Spurs NBA Champs, How to fix the NBA Playoffs?

Have to admit, I knew San Antonio was a better team, but I didn't think they'd sweep. But, I'm glad they did. Being a huge basketball fan, I watched every game I could even though my beloved Pistons weren't part of the finals, but besides me and some people in San Antonio, I don't think anyone else really watched the Finals. That begs the question, what can the NBA do to make the Playoffs more entertaining and a bigger draw to all the markets?

First, the obvious answer: Reseed the teams in each conference after each round.
The reason they would want to do this is that it would mostly solve the problem of the best two teams in the conference playing each other before the conference finals. Think about it, in the West, after the first round, you had the following seeds playing each other: 3 vs. 2 and 5 vs. 8.
Hence San Antonio's domination in the Conference Finals over a promising Utah team. But, if they reseeded after each round, you would have had the Suns vs. the Warriors (WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO SEE THAT?) and the Spurs vs. Utah, with the promise of Spurs/Suns to come. It would have provided a much larger stage for the league to screw the Suns with, that's for sure. But it also would have helped build things up a bit better. In the East you had 1 vs. 4, and 2 vs. 6. At the very least, a Detroit/New Jersey warmup to the winner of the Bulls/Cavs would have been great, and I'm sure the conference finals would have been much better with the correct buildup. Reseeding each conference after each round would also make the regular season that much more important. The top teams will be beating the crap out of each other that much more to get the easiest path to the conference or NBA finals.

Here's another answer that would never happen, and I'm sure I'll get flamed all over again (see my Pistons wishlist), but it's something that would create instant intrigue in the league because no one else does it:

Do away with the conferences, and reseed after each round.
Think of it...they're trying to get to be a more global league anyway. Do away with Eastern vs. Western Conference. Let everyone play everyone. Playoffs would include the top 16 teams after an 82 game season, regardless of zip code. Sure, it would enrage those in the Eastern conference, just like it would have enraged the Western Conference 15 years ago, but it would definitely add another dimension to the regular season. The Pistons wouldn't be able to slide into the #1 seed winning a paltry 54 games anymore. Also, reseed after each round again...except over the entire playoffs. You wouldn't have two brackets anymore, you'd just have one gigantic bracket. That would guarantee that the best two teams in the league have the easiest path to the Finals. Of course that would make it incredibly difficult for a Cinderella to break through at all, but meh.

Like I said, I don't think that would ever happen, but dang it would be interesting. One things for sure, something needs to be tweaked yet again, so the best two teams in the playoffs (Spurs/Suns or Spurs/Mavs) don't meet in the 2nd round again next year.

Any other ideas that would make the playoffs more exciting? Leave 'em in the comments!

NBA Playoff Predictions...

Well, I’ve got something else baking dealing with the Pistons going into Playoff time…hopefully I can drop that blarticle over the weekend, until then, here are my predictions for the NBA Playoffs!

Western Conference:

(1) Dallas Mavericks vs. (8) Golden State Warriors
Some are actually calling this an upset in the making. I’m not, though I think it’s going to be a lot harder than most think. Golden State is going to make the Mavs sweat. The Warriors will steal one of the first two at Dallas before going back to “The City” and dropping one there to give the home court advantage back to Dallas. Dallas wins decisively (think last years Game 7 of Detroit whupping Cleveland) at home to move on.

(2) Phoenix Suns vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers
Again, another one that’s going to be closer than you think. Kobe averages 45+ for the series, but gets no help from his bigs. Marion and Stoudemire go off after Kwame Brown goes down in the 2nd game. Marion averages 25 and Stoudemire averages 25+ to more than cancel out Kobe’s 45 per. Suns win in 6.

(3) San Antonio Spurs vs. (6) Denver Nuggets
Ah San Anton…good old Spurs…the Pistons of the West. You know, Denver’s close. If they had D’Antoni as their coach, they’d be a better version of the Suns. Unfortunately, they don’t and they aren’t. Denver could win if they attacked Duncan with Nene and got Duncan in some foul trouble…unfortunately to do that, Carmelo “I’m so glad you’re not a Piston” Anthony and AI would have to give up some shots…not gonna happen. Spurs in 5.

