Spurs and Mavs FYI...

[Darrin]

The NBA is supposedly working on correcting the playoff format. I'm sure that's a comfort for this season.

[jochhejaam]

The NBA is supposedly working on correcting the playoff format. I'm sure that's a comfort for this season.
When the playoff format has teams that have lost 5 more games (Pho) and 11 more games (LAC) than you have and get a higher seeding it's time to revamp.

[boutons_]

source?

I reckon EVERYBODY's unhappy with the current setup.
Hard to imagine how they ever thought it up, discussed it, and agreed to it.

[Darrin]

source?

I reckon EVERYBODY's unhappy with the current setup.
Hard to imagine how they ever thought it up, discussed it, and agreed to it.

I don't have a link, but Russ Granik said at the All-Star Game they are toying with having the division winners guantee a home-court seed, but the top four teams would be ranked by record.

So, under that, the current Western Breakdown looks like this:

(1) San Antonio (55-16) vs. (8) Sacramento (36-36)
(4) Denver (40-32) vs. (5) LA Clippers (41-29)

(2) Dallas (54-18) vs. (7) LA Lakers (38-34)
(3) Phoenix (47-23) vs. (6) Memphis (41-31)

[slayermin]

Not only is there a problem with the one seed/four seed in the west with the two best teams playing in the semis. But it also creates another problem.

The Clippers could have homecourt against the Nuggets if they fall to six seed instead of remaining in the five seed. If they stay in the five seed, they won't get homecourt because they would be playing SA or Dallas. But if they lose just enough games to let Memphis leap frog them and finish with a better record than Denver, they would have hca for the 1st round of the playoffs.

Theoretically, the Clippers to position themselves into there best playoff scenario, should lose a few games, here and there to finish in the six seed but win enough games to finish ahead of Denver.

That is ridiculous. A sixth seed could have hca in the first round of the playoffs over the five seed.

[Darrin]

Not only is there a problem with the one seed/four seed in the west with the two best teams playing in the semis. But it also creates another problem.

The Clippers could have homecourt against the Nuggets if they fall to six seed instead of remaining in the five seed.

Actually, that's not true. Since 1984 when they changed the playoff format, the Division winners get the top seeds and home-court advantage in the first round. In the second round on, the home-court is decided by overall record and tie-breakers.

I have thought this 3-divisions idea was stupid from the beginning. Overall record has become less and less important; it's about the luck of being in the right division, and the matchups now.

[slayermin]

Actually, that's not true. Since 1984 when they changed the playoff format, the Division winners get the top seeds and home-court advantage in the first round. In the second round on, the home-court is decided by overall record and tie-breakers.

I have thought this 3-divisions idea was stupid from the beginning. Overall record has become less and less important; it's about the luck of being in the right division, and the matchups now.

I am pretty certain homecourt advantage is determined by record. The seedings only affect who you play.


Following are the first-round playoff matchups which would take place based on the current NBA standings. The top eight teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs. The division winner with the best record in each conference is seeded No. 1, the other division winners are seeded No. 2 and No. 3 and the remaining five teams are seeded Nos. 4 - 8 according to their won-lost records. (Home-court advantage in all playoff series is determined by better won-lost record, not higher seeding.)

[yeahone]

that setup sucks need to be changed immediaiely

[TDMVPDPOY]

Yep i agree the setup really sucks,i dont care if ur team wins the division, but they should not have a higher seedin when the 4th seed team mite have a better team record.

[Extra Stout]

I don't have a link, but Russ Granik said at the All-Star Game they are toying with having the division winners guantee a home-court seed, but the top four teams would be ranked by record.
Good. They must have saved the e-mail I sent them in October 2004 warning of this predicament.

I also warned them that the current setup allows a #6 seed to get homecourt advantage over a #3 seed. Currently, #6 Memphis would get HCA over #3 Denver, which defeats the whole purpose of "rewarding" division winners.

Also, the #5 Clippers get egregiously screwed. They get to go on the road against a 60+ win team while the seed below them gets HCA over a ~45 win team. This creates an incentive to tank games in order to advance in the playoffs.

They also appear to be mulling the very format I suggested.

Good to see that they respond to e-mails... eventually.

[spurschick]

Just another quick fyi, I think the game next week was originally listed to start at 7:30 and they have changed to a 7:00 tip-off.