Must be played in Sets of 5

[Gino-Step]

The NBA is the only sport on the planet that has scores of 110 to 100. You do not see that in other high scoring sports like Tennis, Volleyball, or Table Tennis. Those are played in sets. You only see counting scores used in low scoring sports like Hockey, Baseball, Football, and Soccer.

Here's why. The NBA is extremely predictable game to game, playoff series to playoff series because the underdog cannot lock in any gains or stretch of good play. Winning a quarter in basketball today doesn't count for anything. Hitting a buzzer beater at the end of the first quarter counts for nothing more than any other basket in a game where the winner scores 120. Winning a set would count for a lot in a 5 set match. With sets, a dominant team wins 3 sets to 0 sparing the athletes and the fans the pain of garbage time. Sets are a built in mercy rule for everyone involved. There are also other benefits - we would see teams trying really hard at the end of each set, instead of today just the last five minutes of the fourth quarter. TBT just recently changed to play a 'set to 7 points' to end games rather than end by time. It needs to be pushed to the entire game. This would also eliminate stupid things like hacking to save time and randomly chucking shots as part of the first of a 2 for 1 at the end of quarters.

The NBA needs to think creatively about its rule set rather than spend time politicking. Adam Silver is just like Tim Cook. We need more Steve Jobs. We need someone like Manu Ginobili as commissioner.

[Walter Donovan]

:dont

[DAF86]

I doubt Manu would be cool with changing basketball to 5 sets games, tbh. :lol

[K...]

I like this idea a lot, maybe grant an additional set value for greatest scoring team all sets. (To keep continuity with current rules)

To go further,. Limit substitutions so that teams produce unique in game match ups. Mandate a line up of rookies and young players (guaranteed minutes for development). Incorporate the wnba and co sex lineups.

I agree, though with, if it's broke, don't fix it, but in the current NBA you can skip the first 3/4 and still catch the best part of the game. Scoring is so prolific that each individual score is not a highlight. This would make more games withina game and eliminate the need for long breaks

[Captivus]

Just for fun...

Best of 5 quarters, eh...
So, the game will either take 12 min less, or 12 min more, I would say the average is gonna closer to 3, this is a problem.

Unless the set are just defined by points, not time. Lets say, first to 30 pts wins set.

I agree the exitement would be bigger. No garbage minutes for sure.

[Caltex2]

If it aint broke, why try and fix it?

[Monostradamus]

If it aint broke, why try and fix it?
Well, it is broke, it’s easily the most boring and predictable major sport when it comes to playoff runs. The past two seasons have been played with everyone knowing the champion before the season even starts, and next year is no different. Analytics have broken the complexity of the game to predictable 3 point shooting contests. The NBA skates by 100% on player personalities and marketing their stars.

[Monostradamus]

That’s why NBA ratings plummet when “boring” superstars are on top (Duncan, Kareem) but ratings spike with charismatic stars (Magic, MJ, Steph).

[Ghazi]

Well, it is broke, it’s easily the most boring and predictable major sport when it comes to playoff runs. The past two seasons have been played with everyone knowing the champion before the season even starts, and next year is no different. Analytics have broken the complexity of the game to predictable 3 point shooting contests. The NBA skates by 100% on player personalities and marketing their stars.

What can you do though? Basketball is the least variance riddled sport.... NFL and MLB are more likely to produce "fluke champions" (2007 Giants).. even though that makes for better stories.

The NBA is predictable because the best team always wins the championship (2006 withstanding)... But isn't that what competition is supposed to do?

[Monostradamus]

What can you do though? Basketball is the least variance riddled sport.... NFL and MLB are more likely to produce "fluke champions" (2007 Giants).. even though that makes for better stories.

The NBA is predictable because the best team always wins the championship (2006 withstanding)... But isn't that what competition is supposed to do?
Yeah there’s not much than can be done without a drastic overhaul. As long as ratings are solid they won’t do anything. But in a post LeBron/Steph world, we’ll see if another star has the personality to carry the league, or if viewership drops to the point where they realize a change has to be made. Ultimately it’s a business and not a pure competition.

[Mitch]

:lol

[DMC]

Yeah there’s not much than can be done without a drastic overhaul. As long as ratings are solid they won’t do anything. But in a post LeBron/Steph world, we’ll see if another star has the personality to carry the league, or if viewership drops to the point where they realize a change has to be made. Ultimately it’s a business and not a pure competition.

I'd think it was mostly a business, and the competition aspect is about like the competition on Survivor or American Idol, just a fan thing. The entire thing is about generating income for team owners.

[Caltex2]

Monostradamus

Oh really did you know the champion at halftime of Game 6 and 7?

[daslicer]

Oh really did you know the champion at halftime of Game 6 and 7?

I had a feeling the Warrriors were going to comeback in both games. We have seen it so many times the last few years them coming back from double digit deficits. Also for me I factored in the Rockets wouldn't have enough to finish them off in both games due to CP3 being out.

[Caltex2]

Regardless, the Warriors have been the favorite but not a slam dunk, they didn't even win the title the year they had their best season.

[daslicer]

They will easily find a new stars to carry the league. The NBA has found their formula when it comes to promoting stars. They fucked up after Jordan retired by being obsessed with labeling every great perimeter talent as the next Jordan ala Tmac,Kobe,Vince, etc. Most people saw that as talented as those guys were that they were not MJ which was part of the reasons why the ratings were down. The league now realizes that when it comes to promoting stars it's not about finding the next blah blah but hyping up the current crop as being revolutionary or game changers. Also now they focus more on hyping up the players personalities evident with Russell Westbrook. They try to hype these guys up like they are all super heroes out of the Avengers or Xmen.

I feel with the way the NBA's marekting machine is set up today that even Tim Duncan would be more popular in this current NBA than he was during his career. Sure he would never be most popular player in the league but he would have a lot more fans because the league would know how to market his personality as that of a silent killer/loner which you could sell to a certain base of fans. They would not be screaming he's boring because they would know it would hurt his marketability and hence less money for them. What I'm trying to say is the NBA when it comes to marketing these players is very good that they have the ability to sell anybody to the casual fans once they get their marketing machine behind it.

[Stabula]

OP is the only one with interesting ideas and thoughtful write ups down here tbh.

[AaronY]

Well, it is broke, it’s easily the most boring and predictable major sport when it comes to playoff runs. The past two seasons have been played with everyone knowing the champion before the season even starts, and next year is no different. Analytics have broken the complexity of the game to predictable 3 point shooting contests. The NBA skates by 100% on player personalities and marketing their stars.
Houston probably would have beaten GS if Chris Paul didnt get injured. I mean Paul always gets injured but still..

[Dex]

Well, it is broke, it’s easily the most boring and predictable major sport when it comes to playoff runs. The past two seasons have been played with everyone knowing the champion before the season even starts, and next year is no different. Analytics have broken the complexity of the game to predictable 3 point shooting contests. The NBA skates by 100% on player personalities and marketing their stars.

Analytics didn't break the NBA. Kevin Durant did when he bitched out and went to GSW. Despite their 73-win season in 2016, the playoffs showed that Warriors team was far from invincible (on the ropes against OKC, and choked 3-1 against Cleveland).

[Monostradamus]

Monostradamus (https://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=26617)

Oh really did you know the champion at halftime of Game 6 and 7?
Yes. I never once doubted that GS would win that series.

[Stabula]

If it aint broke, why try and fix it?

Why not upgrade something that "works" (even then I hardly agree) into something better? Your attitude would have kept humanity living in mud-huts.

[Bonner]

That's a great idea. And there would be even less scrubs in NBA since you would need to play hard every minute.