Should the playoff format be changed to the TOP 16 OVERALL regardless of conference?

The problem I see is that I don't want to see a West-West finals or East-East finals. Yes, it's not fair for a weaker East team to make the playoffs while a stronger West team misses out, but none of those teams have a significant shot at making it deep into the playoffs anyway.


Really, the bigger factor I see is that it's a harder road in the West then it is in the East. It seems to me that the West team is more beat up then the East team by the time we reach the finals. Then again, the West team can be considered to be more battle tested...don't know which is more valued...probably depends on the year.

Perhaps lowering the number of teams that make the playoffs...but that is a revenue reduction and really wouldn't have that big of an impact. I honestly would rather see the number of regular season games reduced. I don't like that you play some of your conference opponents only 3 times. If it was changed to division opponents 4 times, all others 2 times, then it is completely even every year. That's 4x4 = 16, 10x2= 20, and 15x2= 30 for a total of 66 games. Yea, a drop in revenue...not the best idea.

Perhaps if they took a page from the NFL and rotated what divisions played each other. Still have everyone play everyone play everyone twice and your division opponents 4 times, but also play a teams from one of the Eastern divisions 4 times (changing each year). That will give you and extra 10 games. Or perhaps the top 5 in the West play the bottom 5 in the East, vice versa, and the middle 5 play each other.

 

It won't happen for a number of reasons. You could argue that the teams in the East with a worse record have a tougher schedule than team's in the West since they'd have to play the Celts, Heat, Magic 12 times throughout the year compared to the West teams that only have to play them 6 times out of the year.

Plus travel would be longer if say the Nets were the 16th seed and had to play the (hypothetical) #1 seeded Lakers. Cross country travel would add more expenses for the NBA in an economic recession.

 

If you want to get rid of the conferences in the playoffs (which I don't disagree) you will have to change the scheduling format in the regular season. You'll have to play each team equal, or near equal, times.

What I want is to have a smaller playoffs field. Eliminating less than half of the teams after a 6-month regular season just doesn't make sense. But I know it will never happen. Too much money is at stake.