The Denver Stiffs Postseason Preview...

by Andrew Feinstein on Oct 22, 2008 1:22 AM MDT

In February, I proposed what I thought was an equitable and forward thinking way to reformat the NBA Playoffs and yet still preserve division rivalries, boost TV ratings and eliminate travel concerns. (To be frank, I concocted this plan last season as a way to get the Nuggets into the playoffs even if they didn't finish in the top eight out West).

I emailed my proposal to everyone under the sun, including NBA Commissioner David Stern and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who was kind enough to email me back with his stamp of approval. But other than Cuban, no one took my plan seriously. Thus, we'll be entering the 2008-09 season with the same playoff format likely to give us fans two sub-.500 Eastern Conference Playoff teams and up to three plus-.500 Western Conference teams that miss the postseason altogether.

So who's in, who's out, and how far will they go?

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Playoffs First Round
1) Boston over 8) Miami
2) Detroit over 7) Atlanta
3) Philadelphia over 6) Toronto
4) Cleveland over 5) Orlando

Playoffs Second Round
1) Boston over 4) Cleveland
2) Detroit over 3) Philadelphia

Conference Finals
1) Boston over 2) Detroit

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Playoffs First Round
1) LA Lakers over 8) Denver
2) New Orleans over 7) Portland
3) Houston over 6) Phoenix
4) Utah over 5) San Antonio

Playoffs Second Round
1) LA Lakers over 4) Utah
3) Houston over 2) New Orleans

Conference Finals
1) LA Lakers over 3) Houston

NBA FINALS

LA Lakers over Boston

Coming next, the Denver Stiffs' Nuggets Season Preview...

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How would rank the teams using your formula?

I think it's only fair that the top 16 teams be awarded a playoff berth.

by joelsopinion on Oct 22, 2008 8:50 AM MDT reply actions

I don't see the Nuggets finishing 8th again. I think this team will either get it together and excel or completely fall apart. They could finish 4th or 5th if everyone plays together and we suffer no major injuries. We definitely have the talent to finish in the top four/five in the conference. If the Nuggets can play well over the first two to three months, management should keep the team together. If they don't play well, we could see this team blown apart at the trade deadline and you can kiss that 8th seed good-bye. I just can't imagine that management will allow this team to dangle around the 8th seed again for the whole season.

by Anonymous on Oct 22, 2008 10:59 AM MDT reply actions

Total tangent here, but where's our boy D Starnes? ...of local commercial fame. Anyone else notice he's in that commercial about one of the ballot issues? Niiice!

by Eric K on Oct 22, 2008 2:26 PM MDT reply actions

The playoff re-seeding proposal would work, but only if the NBA retools its regular season schedule so that there isn't an imbalance between gamed played against conference and non-conference teams (and division and non-division teams). The chief argument for splitting the conferences in seeding is that it is reflective of the level of regular season competition. Hypothetically, a team with a subpar record could play in a division that is tougher than a team with a higher winning percentage that has 5-10 "freebies" on their schedule playing bad teams. This has come up in baseball, particularly in the NL East, which often has the low winning percentage from its division champion, but overall consistent teams throughout the division. To place teams by winning percentage you'd need to make sure they are all playing identical schedules. However, if that were the case it would put some teams (teams on either coast, for example) at a disadvantage with additional travel. Regardless, the NBA playoff system is not meant to function as a strict meritocracy, but is instead structured to guaranteed a geographic split between the two teams in the Finals. With your pan-conference system there could be a Finals between the Mavs/Rockets, Lakers/Clippers, or Nets/Knicks (ha ha). Basically, the idea sounds good on the surface, but it is problematic for the NBA on a number of levels.

by rauf is on fire on Oct 22, 2008 10:53 PM MDT reply actions

God the Lakers are over-rated. Everyone's saying they are gonna beat the Celts, including NBA GM's, but based on what? Andrew Bynum's return? Puh-lease. Most overrated player in the game.

by Jack on Oct 23, 2008 3:02 AM MDT reply actions

I agree with Jack. What did the big soft-serve front line do in the off-season to toughen up? Unless they spent the summer at UFC fighting camps, I don't see them being that much better just because they have a largely unproven Bynum back to start the season. And BTW, lets see where he's at at the end of the season. Show me something first kid! Show me you can make it thru a season and regularly produce.

by Eric K on Oct 23, 2008 8:26 AM MDT reply actions

10 "Experts" on ESPN predict Nuggets will finish 9-11 in the conference. Not one of them picks them to finish in the top 8. That is crazy.

by Anonymous on Oct 23, 2008 11:46 AM MDT reply actions

"I like . . . a defensive attitude early in the game," said Karl, who also wants to retain Linas Kleiza and J.R. Smith in regular bench roles.

Can we change this site back to firegeorgekarl.com???

by Si on Oct 24, 2008 2:16 AM MDT reply actions

i think it's totally too early to say about the postseason.
i would like to see nuggets climb up a little bit and stay in playoffs a little longer.......if AI is still there at the end of the April 2009

by Anonymous on Oct 24, 2008 9:46 AM MDT reply actions

I'm still laughing that you have the Hawks in the playoffs. I'll be at the home opener against Philly. In typical Hawks fashion it's not even close to a sell-out. So much for building on last year's playoff "run".

Celtics over Rockets. Yao and Sampson to form the new Twin Towers.

by Go Hoos on Oct 24, 2008 11:40 AM MDT reply actions

I couldn't agree more with Jack about the Lakers. The one thing I can't stand about the NBA is the Laker hype. The Celtics not only beat the Lakers in 6 games but completely stomped them out in the final game. And on top of that Paul Pierce totally outplayed Kobe who dissapeared the entire series. Now what would make me belive that this year is going to be any different? Because Bynum is back? Who? Andrew Bynum, who's most memorable moment in the NBA thus far has been when he pushed Shaq when he returned to L.A. You have got to be kidding me? Anyways, this is how I see it. The Rockets and Lakers in the West with the Rockets comming out on top and in the East the Cavs and Celtics with the Celtics comming out on top. The eventual NBA champions will be the Houston Rockets.

by Goldennugget on Oct 26, 2008 6:38 PM MDT reply actions

Ron Artest is a head case and the Rockets won't make it out of the first round.

by Anonymous on Oct 27, 2008 9:49 AM MDT reply actions

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STIFF LIST (as of 2/7 by Andrew Feinstein)

1. THE NUGGETS AT HOME
How is it possible that a Nuggets team with this much talent can be 7-5 at home?! Things have gotten so bad that fans are clamoring for J.R. Smith to return.

2. CARMELO ANTHONY
Kobe Bryant plays through any and all ailments. Melo uses any and ailments as an excuse not to play.

3. KEVIN LOVE
Just when the T'Wolves are looking better, Love stomps on Luis Scola and lands himself a two-game suspension.

4. CHARLOTTE BOBCATS
The 'Cats have lost 11 straight and are now 3-21 ... in the Eastern Conference! This is what happens when you let an underwear salesman with a Hitler mustache run your team.

5. MIKE BROWN
Dr. Bunsen Honeydew (Google it!) got himself a one-game suspension for making contact with a referee.

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