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