Report: NBA considering making big changes to postseason

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/report-nba-considering-making-big-changes-to-postseason-170438952.html




Report: NBA considering making big changes to postseason




Eric He, Yahoo Sports

1 hour 1 minute ago






Commissioner Adam Silver and the NBA are considering major changes to its postseason structure. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports




In a couple of years, the NBA postseason as we know it could be completely different. According to ESPN, the league is considering major changes to playoff structure that could include a play-in round, an in-season tournament and re-seeding the teams before the conference finals.

The NBA has been discussing these changes with the National Basketball Players Association, according to ESPN, and the hope is that some of them will be put in place by the 2021-22 season.


Midseason tournament

The midseason tournament taking place after Thanksgiving would be the most radical addition that is on the table, similar to the European soccer model. ESPN reported that the 30 teams would participate and players and coaches would receive compensation for winning.

However, if implemented, it will be interesting to see how seriously teams take an in-season tournament that has no bearing on the ultimate goal of a championship.


Play-in games

As for the actual postseason, the league is considering play-in games to determine the final two playoff spots in each conference. Currently, the top eight teams in each conference make the postseason. But under the reported proposal, the seventh and eighth seeds would play for one spot. The loser of that game would play the winner of the matchup between the ninth and 10th seeds to determine the final playoff team.

Such a proposal could dramatically impact teams during the regular season, because there is potential for a team finishing 10th in the conference to still make the playoffs, provided it wins out in the play-in round. And it would put more pressure on teams in the lower half of the playoff bracket to finish in the top six to avoid a play-in. This could certainly create more late-season intrigue and is similar to MLB’s Wild Card game in which the two best non-division winners play an elimination game to advance to the postseason’s next round.


Best teams meet in NBA Finals

Finally, re-seeding the playoff bracket before the conference finals would be a nod toward having the two best teams match up in the finals regardless of conference. The WNBA has done this for a few years and it avoids the possibility of the teams with the best records playing each other before the championship.

One consequence of the changes is the number of regular season games being reduced — most teams will play 78 or 79 games.

According to ESPN, there has been “no real pushback” to the proposals from the 30 teams so far. These are dramatic changes, but none of them seem nonsensical. The NBA appears to be open to change, and is adopting from other leagues’ adjustments that could benefit professional basketball in the long run.



bob




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Keep the East - West finals.  Screw the "best two teams match up in the finals".  Let's have a little tradition here!

Mid-season tournament after Thanksgiving?  Mid-season is in January.

How about after 1/3rd of the season, have the tournament.  After 2/3rd of the season, the All-Star break.  We need these mid-season intermissions because the regular season is way too long and boring. 

Foolish.

#1 is bullshit. It's a "who gives a shit" preseason game that's going to be played mid-season.

#2 is bullshit. It says that teams that earned a playoff berth never make the playoffs because they lose to teams who didn't earn one. While it makes the #9 and #10 teams play harder to stay within range it has the opposite effect on #7 and #8.

#3 is bullshit. It's load management with league approval. 78 games instead of 82. Take it easy guys, play less (but make the same $) because you might have to take a cross-country flight on your private, charter jet in the playoffs. What's the point in having conferences if you're going to obliterate the differences when playoff seeding is established? Silver doesn't want to change the CBA, because then he gets pushback from the NBA Players' Union, so the messes with the schedule and all.

In short, bullshit.



bob



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The season needs to be shorter, but it won't happen easily because revenue drives the bus.

I can see the rationale behind the tourney and other changes, because it could replace, or even exceed, some of the income lost to the shorter season.

It appears to be a play off the NCAA tournament, whose profit is so far ahead of the NBA's total take it's in another universe.

Like the NFL, the NBA has prided itself on keeping up with the times. I get where they're coming from, and Silver has shown to be a savvy leader when it comes to driving profits. I think, however, it may be too much too soon for the fan base.

It is telling, that there has been no immediate argument against this from the teams. Maybe some of this stands a chance. The odds are this format still leaves the two best teams playing for a title.

