NBA bubble is that we’re nearly a month in and the league has had zero positive tests for several weeks. The bubble is holding together due to the care, effort and consideration by all parties involved. For the most part, everyone is following the protocols, and the few who haven’t have undergone long quarantine periods to ensure the integrity of the bubble." data-reactid="18">The best part about the NBA bubble is that it’s been nearly a month and the league has had zero positive tests for several weeks. The bubble is holding together thanks to the care, commitment and consideration of all parties involved. For the most part, everyone is following the protocols and the few who have not undergone long quarantine periods to ensure the integrity of the bubble.
basketball itself. The games have largely been entertaining, with only a couple of blowouts so far. Part of that is that the players clearly took their conditioning seriously while the season was on pause. Also, players who were injured or had bumps and bruises had time to get healthy. And worn-down players are rested and ready to go." data-reactid="23">The second best part of the bubble is the basketball itself. The games have largely been fun, with only a couple of blasts so far. Part of that is that the players clearly took their conditioning seriously while the season was on hiatus. In addition, players who have been injured or had bumps and bruises have had time to recover. And exhausted players are rested and ready to go.
NBA teams know who they are and they plan accordingly for the rest of the season. Playoff contenders are fighting for seeding or playoff spots. Non-playoff teams turn to youth, with a focus on pingpong balls in the draft lottery. That means there are a lot of non-competitive games over the season’s last two months." data-reactid="24">However, the main reason for the quality games is that the bubble has largely eliminated the bad teams from the mix. By the commercial deadline and the All-Star hiatus, the NBA teams know who they are and plan accordingly for the rest of the season. Playoff contenders are fighting for seeding or playoffs. Teams not playing the playoffs cater to young people, with a focus on ping pong balls in the project’s lottery. This means there are a lot of non-competitive matches in the last two months of the season.
NBA’s worst eight teams eliminated from the mix, the games have been competitive and close, with a number of underdogs pulling off some major upsets. How can the NBA replicate the competitiveness of the bubble during normal future seasons without completely eliminating a quarter of the league?" data-reactid="25">With the NBA’s worst eight teams eliminated from the mix, the games have been competitive and close-knit, with a number of underdogs pulling out some major upsets. How can the NBA replicate the bubble’s competitiveness during normal future seasons without completely eliminating a league quarter?
NBA will ever adopt relegation. It’s simply not a workable premise in American sports. The money is too big for any owner to agree to forgo earnings for even a single season." data-reactid="26">Let’s start with some things that are out of the question. There is no chance the NBA will ever adopt relegation. It is simply not a viable premise in American sports. The money is too high for an owner to agree to forgo the earnings for even one season.
NBA will go to a Nos. 1-16 inter-conference playoff seeding. The bubble, with its lack of travel, was the perfect time to try, and Eastern Conference teams still wanted no part of it. That vote is never getting passed." data-reactid="27">There is also little or no chance of the NBA going to a seeding of the No. 1-16. The bubble, with its lack of travel, was the perfect time to try, and the Eastern Conference teams didn’t want to be a part of it yet. That vote will never be approved.
Finally, cutting the program from 82 games is probably impossible. As we have learned, home games are profitable for the teams and also for the players.
NBA structure. The key is reworking the schedule and altering the post-All-Star break framework." data-reactid="29">But there is a way to get some of the bubble excitement while still retaining much of the current NBA structure. The key is to rework the program and alter the picture of the post-All-Star break.
The NBA has created a “whole new game” at Walt Disney World. (AP Photo / Tim Reynolds)
NBA calendar remains roughly the same with a late October-to-mid-April regular season. There has been buzz of permanently moving the start of the season to mid-December or even Christmas and wrapping the regular season in mid-June. But with NBA players coming out against the idea of losing their summers off, conflicts with international competitions and challenges for the 22 teams that share regional sports networks with Major League Baseball teams, it’s unlikely that change is happening anytime soon." data-reactid="41">First, let’s assume the NBA calendar remains roughly the same with a regular season running late October through mid-April. There has been a buzz of permanently moving the start of the season to mid-December or even Christmas and ending the regular season in mid-June. But with NBA players opposing the idea of losing their summers, conflicts with international competitions, and challenges for the 22 teams sharing regional sports networks with Major League Baseball teams, change is unlikely. happen soon.
NBA calendar. But that’s OK. There is more than enough time to still make things work. Here’s a proposal for when things return to normal — whenever that might be — to keep the excitement and competitiveness of the bubble, while still hitting all the current NBA markers." data-reactid="42">This means continuing to work within the current NBA calendar. But it’s fine. There is more than enough time to make things work again. Here’s a proposal for when things will return to normal – whenever they might be – to keep the bubble excited and competitive, while still reaching all of the current NBA scorers.
The regular season would begin at the beginning of the third week of October. It would last for 62 games and end in mid-February during the All-Star hiatus. That’s 3.6 games a week for 17 weeks, which is roughly the same pace as a regular season. The breakdown of the 62 regular season games:Three games against any team in the same division = 12 games
Two games against each team in the same conference = 20 games
Two games against each team in the opposite conference = 30 games
Three games against any team in the same division = 12 games
Two games against each team in the same conference = 20 games
Two games against each team in the opposite conference = 30 games
In this scenario, each team still plays at least twice a season, at home and away. This means East Coast fans don’t miss their once-a-year visit from the Los Angeles Lakers, and West Coast fans can still see Eastern Conference teams once.
