With all of the international players that are flooding the NBA, and the potential of having to play 112 games if you win the championship, the NBA needs to shorten the season. Players like Yao are only going to become more problematic as they are obligated to play for their national teams in the summer as well as complete an excruciatingly long NBA season. The NBA regular season is not very important when it comes to determining who gets into the playoffs. No team has ever won the championship when seeded lower than 6th position, which means 4 teams are allowed into the playoffs every year that historically have no chance of winning it all. On the other hand, it is nice for the lower seeds to gain experience in series-play and participate in the "second-season" even though winning is almost impossible. It is also nice for the highest seeds to have one series to adjust to post season play intensity before getting into the stuff that really matters. The regular season allows teams to develop their play style, evaluate their personnel, and make adjustments before the post season begins. Personally, I like the basketball format of having a two separate seasons, so I advocate shortening the regular season. I can't comprehend how teams can't get everything they need done in 64-70 games. You could even extend the post season one more series and let every single team in the league into it. You would still be dropping 14 potential games from the year. This would allow Yao and all the other international players to serve their countries, and at the same time, put out an intense effort for their NBA teams. I think you would also see some teams developing higher energy styles, knowing that they didn't have to sustain a certain play level for 84 regular season games.
Screw the international players. I like watching NBA basketball, and the more of it I can get, the happier I am.
I remember when the lockout happened a few years ago and alot of people felt the 54 game season (I think that how many they played) was much better. I agree the NBA season is to long, if only from a fans perspective. Once you get around the 50 game mark I start to lose a bit of interest.
Yeah... you'll be chanting that as Yao breaks his foot in the Western Conference Semi-Finals because he couldn't maintain his balance due to exhaustion in the 100th game of the season. I guess Yao should just defect, huh.
yeah the NBA season is def dragged out, i mean.. its June, we should be focusing our attention on the WNBA this time of the year
Not really, but hey, NBA is a job. Players are obligated to play for the teams because it's their job. They don't have to play for national teams, but if they do, it's their choice.
If international play continues to improve at this rate, it is possible that players might choose to avoid the NBA because of the season. International tournaments could become like the World Cup and the NBA could drop in stature, becoming only one of many respectable basketball leagues around the world.
Doc, They are well conditioned athletes. People at the YMCA play more games in a year than these guys do. No thanks to a shorter season. DD
I agree Also . . if anything. . . JUSt PLAY THE PLAYOFF GAMES CLOSER TOGETHER 3~4 days between games is ridiculous Rocket RIver I would like if the games somehow found their way back to regular TV too . . .
If it weren't for the economics of the game shortening of the season would make great sense. If it weren't for the economics of the game tightening of the post season (fewer entrants) would make great sense.
Though I don't care at all about the implications for international play, I would agree the season should be shortened. The regular-post season balance is way off-kilter. They play games with little meaning for months and months, and then their post-season fortunes are decided in weeks. Given how important the playoffs are and how unimportant regular season games are, they do spend way too much time playing the regular season.
Not only that, but the 1st round should definitely go back to a best of 5 series. The 2004 playoffs took two f'n months!
i agree the season is too long. i love to watch basketball, but its not as fun when the effort isnt really there. it seems the guys coast up until the all star break.
Totally agree, $tern needs to make the 1st round a 5 game series and trim the days in between, playoffs way too long, season doesn’t really bug me.
Season's fine. Off-season's too long But playoff format is too stretched out. Don't mind the 7 game series, but they should play on consecutive nights with one day travel days. Let the fittest team have the advantage.
All of the suggestions ... . Cut down number of regular season games. . Best of 5 1st round . Cut down rest days. ... are good ... But .... why? The league wants to sell tickets, I want to watch BB all year round ... What's the problem here?
i agree...season is too long. there is seemingly no urgency from game to game. that's fine if you allow only a few teams into the playoffs...but in a league where more teams make the playoffs than don't, I'd err for less regular season games.
