find the schedule from the strike-shortened season and use that. those games were really exciting down the stretch as there was clearly a premium on winning regular season games. actually, i'd eliminate 2 teams from each conference getting to the playoffs. go to 6 teams each getting in. but first things first
well you cant have your cake and eat it too...i gave you the fewer games. If you say limit the playoff teams, then lets jkeep the number of games the same and increase the length of the season.
Right now, each team plays: Each other conference team 2 times (30) Each same division team 4 times (16) 6 of the other 10 same conference teams 4 times (24) The remaining 4 same conference teams 3 times (12) Obviously, divisions are meaningless since you play more teams outside your division 4 times (6 teams) than you do teams inside your division (4 teams). So to make divisions meaningful, play those 6 teams 3 times, rather than 4. Total games for the season: 76 Or, if you don't like divisions, play everyone in your conference 3 times. Total games for the season: 72 10 games is 3+ weeks shaved off the season.
I second Jugdish's suggestion... play UNBALANCED schedules in the NBA if you want to have division championships actually mean something. Sure, the Rockets get screwed by playing in a tougher division... I don't care. If you're able to survive the season playing within a tough division, you're that much more ready for the playoffs. Also, I don't see the Yankees complaining they have to play the Red Sox 18-20 times a year...at least 12 more times than they get to play the hapless Rangers (and keep in mind, the Rockets would have had MORE games this year against the crummy Grizzlies). Right now, the NBA regular season is BORING... and judging from the results of the playoffs, relatively meaningless (given the Jazz' late season collapse... then again, Mavs-Warriors held true).
Well, if they were to go with the 72-game season, they could just throw out divisions. They almost mean nothing right now, anyway.
Yeah. Didn't they do a study and found out the ball is in play like 5 minutes out of the 2-3 hours it takes to complete a game?
