A proposal to rethink NBA playoff seeding. Plus, remembering the 1994 Nuggets
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I don’t are likely to get jealous of anyone’s success or the issues they’ve, however that adjustments after I see Jimmy Butler’s wine cellar.
We Want Stability! A WNBA-inspired NBA playoff repair?
What occurs if Victor Wembanyama, Chris Paul, Harrison Barnes and the remainder of the Spurs’ younger guys are a .500 or higher group this season? Assuming relative well being within the Western Convention, we’re taking a look at 13 groups competing for 10 spots. That’s wild! Now we have the ten groups from final season plus a Houston group that’s seeking to take a large step ahead, Memphis is wholesome and an issue for anybody, and possibly this Spurs group.
Whenever you look over on the East, there are eight groups you already know will belong. It’s the precise eight groups we noticed within the postseason final 12 months. Detroit, Washington, Charlotte, Brooklyn and Toronto will nonetheless be dangerous. Chicago is heading towards youth fairly than substance in the intervening time. And we’re nonetheless ready for Atlanta to take issues extra critically. However alas, somebody should fill out final two Play-In spots within the East.
As I watch the WNBA playoffs, which don’t comply with convention seedings (the league solely has 12 groups presently), it makes me slightly wistful for the thought of the NBA following one thing related. Because the league has revamped issues with the NBA Cup and the Play-In Event, possibly that is one thing for Adam Silver and firm to discover once more.
The East isn’t nearly as good because the West in terms of depth of nice groups, and the imbalance is changing into extra pronounced this season. Right here is my half-baked thought of find out how to repair the playoff format:
- In the event you end within the prime six of your convention, you’re in.
- The eight groups with one of the best information exterior of these prime six in every convention could be relegated to Play-In Event standing to take part in a extra sturdy Play-In format.
- The group with one of the best file of the eight would face the one with worst file, and so forth, in a single-elimination format.
So utilizing final season for instance, your Play-In squads and brackets could be:
- First spherical of (1) New Orleans in opposition to (8) Chicago, (2) Philly in opposition to (7) Houston, (3) Lakers in opposition to (6) Sacramento and (4) Miami in opposition to (5) Golden State. Let’s simply say the upper seed gained every recreation.
- New Orleans then performs Miami. Philadelphia performs Los Angeles.
- Winners get the No. 7 seed. Higher regular-season file will get to remain of their convention with tiebreakers in case of the identical file. Losers get the No. 8 seed with higher file staying of their convention.
Finally, is that this one of the best thought for the way this factor ought to play out? Possibly not! Let me predict some gripes:
- It could possibly be spun as an overreaction to a powerful West 12 months. I’d argue it’s nearer to this imbalance most of the time, although.
- You would argue this extends the Play-In Event longer than it must be. Possibly we simply put the dang factor in Vegas or at a impartial web site so we will make it faster?
- You would argue it ruins the East-West format the league loves. Solely slightly! Possibly under no circumstances? We’ll see.
This gained’t occur. However we will dream, can’t we?
Scott Wachter / Imagn Pictures
Welcome Again, Sophomores! Three to like, three to look at and three to fret about
They are saying that three is a fortunate quantity, and that so many issues within the stability of life occur in threes. Thoughts, physique and soul. Large three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Loss of life, taxes and the Wonderful Sladek making me tremendous nervous throughout a halftime present. I additionally love the thought of checking in on issues in threes. This 12 months, we’ll be doing fairly a little bit of prime three, center three, backside three once we focus on the NBA. What higher strategy to kick that off than taking a look at three sophomores we love, three sophomores we’re watching intently and three sophomores we’re slightly fearful about?
Three to like ❤️
Victor Wembanyama, Spurs:We’re obsessed. Possibly you’re already sick of the Wemby hype and contemplate it hyperbole. Recover from it. He’s actual and he’s spectacular. I’ll imagine any situation you throw at me. Wemby took the Spurs to the playoffs in Yr 2 and made the convention finals? Positive. Wemby averaged a quadruple-double? I purchase it. He defeated an alien invasion by himself? Write the script!
