Based on the current NBA standings, a pair of increasingly realistic scenarios are in play for the first round of this year’s postseason.
The Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed could be in line for a matchup against a Nets team that has Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons available, if New York City’s private sector vaccine mandate is dropped within the next month and Simmons is ready to play.
The Western Conference’s No. 1 seed could get a first-round matchup against a Lakers team that has a healthy Anthony Davis coming back from his foot injury. Or potentially a Clippers team with Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and Norman Powell available.
We can debate just how dangerous the Nets, Lakers, and Clippers would be in the playoffs if they’re leaning heavily on stars coming off lengthy absences, but it’s probably safe to assume that neither the Heat nor the Suns (the league’s current top seeds) would welcome a first-round series against such a star-studded squad.
With that in mind, it makes sense that multiple NBA writers have recently broached the idea of allowing top-seeded playoff teams to choose their own first-round opponents. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer wrote about the subject last week, suggesting that it would add intrigue and would create an additional incentive for top teams to fight for the No. 1 seed in the conference. ESPN’s Zach Lowe also discussed the idea on Friday.
Both O’Connor and Lowe suggested a format in which the No. 1 seed could pick its opponent from the two play-in winners, leaving the No. 2 seed to face the other play-in winner.
However, as Lowe observes, that format could lead to “aggrieved” No. 2 seeds who would’ve perhaps preferred to finish at No. 3 and play the No. 6 team — if the season ended today, for instance, some top Eastern teams may rather face the No. 6 Cavaliers than the No. 7 Raptors or No. 8 Nets.
According to Lowe, a few teams have proposed the idea of a full playoff draft, with the top three seeds in each conference picking their first-round opponents from among the bottom four seeds. So, if there was a No. 8 seed that the top clubs really wanted to avoid, the “playoff draft” could result in that No. 8 team facing the No. 4 seed in the first round.
According to O’Connor, he has heard from people around the NBA who worry that such a format could lead to “an acrimonious relationship between players and teams over who picks who for a playoff series.” But O’Connor believes the extra drama generated should outweigh any hurt feelings.
Lowe, meanwhile, acknowledges that the “playoff draft” format could have some unintended consequences, including some scenarios where it’s better to finish fifth than fourth. But he points out that some playoff teams already spend the last few days of the regular season engaging in mini-tanks to try to get to a preferred seed.
We want to know what you think. Should top playoff seeds get to choose their first-round opponents? If so, would you only want the No. 1 seed to get that option, or would it make sense for the top three seeds to all get their pick?
Head to the comment section below to share your two cents!
I honestly don’t think it’s something to mess with. The play-in tourney for the 7 and 8 seeds is figured out by actual games and competition. They just reformed the draft lottery to disincentivize tanking, you don’t want to add another reason for teams to purposely lose games.
And if all top 3 teams get a pick, the #1 team is still going to have priority. In that sense you do the 3rd seed dirty by giving them the illusion of a choice.
Hence my modified suggestion.
Only number 1 and 2 pick their opponent.
The other 4 get randomly matched, with the highest ranked team of each matchup getting home court advantage. And the second and third team avoiding the first team until the conference finals.
Yes, the best record to pick the team
If Rockets and Blazers want to help Lakers at trade deadline
They can do this
Rockets get Westbrook and Lakers 2027 pick
Lakers get Wood, porter Jr, Covington and Gordon
Blazers get Horton Tucker
Lakers sign a loan agreement with Rockets
Lakers to send 2029 pick to Rockets
What are you babbling about? Why would the Rockets and Blazers want to help out the Lakers with players? You can’t loan a draft pick to another team.
You know Covington is a Clipper right? Whole idea is terrible btw
And the trade deadline already passed lol
I like the idea, it will add more drama and fuel to the matchups.
I agree. Would do it differently though to avoid the gaming/tanking: number 1 and 2 pick their opponent.
The other 4 get randomly matched, with the highest ranked team of each matchup getting home court advantage. And the second and third team avoiding the first team until the conference finals.
Yes, that would be necessary.
