ESPNs take eliminating conference seeding

[Old School 44]

I know this comes up every year, but Silver needs to make this happen. Conferences and Divisions aren't important. Who cares about raising another Southwest Division Championship banner? Do the Spurs even raise these anymore?

The Championship series should have the possibility the best two teams (records) in the league can meet. This doesn't guarantee the Warriors and the Spurs meet in the Finals, but at least there's a chance. Right now, there is none. If nothing else, reseed the final four.

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:15060789

[Canyonero]

Crappy teams won't let that happen.

[Old School 44]

I don't know how many times they would have been on the other side of the bracket, but if this was done 20 years ago we probably would of had a few Lakers/Spurs Finals, not to mention less LeBron.

[baseline bum]

I don't know how many times they would have been on the other side of the bracket, but if this was done 20 years ago we probably would of had a few Lakers/Spurs Finals, not to mention less LeBron.

Spurs-Lakers would have definitely been the 2001 Finals since they had the two best records. For the hell of it I plotted out the 2003 playoffs under a no-conference seeding, and it would have been Spurs-Lakers too probably. And the series that actually happened in the Finals would have been the second round. :lol



01 Spurs
16 Bucks
01 Spurs
08 Nets 08 Nets
09 Sixers
01 Spurs
05 Blazers 04 Wolves
12 Jazz 05 Blazers
04 Wolves
04 Wolves
13 Suns
01 Spurs
06 Lakers 06 Lakers
11 Hornets 06 Lakers
03 Kings
03 Kings
14 Celtics 06 Lakers
02 Mavs
07 Pistons
10 Pacers 07 Pistons
02 Mavs
02 Mavs
15 Rockets

[baseline bum]

Conference-less seeding would have made for a nasty run in 2014 :lol



01 Spurs
16 Bobcats
01 Spurs
08 Warriors 08 Warriors
09 Grizzlies
01 Spurs
05 Heat 05 Heat
12 Suns 05 Heat
04 Pacers
04 Pacers
13 Raptors
01 Spurs
06 Rockets 02 Thunder
11 Bulls 06 Rockets
03 Clippers
03 Clippers
14 Nets 03 Clippers
02 Thunder
07 Blazers
10 Mavs 07 Blazers
02 Thunder
02 Thunder
15 Wizards

[Robz4000]

Conference-less seeding would have made for a nasty run in 2014 :lol



01 Spurs
16 Bobcats
01 Spurs
08 Warriors 08 Warriors
09 Grizzlies
01 Spurs
05 Heat 05 Heat
12 Suns 05 Heat
04 Pacers
04 Pacers
13 Raptors
01 Spurs
06 Rockets 02 Thunder
11 Bulls 06 Rockets
03 Clippers
03 Clippers
14 Nets 03 Clippers
02 Thunder
07 Blazers
10 Mavs 07 Blazers
02 Thunder
02 Thunder
15 Wizards



Eh, actually looks easier than the original path. Bobcats then the same Dubs team the Spurs figured out the previous season. That 2003 bracket could've been harrowing though, the Bucks owned the Spurs back in the day.

[coachmac87]

This should happen and it eventually will happen...

[baseline bum]

Eh, actually looks easier than the original path. Bobcats then the same Dubs team the Spurs figured out the previous season. That 2003 bracket could've been harrowing though, the Bucks owned the Spurs back in the day.

I think the Warriors would have given the Spurs a way harder series than Portland did. That was my first though about Milwaukee when I looked at that 03 bracket, but the Spurs won both of their games vs the Bucks that year. Wrecked them at home and eeked out a win in Milwaukee.

[Old School 44]

Spurs-Lakers would have definitely been the 2001 Finals since they had the two best records. For the hell of it I plotted out the 2003 playoffs under a no-conference seeding, and it would have been Spurs-Lakers too probably. And the series that actually happened in the Finals would have been the second round. :lol



01 Spurs
16 Bucks
01 Spurs
08 Nets 08 Nets
09 Sixers
01 Spurs
05 Blazers 04 Wolves
12 Jazz 05 Blazers
04 Wolves
04 Wolves
13 Suns
01 Spurs
06 Lakers 06 Lakers
11 Hornets 06 Lakers
03 Kings
03 Kings
14 Celtics 06 Lakers
02 Mavs
07 Pistons
10 Pacers 07 Pistons
02 Mavs
02 Mavs
15 Rockets

:tu Nice job! The Spurs/Lakers rivalry was great, but I always thought it would have been that much better if they had met in the Finals.

