In the last few years, the NBA has continued to make alterations to the game to help better improve the product around the league.
One of the most discussed possibilities is a change to the playoff format centered around including the best 16 teams in the league rather than taking the top eight teams from each conference. According to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Dwyane Wade believe that this alteration will eventually happen and that it will benefit the league greatly.
“I’m waiting for that day when it’s going to happen,” Wade said Thursday afternoon. “It’s all about evolution, not only in the game of basketball but in life. And everybody always obviously has something to say about when it’s a change and give their different reasons why it shouldn’t change, but it’s needed.”
“I just know that the West has always been great, since I’ve been in the NBA it’s always great basketball,” Wade said. “But at the end of the day they always don’t win the championship either. I know that they’re very good and they’re very good this year. But, I’ve been in the league a couple years and they haven’t won it every year, so I think the East has held its own from that standpoint. Maybe not in the All-Star game, so much, but definitely when it comes to the Finals the East has held its own for the most part.”
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The only big concern at this point is the logistics of it all as this could lead to long-distance traveling for teams to endure in the process. This could become quite physically wearing on the players and impact the product on the floor.
However, that issue could be alleviated with the league spacing out the games in each playoff series to better accommodate the players. This would provide teams will proper rest and preparation for each game in the postseason.
With the NBA continuing to make changes in each offseason, it may be just a matter of time before the league office implements this new format.
