The NBA Playoffs
The NBA is well aware of the possibility that fans will view the 2020 champion with an asterisk. It’s a possibility that the NBA will try to avoid, and is one that will be determined by what playoff format they use to crown that champion.
The potential of a gimmicky playoff format is why I’m not in favor of the play in tournament or the world cup format ideas that have been frequently mentioned lately. I’m all for implementing change, but these formats lend themselves to a system that devalues the regular season even further and expands an already bloated field of playoff teams.
*Unless* – they make the change permanent.
If this is the year we look back on and say “hey remember that weird pandemic season where the NBA did that random world cup format in Orlando?” then this season will have been a gimmick. But if this becomes the new playoff format for years to come, then this season’s champion will be every bit as valid as any other.
If the NBA wants to go with one of these more outside of the box strategies, I won’t have a problem with it. In fact, at this point they could put every player in a Jimmy Livingston-esque bubble and I’d still watch every second of it. We’re desperate out here so we’ll take what we can get. But if they want people to respect their champ, they need to be prepared to implement whatever format they use as the new normal.
To me, the best format for crowning a legitimate champion is to bring the 16 teams currently in the playoffs to Orlando and seed them 1-16 regardless of conference. This format allows the NBA to show that the first 63-67 games that these teams played mattered, and also gives them a chance to experiment with a conference-less postseason while only keeping the number of teams in Orlando to a minimum. This season is a great opportunity to experiment, but perfection can’t be the enemy of progress.
Whatever format the NBA decides on to crown a champion, they better be comfortable with using it for the long term. Take too big of a risk, and the worst fear of putting an asterisk next to this season becomes a reality. Play it safe, and you lose the best opportunity you’ll ever have to implement playoff changes.