Another benefit of the bubble? The players are fresh and healthy for the most part. Now, you can’t plan a four-month hiatus every season, and here’s hoping we’ll never have to do it again. But what you can do is extend that midseason break. At present, the All-Star break lasts about a week. Do you know who it’s not really a break for? Anyone who takes part in the All-Star Weekend. Those players, coaches, and staff members usually start an All-Star City game and stay there all weekend. Then they get a couple of days off before returning to their team in the middle of next week.
In this proposal, we are taking the three-week All-Star break from mid-February to early March. It’s not enough to truly heal everyone, but it’s enough time for players to take a real break and rest for the stretch run.
NBA and its teams to work out the schedule for what we’re calling the seeding and lottery games." data-reactid="59">The additional time is also needed for the NBA and its teams to work out the schedule for what we call the seeding and lottery games.
NBA seems to have hit on something with 22 teams, so we’re sticking with that, but with a tweak. In this scenario, we’re taking the top 11 teams from each conference into the seeding games. Hopefully, by splitting the league a month earlier than this year, each conference will have 11 teams in playoff contention most seasons." data-reactid="61">This is where we separate the wheat from the chaff and it begins to resemble the bubble. Whether it’s for a purpose or a happy circumstance, the NBA seems to have hit something with 22 teams, so we continue to do so, but with a change. In this scenario, we are bringing the top 11 teams from each conference into seeding matches. Hopefully, by dividing the league a month earlier than this year, each conference will have 11 teams fighting for the playoffs for most of the seasons.
The 22 teams in the seeded matches will play the other 10 teams in the same conference twice each for a total of 20 matches. This brings those 22 teams to 82 total games. Since all games are conference games, you get a lot of excitement as the suits and playoff points are worked out.
We also keep the play-in scenario because it’s fun and keeps teams alive longer. We will keep it exactly as it is now. If the ninth seed is within four games of the eighth seed, there is a series of games. The ninth seed will have to win two consecutive games to advance. Play-in matches will be hosted in the eighth seeded arena, giving them even more of an advantage.
NBA draft in the 9-14 positions by inverse record of the combined regular season and seeding games. No lottery for them, as they had a chance to qualify for the playoffs." data-reactid="64">Teams 9-11 in each conference will be inducted into the NBA draft in positions 9-14 based on the reverse record of the combined regular season and seed matches. No lottery for them, as they had a chance to qualify for the playoffs.
The other eight teams will head for the lottery. Those teams will have their records reset to 0-0. These eight teams will be played three times each for a total of 21 games.
Yes, this means that lottery teams will play 83 games in total. The good news is that another game brings more league revenue, which helps everyone. And by having these teams play three times, you break any tie. The extra home match will be decided by the best record of the regular season.
Here’s where things get interesting. Teams are playing the lottery to win. Whoever has the best record after the 21-game contest gets the most lottery ping pong balls. The proposed breakdown:
Now, you might want to know why players would have to play hard to increase the chances of their team enlisting someone to replace them? This is a fair question, but every year there are lottery teams by circumstance instead of being a real bad team. For example, imagine the Golden State Warriors this season. They would have a chance to play significant games in March and April to try and add a high draft pick for next season.
For those other teams? Well … bad teams are bad teams for a reason. And as we saw in the bubble, when players play, they play hard regardless of the circumstances.
Both the seeding and the lotteries would take place over six weeks from early March to mid-April. It would end up averaging around 3.3 games per week, which is a nice slowdown as the season draws to a close.
Here’s what the general calendar would look like:From the beginning of October to mid-February: Regular Season – 62 games
From mid-February to early March: All-Star Break / program created for seeding and sweepstakes
From early March to mid-April: Seeding and lotteries: 20 to 21 games
From the beginning of October to mid-February: Regular Season – 62 games
From mid-February to early March: All-Star Break / program created for seeding and sweepstakes
From early March to mid-April: Seeding and lotteries: 20 to 21 games
NBA season would divide into three distinct portions. The regular season gives everyone a chance to prove who they are and that they are deserving of a chance for a playoff spot. The seeding and lottery games become almost a sort of second season, like what we have with the bubble. But in this version, the lottery-bound teams still have something to play for. And then you have the playoffs, which is the most exciting part of the season and will remain so." data-reactid="91">Essentially, the NBA season would split into three distinct parts. The regular season gives everyone a chance to prove who they are and that they deserve a chance for a playoff spot. Seeding and the lottery become almost a kind of second season, like the one we have with the bubble. But in this version, lottery-bound teams still have something to play for. And then there are the playoffs, which is the most exciting part of the season and will remain so.
NBA, which is all too often lacking. Almost everyone has something to play for right up until the season’s final week, and that’s how it should be." data-reactid="92">While there are still some pitfalls to understand, this kind of schedule and changes during the season would bring end-of-season excitement for the NBA, which is all too often lacking. Most everyone has something to play for until the last week of the season, and that’s the way it should be.
