Seed teams 1-16

[Draco]

This would make the playoffs way more balanced and interesting. Instead of garbage east teams we'd have all of the Pelicans, Suns and Thunder make it. Look at how much easier the Blazers path to a title would be; play the Wizards in round one then beat the winner of Houston and Milwaukee and that would put us in the "conference" finals. Last year Miami basically made the finals by default. With even seeding teams would have a more fair path. The playoff positioning would be more interesting with twice the possibilities at the end of the year. I hope they make this change next season.

1 GS vs 16 PHX
8 TOR vs 9 CHI

4 HOU vs 13 MIL
5 POR vs 12 WSH

other half of the bracket:
2 ATL vs 15 NOH
7 LAC vs 10 CLE

3 MEM vs 14 OKC
6 DAL vs 11 SAS

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

I'd rather keep it the same (the east in a couple years will be just as competitive as the west IMHO) or change the conferences to an NFL like division structure where everything is balanced out.

Something like this:

National Basketball Conference

West
Lakers
Blazers
Kings

Central
Rockets
Jazz
Thunder

North
Bulls
Pistons
Wolves

East
Raptors
Nets
Wizards

South
Grizzlies
Hawks
Heat


American Basketball Conference

West
Clippers
Warriors
Suns

Central
Spurs
Mavs
Nuggets

North
Cavs
Pacers
Bucks

East
Celtics
Knicks
76ers

South
Hornets
Pelicans
Magic

Division winners get automatic playoff births BUT do not get automatic top 5 seeding, it all is record based.

 

[Rhal]

I'd rather keep it the same (the east in a couple years will be just as competitive as the west IMHO) or change the conferences to an NFL like division structure where everything is balanced out.

Something like this:

National Basketball Conference

West
Lakers
Blazers
Kings

Central
Rockets
Jazz
Thunder

North
Bulls
Pistons
Wolves

East
Raptors
Nets
Wizards

South
Grizzlies
Hawks
Heat


American Basketball Conference

West
Clippers
Warriors
Suns

Central
Spurs
Mavs
Nuggets

North
Cavs
Pacers
Bucks

East
Celtics
Knicks
76ers

South
Hornets
Pelicans
Magic

Division winners get automatic playoff births BUT do not get automatic top 5 seeding, it all is record based.

People have been saying that for 10+ years and its only gotten more lopsided as time goes on.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Ugh, having to play Milwaukee in the second round?

 

[ripcityboy]

It's a great idea. But the NBA wouldn't like an idea where there would never be a Finals game in the eastern time zone. HAHA!

 

[Strenuus]

It's a great idea. But the NBA wouldn't like an idea where there would never be a Finals game in the eastern time zone. HAHA!

Well done. I am very proud of this post.

 

[Terkish]

Best solution I heard was just move Memphis to the Eastern Conference and give Seatlle and Vegas an expansion team. Adds a playoff team to the East and 2 bottom dwellers to the West.