| One great thing about the NBA and | | | | an embarrassment to their game and to all |
| commissioner David Stern is that they fix | | | | things sports. There should never be a game |
| mistakes with their game. Case in point - in | | | | where it is in each teams best interest to |
| 2003 the NBA switched the first round of the | | | | lose. So what do I propose?The most simple |
| playoffs from a best-of-five game series to a | | | | and logical solution to this problem is to |
| best-of-seven to help ensure that the better | | | | guarantee each division winner a spot in the |
| team advances. That's why it's mind boggling | | | | playoffs, but then seed the teams based on |
| to wonder why they won't change the playoff | | | | their records with the highest seed always |
| format to account for debacles like this | | | | having home court. All ties in record would |
| season.If a non-sports fan took a quick check | | | | go to the division winner. This still makes |
| at the 2006 Western Conference Standings and | | | | winning the division important - it |
| then the Playoff bracket, they would scratch | | | | guarantees you a spot in the playoffs and the |
| their heads in disbelief. The Dallas | | | | upper hand in tie breakers - but also ensures |
| Mavericks had the second best record in the | | | | that the best teams get the best seeds and |
| conference at 60-22, three games behind | | | | home court advantage. I liken it to the NCAA |
| conference leading San Antonio. The Denver | | | | Tournament - winning the Big Ten or the ACC |
| Nuggets were 44-38, 19 games behind San | | | | doesn't guarantee you a number one seed, it |
| Antonio. Yet, come playoff time the Nuggets | | | | guarantees you a spot in the |
| were the #3 seed while the Mavericks were the | | | | tournament.Here's what the seeding looked |
| #4 seed. All because Dallas happens to play | | | | like this year:1. *San Antonio (63-19)2. |
| in the same division as San Antonio and the | | | | *Phoenix (54-28)3. *Denver (44-38)4. Dallas |
| top three seeds HAVE TO be division winners. | | | | (60-22)5. Memphis (49-33)6. LA Clippers |
| So now Dallas and San Antonio are meeting in | | | | (47-35)7. LA Lakers (45-37)8. Sacramento |
| the second round of the playoffs as opposed | | | | (44-38) |
| to the Western Conference Championship, where | | | | |
| the two best teams should be meeting.To add | | | | *Division WinnerHere's what it would have |
| to the chaos, the #6 seeded LA Clippers had a | | | | looked like in my proposed system:1. *San |
| better record than the #3 seed Nuggets. | | | | Antonio (63-19)2. Dallas (60-22)3. *Phoenix |
| Therefore, in their first round series the #6 | | | | (54-28)4. Memphis (49-33)5. LA Clippers |
| seed had the home court advantage! This is | | | | (47-35)6. LA Lakers (45-37)7. *Denver |
| because the NBA gives the team with the | | | | (44-38)8. Sacramento (44-38) |
| better record the home court advantage...but | | | | |
| not the higher seed. Does that make sense at | | | | *Division WinnerAmazing! The best teams |
| all? If you are going to reward division | | | | actually have the highest seeds AND have the |
| winners with the top three seeds, shouldn't | | | | home court advantage, all while still |
| you also reward them with home court | | | | preserving the importance of winning a |
| advantage? Or you could just reward the teams | | | | division. This would prevent Dallas and San |
| with the better record with the home court | | | | Antonio from playing in the second round, |
| advantage AND the higher seed! This isn't | | | | ensure that Memphis would have home court |
| rocket science Mr. Stern.If all of that | | | | advantage and not be stuck playing Dallas, |
| wasn't embarrassing enough, at the end of the | | | | and prevent Denver from getting the #3 seed |
| regular season the NBA was faced with the | | | | just for winning the division...all while |
| worst possible scenario for a sporting event | | | | keeping the integrity of winning a division |
| - a game where it was better for each team to | | | | by giving Denver the #7 seed over Sacramento |
| lose. The #5 seeded Memphis Grizzlies were | | | | for winning their division.Please, please do |
| playing the #6 seed Clippers with the loser | | | | the right thing for next season Mr. Stern and |
| having the inside track to the #6 seed and | | | | adopt a system that is fair for every team. |
| home court advantage in the first round. The | | | | Don't let this disaster turn into the new |
| winner would likely get the #5 seed and a | | | | BCS. Do what you always do - fix what's |
| date with the Mavericks in the first round. | | | | wrong.Adam McFarland owns the Network - a |
| The Clippers "lost" the game and went on to | | | | network of sports sites including |
| get the #6 seed, home court advantage, and a | | | | collectibles, movies, books, video games, and |
| relatively easy win over the Nuggets in the | | | | more.You can read Adam's blog about being a |
| first round. The Grizzlies "won" the game, | | | | young internet entrepreneur by going to was |
| the #5 seed, and were promptly swept out of | | | | recently awarded honorable mention in the |
| the playoffs by the superior Mavericks.The | | | | Microsoft Start Something Amazing Awards. |
| NBA cannot allow this to happen again. It's | | | | |