NBA to address playoff format problem
By Chris Sheridan
ESPN.com


HOUSTON -- The two best teams in the Western Conference are on course to meet in the second round of the playoffs, which is a problem.

Even David Stern recognizes as much, which is why his league is taking a closer look at changing the postseason seeding format to prevent similar scenarios from unfolding in the future.

Under rules implemented when the league expanded from four divisions to six last season, the top three seeds go to each of the division leaders, with the fourth through eighth seeds going to the teams with the next best records in the conference.

The Dallas Mavericks (41-11) currently lead the Southwest Division by one game over the San Antonio Spurs (40-12), who have the second-best record in the conference but would drop into the fourth seed if they failed to win the division.

"I think the one thing there may be some interest in ... would be to maybe look at how you seed the top four teams," deputy commissioner Russ Granik said Saturday. "One thing that we have kicked around is whether you might say, all right, those same four teams are going to get the top four seeds, but maybe you do it in accordance with their records."

The issue will come up for further discussion when the league's competition committee meets in June.

Granik all but ruled out giving playoff berths to the top eight teams in each conference, saying the league wanted to keep an incentive for winning the division. He also said the league has no interest in re-seeding teams after each round of the playoffs.

Other matters addressed by Stern and Granik at the commissioner's annual All-Star news conference included:

• Stern discounted the possibility of moving All-Star Weekend overseas, a notion he had considered in the past. The 2007 game will be in Las Vegas, and the league is negotiating with New Orleans for the 2008 game. "We really don't think there's an overseas destination that makes sense for us from a building perspective. And in addition, we don't really currently have the time within the schedule to do something like that."

• On the issue of the Seattle SuperSonics relocating if they cannot win approval for public financing of a new arena, Stern sounded as though he'd support a move after the team's lease expires in 2010. "I think if the situation is not ultimately improved ... I think the Board of Governors would be inclined to listen to their partner's request for an opportunity to be in a place where there is a good lease and a good facility," he said.

• Stern also was unequivocal in saying the Hornets would return to New Orleans for the 2007-08 season, though he complimented Oklahoma City by saying it had proved itself as a major league city. He also said he had spoken to representatives from Kansas City, San Diego and Anaheim, Calif., about those cities' interest in attracting an NBA team, although expansion is not in the league's immediate plans.

• Pushing back a timetable he established prior to the season, Stern said he expected to name a new deputy commissioner to replace the departing Granik sometime in April.

• Speaking of the league's decision to hold the 2007 All-Star Game in Las Vegas, Stern said it was not a "dry run" for possibly relocating an NBA franchise there, reiterating that he would remain opposed to such a move as long as casinos in that state continue to accept wagers on NBA games. "We have one issue with Las Vegas, and it's not about gambling, as I've said. Forty states have lotteries, and those that don't have Indian reservations with gambling establishments, or video poker in their eating establishments, so everybody gambles now. Whether that's right or wrong, that's state government policy that's been left to the states, and that's what America does."

I think it's fine the way it is. You have to beat the best to get to the finals, no excuses.

The format should definitely be changed. Because as it stands now, the Phoenix Suns have a good chance to win the Western Conference. They are basically a shoe-in for the conference Finals. Having to go through the 7 seed then Denver or the 6 seed should be a breeze for them. Plenty of rest, few games. In the meantime, Dallas and San Antonio could be potentially playing in a 7 game slugfest with no rest, and have to play that well rested Phoenix team.

It's a problem for ratings though. Teh further you go into the playoffs the better the competition is supposed to get. Otherwise the anticipation and excitement is cut down.

NBA committee votes to change 'clear path' rule

The NBA's competition committee approved five small rules changes that will take effect in the 2006-07 season if approved by the league's Board of Governors, ESPN.com learned Friday.

The most notable change would be to the so-called "clear path rule," covering situations in which a player is intentionally fouled to prevent a breakaway. The team being fouled would get two shots and the ball under the proposed change. Currently, the penalty is one shot and the ball.

The other changes approved by the league's competition committee, made up of one representative from each of the 30 teams, are as follows:

• When a player on the receiving end of a punching, elbowing or flagrant category two foul is unable to attempt his foul shots, one of the four teammates who were on the court when the foul happened would be able to take the free throws in his place. Under current rules, the team that committed the foul can choose any player on the opposing team -- even someone on the bench -- to shoot the free throws.

• Players who are not lined up along the lane would be prohibited from standing anywhere beneath the foul line extended when free throws are being shot. This would end the practice of a player dashing in from the corner to try to tip in a missed free throw.

• In an effort to improve the flow of the game, referees would be permitted to let play continue when a defending team gained possession of the ball a split-second after the shot clock expires. Under current rules, if the buzzer sounds when a shot is in mid-air and the ball misses the rim, the referees are required to stop play and award the ball out of bounds on the sideline.

• Unlimited substitutions would be allowed during all 20-second timeouts. Currently, they are allowed only during the final two minutes of each half.

The Board of Governors will vote on the proposed changes in April.

The "clear path" rule would be tweaked because statistics showed teams are averaging less than 2 points when clear path fouls are called.

"The original idea behind the clear path foul was we didn't want them to occur. But now, when they do occur, the offended team is not getting the yield point-wise that they should be," NBA vice president Stu Jackson told ESPN.com.

The committee turned down a proposal to move the markings along the foul lane, would would have allowed the non-shooting team's players to line up a few inches closer to the shooter when free throws were about to be attempted.

"We're going to continue to evaluate that one. There's a feeling that maybe it's getting more difficult to secure a rebound as the non-shooting team on a missed free throw, with buys getting pushed under [the basket]," Jackson said. "We didn't pass that one, but we're looking at it."
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2334673

• Players who are not lined up along the lane would be prohibited from standing anywhere beneath the foul line extended when free throws are being shot. This would end the practice of a player dashing in from the corner to try to tip in a missed free throw.
Flip and Delfino have changed the game. [smilie=applause.gi:

• Players who are not lined up along the lane would be prohibited from standing anywhere beneath the foul line extended when free throws are being shot. This would end the practice of a player dashing in from the corner to try to tip in a missed free throw.
Flip and Delfino have changed the game. [smilie=applause.gi:

Yeah, they've never tried that past pre-season. Somebody in the league office must have called them up and said they couldn't do that.

Why not just reseed like they do in the NHL after each round? Always made sense to me.

man fuck the divisions. seed the whole conference by record, period. Dallas and SA will then be 1 and 2 and couldnt meet till the conf finals. Problem solved.

Why not just reseed like they do in the NHL after each round? Always made sense to me.


Beat me to it. That would be best for everyone.

Why not just reseed like they do in the NHL after each round? Always made sense to me.


Beat me to it. That would be best for everyone.

Fuck that, I like being able to understand the brackets without a calculator. They need to go back to four divisions or just ignore the divisions all together.

MMMMM Not really. Alls that happens is after the 1st round the team with the best record plays the team with the worst record, and the team with the 2nd best record plays the team with the 2nd to worst record.