[UZER]

I get the desire, but you lower the value of the regular season. There are 15 teams in each conference fighting for 8 spots so only 7 font make it. By making conference meaningless, its 30 teams fighting for 16 spots so some teams will quickly be eliminated from playoff contention making tanking even worse which means a lot more meaningless games starting earlier in the season.

[KDKSpurs24]

I thought that this was such a big problem because of travel? They'd have to space out the days even more or we'd be witnessing some bad basketball due to fatigue if some of these teams have to do a 6 hour flight every other day. But i'm not completely sure how this would work out.

[GSH]

The best team wins.

[Robz4000]

I think the Warriors would have given the Spurs a way harder series than Portland did. That was my first though about Milwaukee when I looked at that 03 bracket, but the Spurs won both of their games vs the Bucks that year. Wrecked them at home and eeked out a win in Milwaukee.

Would've been more hotly contested and Spurs prolly take 6 to get it done again, but they would've. That Bobcats series would've been a mirror of the Spurs/Lakers 2013 series, much easier than the Mavs.

[maverick1948]

I thought that this was such a big problem because of travel? They'd have to space out the days even more or we'd be witnessing some bad basketball due to fatigue if some of these teams have to do a 6 hour flight every other day. But i'm not completely sure how this would work out.


Schedule would be 2 home 2 away. Then however the league wants to work out the schedule. But would not have 6 hours flights every other day.

[soxxx]

Make the NBA great again!

[kjhip1]

Thank you Westbrook for hustling back. This guy amazes me. Exactly why the thunder won't get anywhere

[UNT Eagles 2016]

Disagree 100%. This would ruin the game and ruin the conference dynamism that exists in every league.

[DMC]

Disagree 100%. This would ruin the game and ruin the conference dynamism that exists in every league.
Bend over, I'll show you some fuckin' "ism".

[z0sa]

Whoever mentioned reseeding the 4 remaining teams by record got it right, but the NBA is WAY too steeped in tradition for that to happen, one, and two, so few casual fans care that there simply isn't enough demand for such a major alteration of format.

It'll never happen.

[gambit1990]

this should happen... but won't for AT LEAST a few years.

this is a more complicated matter than it seems on the surface.

[Old School 44]

I thought that this was such a big problem because of travel? They'd have to space out the days even more or we'd be witnessing some bad basketball due to fatigue if some of these teams have to do a 6 hour flight every other day. But i'm not completely sure how this would work out.
I don't think this is an issue these days because everyone flies charter or may even have private team planes.

[ace3g]

Western
W
L
PCT
GB
CONF
DIV
HOME
ROAD
L 10
STREAK


Golden State (http://www.nba.com/warriors)1p
65
7
0.903
0.0
40-5
15-1
34-0
31-7
9-1
W 3


San Antonio (http://www.nba.com/spurs)2sw
61
12
0.836
4.5
38-6
11-2
37-0
24-12
8-2
L 1


Oklahoma City (http://www.nba.com/thunder)3nw
51
22
0.699
14.5
34-11
12-2
30-9
21-13
8-2
W 7


L.A. Clippers (http://www.nba.com/clippers)4x
45
27
0.625
20.0
25-19
7-6
24-12
21-15
4-6
W 2


Memphis (http://www.nba.com/grizzlies)5
41
32
0.562
24.5
25-21
7-7
25-11
16-21
3-7
L 2


Portland (http://www.nba.com/blazers)6
38
36
0.514
28.0
25-21
9-4
23-12
15-24
5-5
W 1


Utah (http://www.nba.com/jazz)7
36
37
0.493
29.5
20-23
6-8
22-13
14-24
7-3
W 1


Houston (http://www.nba.com/rockets)8
36
38
0.486
30.0
24-22
8-7
20-16
16-22
4-6
L 1

[D-rob fan]

I forgot who said this on ESPN. But someone mentioned on a podcast at one point to have conferences for the first two rounds. Then a non conference final four where the brackets are redone based on regular season record. I like this idea. It still makes an East West division relevant to get into the playoffs but then ensures the two best teams won't be facing each other early.

[Slippy]

I don't know how many times they would have been on the other side of the bracket, but if this was done 20 years ago we probably would of had a few Lakers/Spurs Finals, not to mention less LeBron.

You gotta wonder where would lebron be if playing on western conference.

NBA is all about progress. Only a matter of time. Keepkng in mind the Warriors spurs regular season match up broke a ratings record of some sort