Chet Holmgren, Thunder:Holmgren was overshadowed by Wemby fairly a bit final season, which is loopy contemplating how good Holmgren was. He averaged 16.5 factors per recreation with a 63.2 true taking pictures proportion, 7.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and a pair of.3 blocks? GTFOH. These are absurd numbers. He and Wemby are the one rookies to file 100 blocks and 100 3-pointers.
Jaime Jaquez Jr., Warmth:#HeatCulture was slightly shaky final season, however Jaquez offers it a whole lot of hope. I believe he’s already the third-best participant on the group at 23, and I’d anticipate his exterior shot to come back round. The Warmth want his finest all season lengthy, which is rather a lot to placed on a younger participant.
Three to look at 👀
Dereck Vigorous II, Mavs:He’s going to compete for a beginning spot. Whether or not he will get it or not, Vigorous has already proven he can have a large affect on the courtroom. What else can he do? Will he be extra of an offensive menace? Can he be dependable on the line? Can he play-make extra because the roll man?
Brandon Miller, Hornets:I’m making an attempt to be open-minded concerning the short-term way forward for the Hornets as a result of there’s an entire new regime. The No. 2 decide in 2023 was superior as a rookie, overshadowed by the bigs. It’s not solely on him, however how can he result in extra wins?
Brandin Podziemski, Warriors:Is Podz going to begin on the taking pictures guard this season? Buddy Hield and De’Anthony Melton make this a crowded backcourt. How does Podz proceed to carve out his position?
Three to fret about😟
Scoot Henderson, Blazers:A particularly disappointing rookie season ought to both gasoline him to make nice strides this 12 months or harm his confidence tremendously. I’m hoping for the previous as a result of he’s a enjoyable prospect.
Jarace Walker, Pacers:He barely performed as a rookie and the Pacers might actually use his protection subsequent to Myles Turner. If the 21-year-old can’t carve out minutes in opposition to Obi Toppin, or play on the wing, then what?
Gradey Dick, Raptors:When the Raptors tanked the ultimate quarter of the season, Gradey scored OK (12.1), shot OK (41.5/35.1/80.8) and performed important minutes (29.9). How a lot will he be on the courtroom if Toronto is wholesome?
Flashback Friday: The 1994 Nuggets made everyone imagine in miracles
The passing of Dikembe Mutombo this week introduced again a ton of nostalgia for his spectacular and eventful profession. I believe most individuals’s introduction to him within the NBA was in the course of the 1994 playoffs. Denver had rebuilt for 3 years and was again within the playoffs as a 42-40 eighth-seed. It was a enjoyable, full of life squad. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was a bucket. Robert Pack was a degree guard with a flat prime commonly dunking on massive males. LaPhonso Ellis, Bryant Stith, Reggie Williams, Bison Dele (then generally known as Brian Williams) and Rodney Rogers rounded out that rotation as all of them surrounded Mt. Mutombo.
Regardless of how enjoyable they have been, they have been going up in opposition to the not possible— the 63-19 top-seeded Seattle SuperSonics. Second-best offense within the league. Third-best protection. Seeking to win the West and stamp themselves as contenders and champions. They have been presupposed to make fast work of the Nuggets in Spherical 1 earlier than dealing with Utah within the second spherical. And so they took the primary two video games of the best-of-five collection. Accomplished deal? Not so quick.
The Nuggets dominated Recreation 3 at dwelling behind 31 factors from Reggie Williams and a 19-point, 13-rebound, six-block efficiency from Mutombo. They went to additional time in Recreation 4 and gained once more behind 27 and 17 from Ellis with Mutombo getting 10 factors, 16 boards and eight blocks. However going again to Seattle for the decisive Recreation 5 was supposed to finish Denver’s season.
Denver did the unimaginable. They took the collection behind one other eight-block efficiency and additional time victory to tug off the primary eight over one upset in NBA historical past. Seattle was shocked. The NBA was dumbfounded. And Mutombo set the file for many blocks in a five-game collection (31) whereas giving us this iconic second as the sport ended.
Relaxation in Energy, Dikembe.
Bounce Passes
Dan Brown went behind the scenes of Steph Curry’s “marathon” media day.
James L. Edwards III and Jon Krawczynski have an early take a look at the second probability between the Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Cities and Tom Thibodeau.
Most-clicked in yesterday’s publication: John Hollinger’s take a look at 5 groups he thinks will fall wanting expectations.
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(Prime picture: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Pictures)
