Since Adam Silver took over as NBA commissioner in 2014, he promised that change would come to the league. Whether or not the changes he is looking for will be good for the league is up for debate. One such change that commissioner Silver is looking at is changing the playoff format.
The current format for the NBA playoffs is that the eight teams with the best record from each conference (half the conference) make the playoffs. Instead of conferences in play Silver is considering changing from eight teams from each conference to the top-16 teams in the entire league make the playoffs.
This is a change that could bring a brighter future to the league considering that one conference (western) is significantly stronger than its counterpart. With the top-16 teams in the league in the playoffs it should help ensure that the playoff competition will be more evenly matched and produce tougher matchups.
However, there are still issues with the proposed format for both Silver and fans alike. Fans see a concern for tradition in which the finals always consisted of east vs. west to determine the champion in the league. Tradition is a concern that arises when looking at the integrity of the game. Without east vs. west who knows if we ever would have had those classic battles between the Celtics and Lakers or Heat vs. Mavericks.
This is a good reason why the playoff format should not change; we get to see what conference will reign supreme in the biggest matchup of the season. Silver does not seem much concerned about this argument though as to why the playoffs should remain the same. Instead, Silver looks at the travel schedule as a possible reason why the playoffs should not change.
That is understandable considering Silver’s biggest reform to the league when he entered was lessening the travel schedule for every team in the league. The league is at its best when all of the best players are playing in the games. If the travel schedule is too rigorous though than we will not always see the best players play.
This was a major area of concern for Silver and ESPN–one of the league’s media partners. ESPN released a statement about teams resting their star players on nationally televised games saying “As always, our aim is to serve NBA fans with the best matchups involving the league’s top stars and we share the fans’ disappointment. We understand this is a complex issue and we’re working closely with the NBA to best address it going forward from a media partnership standpoint,”.
In the world of media today every single game is televised, and more games than ever are nationally televised. This is part of the reason that shortening the travel schedule for each team was a priority for Silver and the league.
If the league does out with conferences for the playoffs than they would have to consider changing the current game format in the playoffs to ensure a lightening of the travel load.
Currently the game formats for every series are seven games in a 2-2-1-1-1 format, meaning that that the team with home-court advantage would have games 1,2,5,7, while the opposing teams host games 2,3, and 6 if games 5-7 are needed.
If the league changes to a top-16 structure, then we are putting the possibility of teams traveling cross-country to play in these games. There is nothing coherently wrong with that idea, but the game format would have to change to a system close to the MLB in that case with a 2-3-2 format.
The MLB is the only of the four professional American sports that go by this game format, but if the NBA is serious about a 1-16 seeding then this is something that could legitimately be done to reduce travel.
There is no one answer to these questions with the new possible format, but if travel is a reason for concern, which Silver stated it was, then why would this not make sense.
Now we get to a far less likely scenario, but still in the realm of possibility; decreasing the number of teams in the playoffs. In two of the four professional sports, Hockey and Basketball, half the league makes the playoffs. Putting this in simpler terms, if you don’t make the playoffs then you are just not a good team.
In the past two seasons the NBA playoffs have lasted about two months’ time, longer than the MLB and NFL playoffs combined. If we kept conferences in play, cutting down on travel, and limit the number of teams to six in each conference than it would shorten the playoffs and make for a more exciting experience.
By making the playoffs more exclusive it not only adds meaning to the regular season, but also adds meaning to each and every game in the playoffs. How many times has an eight seed defeated the number one seed in the playoffs? Five times to be exact. That is an absurdly low percentage, not worthy of being a real matchup.
With lowering the number of teams to six from each conference than there will be more competition in both the regular season and in the playoffs. In the regular season you would no longer be able to be a middle of the road team and make the playoffs. This would bring much needed competition to not only the whole playoffs, but specifically the first round that desperately needs it.
By doing this you would also cut down on the time of the playoffs, instead of being about two months it could shorten to a month and a week which would make it more enjoyable to watch.
Finally, we have an idea of keeping the format the same of keeping the top eight teams from each conference making the playoffs with one minor tweak. In 2003 the NBA changed the first-round format from five games to seven games, this only elongates the postseason which does make more revenue for the league. It may make more revenue for the league but is also puts a strain on its audience to stay enthused for the entire duration of the playoffs.
By changing the first-round back to a five-game series then we will have a shorter playoff period and will bring more competition back to the series. Especially in the one vs. eight matchups are seven games really necessary? No, they are not, shorter series gain more interest from fans all around because it means that each game is important.
Seven games shouldn’t be necessary in the first-round, five games are more than enough for a deserving team to prevail in the matchup. This would also cut down on traveling with the current format. Let’s say that a first round series goes seven games, that means that the travel needed for each team will increase, whereas keeping it a five-game series would lessen travel with a 2-2-1 format.
This could help draw more interest from viewers across the nation and shorten the playoff period by a considerable amount. It may not be a significant amount, but anything would help shorten the current playoff period.
Something has got to change with the current NBA playoff state, and it needs to change quickly. For a playoff period to last around two months is ridiculous and the league needs to look in to how they can shorten the period.