I personally would go shorter than 78 games, and would revise, but not eliminate, some of the play-in for lower ranked teams.

bobheckler wrote:#1 is bullshit.  It's a "who gives a shit" preseason game that's going to be played mid-season.

#2 is bullshit.  It says that teams that earned a playoff berth never make the playoffs because they lose to teams who didn't earn one.  While it makes the #9 and #10 teams play harder to stay within range it has the opposite effect on #7 and #8.  

#3  is bullshit.  It's load management with league approval.  78 games instead of 82.  Take it easy guys, play less (but make the same $) because you might have to take a cross-country flight on your private, charter jet in the playoffs.  What's the point in having conferences if you're going to obliterate the differences when playoff seeding is established?  Silver doesn't want to change the CBA, because then he gets pushback from the NBA Players' Union, so the messes with the schedule and all.

In short, bullshit.



bob



.

Howard Johnson is right!

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/james-harden-scoffs-at-idea-of-regular-season-nba-tournament-are-we-in-college-231703711.html



James Harden scoffs at idea of regular-season NBA tournament: 'Are we in college?'



Jason Owens, Yahoo Sports

15 hours ago



James Harden is not here for radical change in the NBA.

Last week, news broke that the NBA is considering significant changes to its regular season and postseason, with an in-season tournament reported as part of those plans.

ESPN reported that the league is in discussion with the National Basketball Players Association about an in-season tournament that would consist of a group stage before six division winners and two wild cards would advance to a bracket-style tournament.


Harden scoffs at idea

Harden was asked about the idea Tuesday at Houston Rockets practice. It’s safe to say he’s not on board.

Michael Shapiro
@mshap2
James Harden not exactly on-board with the NBA’s in-season tournament idea:

“Are we in college?”
https://twitter.com/mshap2/status/1199389367011295238


“Are we in college?” Harden asked before turning away from reporters.

The proposed tournament is being floated for November into December, which would coincide with the multitude of Thanksgiving week tournaments played in college basketball.

Rockets forward P.J. Tucker shared Harden’s sentiments.

Michael Shapiro
@mshap2
P.J. Tucker joins Harden on the in-season tourney idea:

“I don’t want to play for anything else. ...You play games to win an NBA championship, period.”
https://twitter.com/mshap2/status/1199392069577510913


“You fight for an NBA championship,” Tucker said. “I don’t want to play for anything else. What else is there? There’s nothing else.“It’s like a consolation or something? I don’t know. You play for an NBA championship. Period.”


Will money motivate players?

While Harden’s response was curt and dismissive, Tucker’s gave voice to the challenge Adam Silver will face from players and fans.

While Silver is seeking avenues to combat declining ratings, the idea of a tournament that doesn’t doesn’t have legitimate stakes attached is a tough sell to American athletes.

While it it’s an established idea in European soccer circles, U.S. athletes are motivated by the legacy that comes with winning an actual championship.

But they’re also motivated by money, which appears to be the incentive being floated, with financial compensation reportedly being considered for advancement in the tournament.

That appears to be the selling point the league will have to hammer home in its negotiations with the NBPA. Without the NBPA’s support, Silver’s idea doesn’t fly.


James Harden and P.J. Tucker gave voice to the challenge the NBA faces in selling its in-season tournament to players and fans. (Erik Williams/USA Today)


How does the NBA sell the idea to fans?

If the league does motivate the NBPA to the point of implementing the tournament, its next sales pitch will be with fans. Presuming the NBA doesn’t plan to motivate fans with financial incentives, the league will face a tough sell on that front as well.

While money may eventually get players on board, convincing fans that a tournament of multimillionaire athletes playing for more money doesn’t make for the most compelling pitch.

The league would have to convince fans that the tournament actually means something. Without that, it would amount to a novelty at best.



bob




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Have to agree with Harden's assessment. I don't mind the idea of the playoff reset/realignment to get the potential best two teams in the finals or do a 1-16 bracket by record and let the chips fall where they may. Play-in games are like BobH pointed out. Should have been good enough to come in at the 8th seed. You're not getting out of the 1st round regardless.

So for the record, I'm just in favor of the reseed or a straight up 1-16 seeded worst to first playoffs by record.

db