Im thinking it a lil’ bit more and im not sure… i mean… if a team gets their star or a centerpiece of the team injured the last week of the RS it could benefit too much the higher seeds that can pick them. It will feel kinda weird, but still the team being picked can get fueled by that, overall the outcome of the playoffs wouldn’t change too much IMO. I like to think that in the NBA always the best team is the champion / outside of injuries.
The reality, thankfully, is that the best team doesn’t always win & the team that wins ain’t always the best!
Why not go full on draft…The best player on the team that finishes first gets to pick his teammate from any of the other teams and so on. (Yes, its sarcasm if you can’t tell.)
For the draft I dont like the incentive to tank. Every game there should be an incentive to win.
So my suggestion: everyone who was playins or lower gets the same chance.
Off course this would increase/decrease the value of already traded picks, which makes things complicated.
That sets a bad precedent and is more than a tad ridiculous. Play the games and play who you’re seeded against.
I would cancel play off tournament if win difference is more than 8 or 10 wins as it is now for LA.
That is just not fair. To lose one or two games although you have 8 or more wins.
Nah u trippn
Great insight, wow
Stupid…if a team lost a superstar to injury late in the season then you take them as your opponent. The playoffs are already so polluted/diluted with mediocre teams that this really does not move the needle for me.
Why are we still sitting here thinking “hey maybe Kawhi will come back” in March?
He’s not coming back. PG might not either.
The Warriors are already doing this on their own. Slipping back from the 2 seed so they don’t have to play a dangerous low seeded team.
What are you talking about? Where do you get this idea that they are tanking? They forgot how to play defense. I highly doubt they were purposely trying to lose.
Yeah, the Warriors sure are brilliant. They will just get the Nuggets in the first round as opposed to the Clippers.
It’s brilliant to try and avoid the Lakers. That’s all I’m saying.
Even if I’m the Phoenix Suns I wouldn’t want to face the Lakers in the first round.
Giants, I’m saying it sort of tongue in cheek. Warriors are trying to get it together and would have no business deliberately tanking. But it is noticeable that Draymond Green sat out quite a long time. Probably in the hopes that someone else steps up so they don’t rely so much on Green in the playoffs? Who knows.
Seriously Gary. That is stupid. You really believe that Draymond Green wants to lose games. That is stupid. Have you ever watched a Warriors game. He is the ultimate team player.
You’re right, I’ve never watched a Warriors game. And even though I said I’m saying it sort of tongue-in-cheek, you’re right, that’s so stupid. Nice talking to you, I enjoyed it.
@Gary It is baffling that you don’t realize that Draymond sat out games because he had a back injury. It wasn’t a secret. He was working with the staff to build up strength. I highly doubt that they really care who they face in the playoffs.
Light up sarcasms with (the literary equivalent of) neon lights, so G74 & I can see (without having to check the standings)!
NBA is great at coming up with solutions in search of a problem. Seems like another one. The only thing the NBA does better than any other professional sports league is crown a champion that’s almost always the best team, or among the best teams, in the league. Nobody cares if a team losses a game or two at the end of the year for playoff positioning. If they want to fix something, try something that’s broke, like tanking (by taking away the draft incentives) and load management (by increasing the importance of the regular season, by reducing the number of playoff teams entitled to a 7 game series).
Yeah, let’s just let the ‘anything can happen in the playoffs’ mode continue, stop trying to manipulate it for casual fans.
That would be awesome if MIA plays BRK & PHO plays LAL in R1 & both top seeds get eliminated in the first round, that will make for great playoffs to watch, right?
What about if BRK & LAL make it to the finals!!!
First time ever that 2 #8 seeds get to the finals… that’s entertainment, right?
Not 8 seed, but 10 seed.
This suggestion is easy to do and makes things more fair, so why not.
Why not?– bc it opens the door to other lesser ideas.
If it might make an egotistical “governor” mad by getting chosen to be canon fodder, do it for that alone, but keep the decision option rare. There will likely be a drama a year from it.
If the Heat loses to the Nets, be sure there will be reminding of this from Miami in future years.