(4) Houston Rockets vs. (5) Utah Jazz
Old Skool Basketball rules as Sloan orders Mehmet Okur to foul Yao hard in the first game. Yao takes a tumble, and sits out the rest of the game, with Utah taking the home court away in the first game. Unfortunately for Utah, that foul awakens something evil in Yao, and he instantly develops the killer instinct that has so far kept him from being considered the best center in the game. Yao averages 35+ and 15 boards the rest of the series, and the Rockets take 4 straight from Utah to put them out in 5 games.


(1) Dallas Mavericks vs. (4) Houston Rockets
Yao’s streak continues as the Rockets take the 2nd game from Dallas at Dallas. The Mavs never recover as the Rockets play suffocating defense shutting down 2 out of the 3 Mavs scorers on the floor at all times. Josh Howard’s defense can’t slow up T-Mac enough and he goes off for 45 in Game 6 as the Rockets move on.

(2) Phoenix Suns vs. (3) San Antonio Spurs
The Suns have fits with the Spurs, until Boris Diaw finally shows up in this series. Phoenix drops a game at home to give up home court, but they win game 6 at San Antonio, and Raja Bell delivers 8 3’s in Game 7, including a game winning shot as time expires. Oh, and a dumb foul by Manu is the reason Phoenix has a chance in the 7th game as well.

(2) Phoenix Suns vs. (4) Houston Rockets
Yao keeps his average up, but Amare matches him. Each team holds home court, and in Game 7, Amare gets Yao in trouble, making Jeff Van Gundy have to resort to Mutumbo to slow down the Suns. Mutumbo trips over his walker, and the Suns win by 10 to go onto the NBA Finals.

Eastern Conference

(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Orlando Magic
The Pistons lose the 2nd game at home by 20. Then they remember again who they are, and Chauncey averages 25 pts and 12 assists a game, schooling Jameer Nelson at every turn. Pistons roll in 5.

(2) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (7) Washington Wizards
Watch the Wiz steal the first game. Watch Lebron get so mad he smacks Drew Gooden upside the back of the head. Watch Drew play 4 straight games as a meaningful player as the Cavs roll in 5.

(3) Toronto Raptors vs. (6) New Jersey Nets
The Nets will steal a home game from the Raps. Then the Raps will steal one back, and then they’ll steal another and win in 6.

(4) Miami Heat vs. (5) Chicago Bulls
I have no idea how this series rolls. My guess is Dwayne Wade goes off in the first game and the Heat win at Chicago. Then Nocioni comes in in the 2nd game and knocks Wade down. Unlike his commercial, he doesn’t pop right back up. And the Heat are done. Bulls in 6.


(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (5) Chicago Bulls
I want this series to happen. How is it that the Pistons are the #1 Seed but they have the hardest road out of the East? Who cares, this series goes back and forth, each team stealing two games on the others’ court. Game 7 at the Palace. Ben Wallace comes up huge with 6 blocks and 22 rebounds. Unfortunately, he can’t score. Deng sweeps in for the game winning hook shot, over Tayshaun Prince, and Jason Maxiell rises above them all to block the shot. Maxiell roars at a fallen Deng as time expires. A new Defensive Beast is born.

(2) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (3) Toronto Raptors
Bosh averages 25+ a game, and the Raps good all around game gives the Cavs fits. Unfortunately, Rasho Nesterovic is no match for Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Ilgauskas goes off for 25 and 10 in Game 6 as the Cavs win a close series over the upstart Raps.


(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (2) Cleveland Cavaliers
The Pistons drop the first game at home, and again, wake up finally remembering who they are. They win the next 4 straight over the tired Cavs, and frustrate Lebron throwing a different defensive look at him every time down the floor. Pistons in 5.

NBA Finals

(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (2) Phoenix Suns
Detroit continues its roll, winning the 1st game in Phoenix. Nash’s back goes out, and Chauncey posts Barbosa up 10 times a game. Chauncey averages 25 pts and 12 assists a game in the Finals. Phoenix pulls out the 2nd game, and the middle game of the 3 in Detroit after Nash comes back. The Pistons pull into Phoenix in Game 6, Webber pulls out a vintage performance in the biggest stage of his life. He and Sheed combine to score 40 to match Amare and Marion’s 40. Carlos Delfino comes up with a huge steal on Nash in the final minutes and finishes the break with a jam. Jalen Rose swears up and down that he really wanted to come to Detroit as the Pistons celebrate a series clinching win on Phoenix’s court by 5.

Finals MVP: Chauncey Billups. And with my luck, then he’ll sign a contract in the offseason with the Bucks. ^_^