The NBA just fixed one of its most annoying playoff rules

[sam9ball]

About Dam Time!!

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba-just-fixed-one-most-133316212.html

The NBA is finally changing a rule that has long frustrated fans: rather than guaranteeing division winners a top-4 seed in the playoffs, regardless of record, the conference seeding will now be based solely on record.
USA Today's Jeff Zillgit had reported that the NBA was moving forward with the change in late June, and the league confirmed the change on Tuesday.
By all accounts, this change is a smart one. We saw this last year in the Western Conference: the Blazers had locked up the 4 seed because they finished first in the Northwestern Division with 51 wins. The Spurs and Grizzlies both finished with 55 wins, but because they finished behind the Rockets, they were stuck with the 5th and 6th seeds, respectively. As a result, the Spurs and Clippers played each other in the first round when — if the NBA had seeded exclusively based on record — the Spurs would have played the Grizzlies.
The rule will go into effect immediately. The next step will be to eliminate conferences altogether and simply have the 16 teams with the best records make the playoffs, but this seems less likely to happen anytime soon.

[darrell74]

I'm the guy that's going to say, get rid of divisions.
If their's no point in winning your division, then why have one.
Just make 2 conferences and that's all.

[IBetYou]

It was never top 4 seed anyway, in spite of what they called it. It was top 5. 4th seed gets home court advantage over 5, and home court always goes to the better record. Glad they abolished it.

[IBetYou]

The divisions are ****** up right now anyway. How is Utah north west?

[daneblazer]

Then why have divisions

[CWD]

they need to fo to international rules for timeouts at end of games

i didnt hear any outcry over this

[IBetYou]

what?

[TheMoneyShot]

I agree... why have divisions for??? Oh... it just looks good on paper.

[CWD]

what?

"A maximum of 2 time-outs may be granted to a
team in the last 2 minutes of the 2nd half."

[swordsandtequila]

I'm the guy that's going to say, get rid of divisions.
If their's no point in winning your division, then why have one.
Just make 2 conferences and that's all.

[jjgold]

Who knows why they will still have conferences

It means nothing now

Tremendous rule change

[CWD]

and warriors would have still smashed so who cares

means nothing

[UntilTheNDofTimE]

Back in the day Division winners were guaranteed the top 3 spots when there were only 3 divisions. In the west at the time the Spurs and Mavs always had the 1st and 2nd best record in west but played in the 2nd round. That's why they originally changed the rule to division winners were guaranteed top 4 so that the Spurs and Mavs could get the #1 and #2 seed.

This new rule change just takes it a bit further.

[unluckysob]

2 15 team divisons.

[lakerboy]

Winning division should never have meant anything anyways. Winning title is only goal.

[pinchegringo]

Winning division should never have meant anything anyways. Winning title is only goal.

This is easy to say for a Laker fan, but imagine being a Pacer fan, Hawks, Clippers, Nets, Suns or a fan from any sports team from Cleveland. Division titles are all they have to look forward to and what probably keeps a lot of fans interested #momoney


All that being said do away with conferences and divisions and use a true round robin regular season followed by seeds 1 through 16 is how I would do it.

Short term yea, the east coast may stop watching but after a few seasons of missing the playoffs when they should have they will find themselves with a couple lottery picks.

[marcoloco]

The divisions are ****** up right now anyway. How is Utah north west?

and memphis, new orleans are in the west? atleast if there is divisions have them make sense

[bocajuniorska]

divisions for what then?

[jjgold]

There should still be some reward for winning the division and unless they do away with it

[deadstare]

Now get rid of conference playoff seedings and combine the best 1-16. East has been weak for years.

[Shazzadude]

I'm the guy that's going to say, get rid of divisions.
If their's no point in winning your division, then why have one.
Just make 2 conferences and that's all.

If every team in the conference didn't have a record that put them in the top 8, the winner of such a weak conference would still make the playoffs, so that's one scenario where there'd be motivation to win your division.

[homie1975]

After they screwed up 25 years worth of playoffs they figure it out. What a bunch of morons

[TheMartian]

After they screwed up 25 years worth of playoffs they figure it out. What a bunch of morons

Stern is gone so things are getting a little better

[A4K]

I'm the guy that's going to say, get rid of divisions.
If their's no point in winning your division, then why have one.
Just make 2 conferences and that's all.

[Mr KLC]

Now get rid of conference playoff seedings and combine the best 1-16. East has been weak for years.

It's time to go with this. Sacramento, after signing Hill and Randolph, has an Eastern Conference playoff team, but doesn't stand a chance in the West.