NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addressed the possibility of reformatting the playoffs without conference affiliations during a news conference today in Shanghai, China.
In a video posted on NBA.com, Silver said the main obstacle is the unbalanced schedule that the league currently has. All teams play 30 games against the opposing conference and 52 against their own, which the commissioner said would have to change to make an open playoff system equitable.
“Our feeling is if we are going to seed teams one through 16, we would need to play a balanced schedule to make it fair for everyone,” Silver said. “It may be as we continue to experiment with the number of days over which we can schedule 82 games that it will create more of an opportunity for a balanced schedule.”
Silver, who said earlier this week that “there’s nothing magical” about keeping an 82-game schedule, believes the league will eventually examine its entire format, from season length and playoff changes to possibly having teams located overseas.
Although nothing will likely happen soon, Silver indicated the league has a long-term goals of expanding international exposure and creating the fairest possible schedule and playoff system without overtaxing its players.
“Counterbalancing seeding the teams one through 16 is also the desire to create more rest for our players, and when possible reduce the amount of travel,” he said. “In adding the extra week to the regular season this year, we were able to eliminate completely four games out of five nights, which is I think the first time in the history of the league we were able to do that, plus we have back-to-backs at an all-time low. If we took the existing format and the additional schedule and seeded teams one through 16, we’ll be adding additional travel because you could have teams criss-crossing the country in the first round.”
Silver cited the WNBA playoffs, which are seeded without regard to conferences, as an example of the format working successfully. He also noted that the West has been a stronger conference for several years and promised that the the league will keep examining re-seeding possibilities.
I don’t see this being realistic. Who wants the travel schedule of knicks/clippers in round 2 etc. Can’t see that happening
Mlb seems to have no problem
MLB doesn’t play as many possible games either.
um they play 162 then a 5 game series, then a 7 game and a 7 game world series. So double the schedule and it’s everyday. not one Game on and one day off like the nba
If you think baseball players make as much effort as basketball players, and their bodies take the same abuse doing so, then SAY SO and be laughed at. Otherwise quit arguing the point with incidentals.
Baseball players can’t even be bothered to run to first base, nor do they take any physical risk on tagouts, sweeping their glove right past the runner.
I think this is an inevitable direction when conferences are so unevenly stacked like they have been. Owners in the West are going to want to get more return on their investments.
Then you might as well take the top 16 overall records in the league if this is how they want to do it.