What David Stern said at the game today

[OutletPass]

Old King David certainly gave the Mavs a lot of props while being interviewed on TV during the NJ/Boston blowout...but I thought it VERY interesting that he said that with the signing of the next CBA with the players' union, that is was VERY,VERY likely that the 1st round of the playoffs will become a 7 game series instead of 5.

I'll put aside the fact that it's just about the money, but I'm wondering what kind of impact it will have on the top seeds.

At first glance, it looks like fewer first round "upsets" to me.

[LRB]

OP: IMO the Mavs would have still have been Utah in a 7 game series. I believe that we were a better team than they were, though not by very much. It could have gone either way, but I do feel that we were the best team.

I do think that increasing the 1st round from a 5 game series to a 7 game series will elimninate many of the 8th and 7th seed upsets. I don't think it will have as much effect on 6th and 5th seed upsets because these teams are usually much closer matched, though you will probably see some difference in 6th seed upsets.

I do think that you will see more upsets in later rounds becuse there will be more chance of injury. A 7 game series is much more brutal on average than a 5 game series. I don't think you will see as many top seeds go 4-0 as currently go 3-0. Just too hard to beat any playoff team 4 times in a row including twice in a row at home. It will be done, but not at near the percentage as with the 5 game series. I think that we will see a dramatic rise in injuries in the playoffs. It will be interesting to see if any changes are made for use of moving players in and out of the injury list in the playoffs. Look how many key injuries the Mavs and Kings have had in the 1st 14 games of the season. If these 2 teams would meet in the conference finals, which is a distict possibility, having played the max # games under the new 7 games series rule, it could be quite possible that neither team could field the healthy minimum number of bodies to play a regulation NBA game without using the injury list.

All in all, I think going to a 7 game series without some sort of extra reserve of players for injuries will significantly reduce the caliber of play through injury and fatigue. It will also make it that much harder for teams to play deep into the playoffs year after year. those extra games will really start to add up.

Again this is just my opinion, but I feel that short term this will be a great move financial wise. But long term I think it will be a very poor financial move. You will see star players playing fewer years, poorer play, and therefore poorer ratings late into the championship rounds.

If King David wants to do this plan and add more playoff games and have it work I would do 2 things.

1) Cutback on regular season games by at least 4. Use the reduced games to lessen the number of back-to-back games for teams.

2) Use same rules for placing and taking players off injured list in playoffs as in regular season.

[nowitzki_prophecy]

exactly,it means there will be much less upsets,the place you ended up in the regular will most likely be showen on the playoff tree.
frankly,i dont like it,i think it should remain best of five cause than you still have energy for the big games,and the quarter would'nt be so draining.

[Chiwas]

He is killing the golden eggs' hen.

[dude1394]

Good for him, I hate 5 game series. Hopefully he WILL remove some regular season games and get the 5 game series games much closer, way too much time off.