Adam Silver offers up 1-16 seeding compromise for possible playoff changes

[phxspurfan]

Silver offers up 1-16 seeding compromise for possible playoff changes (ESPN)
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/22483506/adam-silver-discusses-potential-playoff-changes-ideas

"Silver said his concept would keep the best eight teams from each conference in the playoffs, but would seed those teams 1-16. In that scenario, if the top two teams were from the same conference, it would set up a possible Finals meeting."

Probably should have been done while LeBron was in his heyday skating all around the East playing the 40-42 Bucks every year in the first round. Not sure if it's necessary anymore, or it will even help considering the seeding is done by record, which favors teams that play in easy divisions/conferences to get easy wins.

[boutons_deux]

I prefer the top 16 to be seeded.

of course, seed 1 vs seed 16 in first round would mostly be effectively a bye.

the E v W seeding finds the bottom seeds in each conf, esp the East these past few years, with records under .500

[Play Boban]

Keep it how it is.

[Brunodf]

That's much better for west teams ( aka the best teams) tbh no more freebies for the East :lol

[TimDunkem]

Top 16 seeds is how it should be.

[Keepin' it real]

Imagine all the Spurs-Lakers finals during the Duncan era if this would have been in place back then ... would have been as epic as Lakers-Celtics in the 80s.

[tholdren]

Top 16 seeds is how it should be.

[Clipper Nation]

If they're going to ignore travel time altogether, wouldn't it make more sense to reshuffle the conferences and switch to an AFC/NFC format? Changing the playoff seeding would just make conferences irrelevant.

[Hoops Czar]

Does anybody really think Adam Silver gives a shit about parity? :lol

Silver is already planning a contingency plan for Lebron's potential move out west. If Lebron moves West, who's left to bring in ratings in the East? This is all because the NBA fancies the almightly dollar above all else ( ie. The max exodus of East all stars heading West and instantly changing the format to team captains as opposed to East vs West) The NBA doesn't even try to hide it anymore. I mean, does the entire NBA and its business have to revolve around Lebron James and his whereabouts?

The entire schedule would have to be reworked so everybody's schedule would be balanced. Conferences would have to be gone. Eastern/Western conference teams would have to play an equal amount of games between Eastern teams and Western teams. It should stay the way it is but I suppose it's all about where Lebron ends up.

[Clipper Nation]

:lol at thinking the NBA cares that much about LeBron's career. All the league has ever cared about is what's best for the Lakers, Jordan, and now the Warriors, since those have been the biggest bandwagons.

[spurs2112]

Does anybody really think Adam Silver gives a shit about parity? :lol

Silver is already planning a contingency plan for Lebron's potential move out west. If Lebron moves West, who's left to bring in ratings in the East? This is all because the NBA fancies the almightly dollar above all else ( ie. The max exodus of East all stars heading West and instantly changing the format to team captains as opposed to East vs West) The NBA doesn't even try to hide it anymore. I mean, does the entire NBA and its business have to revolve around Lebron James and his whereabouts?

The entire schedule would have to be reworked so everybody's schedule would be balanced. Conferences would have to be gone. Eastern/Western conference teams would have to play an equal amount of games between Eastern teams and Western teams. It should stay the way it is but I suppose it's all about where Lebron ends up.

Was thinking the same thing. They're getting ready for Lebrons move west.

[Hoops Czar]

:lol at thinking the NBA cares that much about LeBron's career. All the league has ever cared about is what's best for the Lakers, Jordan, and now the Warriors, since those have been the biggest bandwagons.

Lebron James is the reason we have 8-10 days off for the All Star break and not 4.

[Clipper Nation]

Lebron James is the reason we have 8-10 days off for the All Star break and not 4.
No he isn't. Chris Paul is. He got it done as head of the players' union.

[Hoops Czar]

No he isn't. Chris Paul is. He got it done as head of the players' union.


Knock it off already. The league is Lebron's bitch. :lol

http://nba.nbcsportson-james-wants-longer-nba-all-star-breakasked-adam-silver-for-longer-all-star-break-fewer-back-to-backs/ (http://nba.nbcsports.com/2015/01/30/lebron-james-reportedly-asked-adam-silver-for-longer-all-star-break-fewer-back-to-backs/)

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1964369-lebron-james-wants-longer-nba-all-star-break

Of course, most of the time, he doesn't know what he wants.

https://247sports.com/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/Bolt/WATCH-LeBron-James-isnt-a-fan-of-the-All-Star-break-114705889

[UNT Eagles 2016]

If they're going to ignore travel time altogether, wouldn't it make more sense to reshuffle the conferences and switch to an AFC/NFC format? Changing the playoff seeding would just make conferences irrelevant.
I agree... but the AFC/NFC format would never happen... besides, what are they going to call the conferences, they can't call them ABC and NBC because those are major media networks?

