So far, the NBA Playoffs have produced some very good games. Kevin Durant’s four-point play, the Rockets and Trailblazers high-scoring affair, Josh McRoberts’ dunk, and many more moments to come. But the NBA Playoffs seem watered down. The Western Conference feature eight very good basketball teams. The Eastern Conference features, well, the Heat.
So, how can we make the NBA Playoffs better?
First and foremost, teams with a 38-44 record should not be in the postseason. Sorry Atlanta, but you missed the cut. Second, why do the Wizards have a five seed? They are not even five games over the .500 mark. So, sorry Washington, but no five seed for you.
Can the NBA move to a NCAA tournament format? Unfortunately there is not enough teams, and the NBA lacks the talent for a 64-team league.
But, how about that same style of tournament? Call it the NBA’s version of the Sweet 16. Take the best 16 teams from the entire league and play a three-game series. First team to win two games advances in a bracket format.
This new format has four “brackets,” each containing four teams seeded one through four. North, South, East, and West will each have a bracket. The highest seed in each bracket hosts their side of the tournament. Now, for the second round of the tournament, the higher seed will host the first and last game, where the lower seed hosts the second game. The third round, or the final four teams would be played at a neutral site, with each series playing on alternate days. Finally, the winners head to the NBA Finals.
This is not a normal NBA Finals. Where are the final games played? What if both teams are the number one seed? What if they have the same record?
The NBA Finals would be held at the most famous basketball court in the world.
Welcome to Rucker Park.
The best of the best have played on Harlem’s favorite court, and it is the dream of every basketball player to play on that legendary court. Names like Julius Erving, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Nate Archibald, Wilt Chamberlain, Connie Hawkins, and Earl Monroe all played at Rucker Park. Why not host the biggest games of the year there? It is summertime, and basketball is made to be played outdoors. The NBA Finals at Rucker Park would be one of the best events anyone could ask for.
What would the brackets look like this year under this idea?
North
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhIwz3npZo8
1. San Antonio Spurs
2. Golden State Warriors
3. Memphis Grizzlies
4. Charlotte Bobcats
South
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
2. Portland Trailblazers
3. Dallas Mavericks
4. Brooklyn Nets
East
1. Los Angeles Clippers
2. Houston Rockets
3. Toronto Raptors
4. Washington Wizards
West
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpXAgIgPGUU
1. Indiana Pacers
2. Miami Heat
3. Chicago Bulls
4. Phoenix Suns
That is what the postseason is all about. The best team in the NBA matches up against the worst playoff team in terms of record, then so on and so forth. If the seedings hold, the second round would feature:
North: San Antonio Spurs vs. Golden State Warriors
South: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Portland Trailblazers
East: Los Angeles Clippers vs. Houston Rockets
West: Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat
How is that for a second round of the playoffs? Four series that could go either way. That type of parity cannot be found under the current system. But, this is just getting started. How about the final four teams?
San Antonio Spurs or Golden State Warriors vs. Indiana Pacers or the Miami Heat
Oklahoma City Thunder or Portland Trailblazers vs. Los Angeles Clippers or Houston Rockets
For the sake of the bracket, imagine a final four of the Spurs vs. Heat and the Thunder vs. Clippers. What a great week of NBA basketball that would be.
Imagine this, but at Rucker Park.
But, the real fun comes now, who makes the NBA Finals? Imagine the Heat and the Clippers in Rucker Park, imagine LeBron vs. Durant in Rucker Park, imagine the Spurs and the Thunder. Endless possibilities and every result brings anticipation and anxiousness, which is the absolute goal in entertainment.
Lights, Camera, Action.
Oh, this happened at Rucker Park, can you see LeBron James, Kevin Durant, or Blake Griffin duplicating it?
Photo by Mark D. Smith, USA Today Sports Images