowledge, and please correct me if I'm wrong, the NBA is the only pro sport where a higher seed could have absolutely no benefit except that they are called the higher seed! It makes no sense. Calling them the 5th wouldn't change anything except leave people less confused.


Edit: Now that I think about it, the wild card in Baseball might be similar, in that they could have home field, while being a lower seed. Though I could be wrong.

Edit 2: Well I don't know about Baseball, but Hockey and Football definitely assign benefits to seeding. So at best it's 50/50 or the NBA is alone on the matter.

[LAKESHOW]

LETS START THE PLAYOFFS ALREADY. SHEEESH!

[PHXfan85]

LETS START THE PLAYOFFS ALREADY. SHEEESH!

+1

[Nate505]

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It's pretty impossible to argue with that

umm maybe Jazz fans (should the Jazz fail to improve their standing), would just prefer to be called the 4th seed. Sure it's in name only, but hey they're division champs they've earned the right.

I'd be shocked if any Jazz fans gave a damn. The same thing happened last year...and we all saw how that turned out.

[Duiz]

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I'd be shocked if any Jazz fans gave a damn. The same thing happened last year...and we all saw how that turned out.

+1

[Texas Longhorns]

Man this is such a repetitive question. I thought the whole world probably asked it by now.