I don't see how it helps the Lakers. IMO it should help the underdog to only have a 5 game series. It's easier to beat a good team 3 times rather than 4. I bet it's because of TV money, plain and simple.
Money purposes.....Lakers will get the 6th, 7th, or 8th seed and will most likely face either the Mavs or Kings. Otherwise, we all know this rule wouldn't have been changed MID-WAY into the season. My opinion: -Contract the NBA by a couple teams...move the better players to other teams. -Forget the East/West crap, take the top 16 teams record-wise for the playoffs. Teams would have to play each other 3 times. -Return the first round to 5 games....but we all know they will just like they did with the 3 point line. There are tons of other things in the NBA that need fixing, but won't go into them since we're only discussing the playoff scheme.
I agree with Jim Rome, this actually HURTS the Lakers. The Lakers are already thin, old (the supporting cast) and becoming unathletic (again the supporting cast), the longer a series goes the more likely the Lakers are the wear down. Same goes for the playoffs, the deeper they go the more banged up they are. I think a 7 game series actually HELPS some teams, particularly the Rockets. A longer series allows a younger team more time to relax before panicking or having their backs to the wall. In a 5 game series if the Rockets lose the first two games they have to win 3 in a row and they're in SERIOUS touble, and have to win a critical decisive game on the road. In a 7 game series, the Rockets could lose the first 2 games, come back and win the next two at home and have a chance to claim homecourt advantage again. It also benefits deep, big and athletic teams like the Rockets. My thoughts, the Rockets bench, youth and athleticism wouldn't have kicked in until they found a way to get to the 2nd round because a bench is made for a season and a longer series. Shorter series, a bench really doesn't have much of an impact. A little impact, but not much. Also, more playoff experience, which I like.
One of the things the NBA's new broadcasters wanted this summer was a longer 1st round. The league had to get the permission of the NBAPA to do that. They've been negotiating with them during the season and recently reached a compromise.
Absolutley. The leagues concession was a shorter training camp for veteran players (I recall no two a days after the tenth day) and more playoff $ for the teams. I saw a joint interview with Stern and the head of the players union and both are trying to avoid another lockout season. The players association and the league are both concerned about our current economy and don't want any fan backlash from a future strike. This was just the beginning of phase of getting both sides talking about improving revenues. Sorry...no Laker conspiracy theory will float here.
problematic. the nba shouldn't have changed in the rule in the middle of the season. also, few underdogs will upset higher seeded teams because fans want to see some top seeds get knock out of the playoffs.