[Clipper Nation]

Knock it off already. The league is Lebron's bitch. :lol

http://nba.nbcsportson-james-wants-longer-nba-all-star-breakasked-adam-silver-for-longer-all-star-break-fewer-back-to-backs/ (http://nba.nbcsports.com/2015/01/30/lebron-james-reportedly-asked-adam-silver-for-longer-all-star-break-fewer-back-to-backs/)

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1964369-lebron-james-wants-longer-nba-all-star-break

Of course, most of the time, he doesn't know what he wants.

https://247sports.com/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/Bolt/WATCH-LeBron-James-isnt-a-fan-of-the-All-Star-break-114705889
And yet, the league did nothing until CP0 started whining about it. So much for the league being "LeBron's bitch."

[Clipper Nation]

I agree... but the AFC/NFC format would never happen... besides, what are they going to call the conferences, they can't call them ABC and NBC because those are major media networks?
Name them after the top two GOATs: the James Conference and the Duncan Conference.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

Name them after the top two GOATs: the James Conference and the Duncan Conference.

that'd be as stupid as the format for tonight's all star game (and the 2013 and 2014 Pro Bowls).

[Clipper Nation]

that'd be as stupid as the format for tonight's all star game (and the 2013 and 2014 Pro Bowls).
It's not stupid at all, and there's sort of precedent for it. The NHL's divisions used to be named after owners/coaches from the past.

[YGWHI]

I guess Silver said the same last regular season too. Still waiting to see the changes...

[Dex]

Doesn't make much sense competitively to seed 1-16 unless they abolish the conferences.

In the NBA's current state, all that would do is guarantee that the top 1-2 teams in the West (which is loaded with talent) get an even bigger advantage in the first round since they would be facing relative cupcake teams in the 7-8 spot from the East.

Meanwhile, teams in the East with a "better" record would get in over more talented teams in the West just because they have an easier schedule going primarily against Eastern teams. It's bullshit that a team could win 50 in the more-competitive Western conference, and not make the playoffs while some 42-win team in the East gets a free ticket to a first round exit.

There is no way to legitimately balance talent between the conferences, so they either just need to fix the conference rule, or don't try to fix anything.

[daslicer]

This won't happen since it requires 20 teams to vote on it. No way the East teams will vote on these changes

[daslicer]

Doesn't make much sense competitively to seed 1-16 unless they abolish the conferences.

In the NBA's current state, all that would do is guarantee that the top 1-2 teams in the West (which is loaded with talent) get an even bigger advantage in the first round since they would be facing relative cupcake teams in the 7-8 spot from the East.

Meanwhile, teams in the East with a "better" record would get in over more talented teams in the West just because they have an easier schedule going against all-East teams. It's bullshit that a team could win 50 in the more competitive Western conference, and not make the playoffs while some 42-win team in the East gets a free ticket to a first round exit.

There is no way to legitimately balance talent between the conferences, so they either just need to fix the conference rule, or don't try to fix anything.

This is pretty much I believe. Every sports league has some unfairness when it comes to playoff seeding. Look at the NFL and how they favor division winners when it comes to playoff seeding. You can have a team that finishes second in its division and has a better record than other division winners and that team could still miss the playoffs.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

It's not stupid at all, and there's sort of precedent for it. The NHL's divisions used to be named after owners/coaches from the past.

hockey is almost as bad as soccer and the same concept/object of the game. that sort of game is mind bogglingly dull

[Ice009]

If they're going to ignore travel time altogether, wouldn't it make more sense to reshuffle the conferences and switch to an AFC/NFC format? Changing the playoff seeding would just make conferences irrelevant.

Can you explain how the NFL thing works? I don't know much about the NFL conferences.

[urunobili]

Top 16 seeds is how it should be.

[CGD]

This needed to happen 10 years ago

[TheGreatYacht]

Lebron must've let him know that he's headed to the Rockets, Warriors, Wolves, Thunder, Lakers, Clippers, Pelicans, Blazers, Nuggets, Jazz, Grizzlies, Kings, Mavs, or Suns.....

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

This proposal is as gay as Adam Silver.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Imagine all the Spurs-Lakers finals during the Duncan era if this would have been in place back then ... would have been as epic as Lakers-Celtics in the 80s.

Lakers owned the absolute shit out of the Spurs outside of 2003 and 1999. Phil Jackson destroyed Pop, it would've been a bunch of Finals heartbreaks for us.

[BillMc]

There is no way to legitimately balance talent between the conferences, so they either just need to fix the conference rule, or don't try to fix anything.

[Seventyniner]

Lakers owned the absolute shit out of the Spurs outside of 2003 and 1999. Phil Jackson destroyed Pop, it would've been a bunch of Finals heartbreaks for us.

Better than having them meet in the 2nd or 3rd round. Same with Spurs/Mavs 2006, Spurs/Suns 2007, etc.

[Old School 44]

Of the 8 best records of a conference, I would let the top records (really top 3, because the 4th would get who is ever left over) of each conference pick their opponent out of the next 4. This way the top 4 are awarded for winning and the bottom 4 can't tank for position at the end of the season based on matchups they favor.

I think the intrigue of knowing you were picked by your opponent would also foster some additional motivation from the lower seeds. While it might end up that 1 picks 8 and 2 picks 7 and so on like today, I can see some top teams choosing for matchups and not paying attention to records of the bottom 4.