Stern commented that if the NBA expands to 30 teams (going back to Charlotte – don’t get me started there) that he wants to radically realign – moving to 6 divisions. Click Here
I have zero problem with realignment. Most of the time, the divisions/conferences are so goofy it makes your head spin. I pity the poor kid who learned geography from the National Football League.
So I just decided to jot things down and see if I could figure out a possible alignment. This is using 6 divisions and assuming that Charlotte is the team. --------------------------------
Larry Bird Conference
East Boston Celtics New Jersey Nets New York Knicks Philadelphia 76ers Toronto Raptors
Central Chicago Bulls Cleveland Cavilers Detroit Pistons Indiana Pacers Milwaukee Bucks
South Atlanta Hawks Charlotte Sterns Miami Heat Orlando Magic Washington Wizards
Magic Johnson Conference Texas Dallas Mavericks Houston Rockets Memphis Grizzles New Orleans Hornets San Antonio Spurs
California Golden State Warriors L.A. Clippers L.A. Lakers Phoenix Suns Sacramento Kings
- I hated moving Washington from the East but Toronto fits better in the “East” than the Wizards. Plus, the precedent has been set for Washington to be in the “South” (see the NHL). Its not like they won’t play teams like the Knicks the same amount anyway.
- Minnesota gets screwed again. The T-Wolves have been lobbying to move into the current Eastern Conference. That ain’t going to happen here. I chose them to go to the “Other” division over Milwaukee based on Milwaukee being more centrally located to all the other teams in that division.
- I’m think that if for some reason the expansion team goes to St. Louis are back into Canada – then the better solution might be 8 divisions. Because here – I really only see one awkward team.
- I would assume that the playoffs would stay 8 teams from each conference. Division winners get the Top 3 seeds. Next 6 based on record. Playoffs still take 3 months to play.
Enough rambling from me - considering I really hate the NBA right now. Phil
Obviously, you can't make it work perfectly, but I am wondering if there is some way to get Washington out of the South by moving Toronto out of the East and then ..... ah, geez, I can't do this. Your others category kind mucks up the whole works, too. I don't think 6 divisions can be logically done by geography, but I think your effort is pretty damn admirable.
And I do like your conference names. That would be sweet.
He's Rolie Polie Olie - and in his world of curves and curls, he's the swellest kid around.
From the desk of Swordsman Yen Yen's Proposed Realignment
RUSSELL CONFERENCE
Eastern Division ---------------- New York Philadelphia Boston Miami Charlotte
Central Division ---------------- Chicago Milwaukee Detroit Minnesota Indiana
Western Division ---------------- Houston LA Clippers Golden State Utah Seattle
CHAMBERLAIN CONFERENCE
Eastern Division ---------------- Atlanta New Jersey Orlando Toronto Washington
Central Division ---------------- Memphis New Orleans San Antonio Dallas Cleveland
Western Division ---------------- LA Lakers Sacramento Portland Phoenix Denver
Each team plays everybody in their division 6 times, everybody in the same division but opposite conference 4 times, and everybody else twice, for a total of 84 games.
"I don't care what people think. People are stupid." -- Charles Barkley
You have to swap Seattle and Denver, I'd think. The Sonics and the Blazers would never go for any realignment that (1) takes the rivalry away from being 4 times a year and (2) increases travel by taking away their closest geographical rival.
"I figure that if we can manage to survive through a cross-country drive, marriage can't help but be a snap." - CRZ, the Last RAW Recap "A-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" - me
Yeah i would swap Portland with the Clippers, I can see the logic behind having an LA team in each conference (like Mets and Yankees in baseball) but i'd much rather see the Lakers and Clippers going at it 4 times a year. I think now that the Clippers are getting better it could become a good rivalry.
Originally posted by QuezzyYeah i would swap Portland with the Clippers, I can see the logic behind having an LA team in each conference (like Mets and Yankees in baseball) but i'd much rather see the Lakers and Clippers going at it 4 times a year. I think now that the Clippers are getting better it could become a good rivalry.
Yeah, but that means I'd have to watch the Lakers four times a year to see them play. Gotta take the bad with the good, I suppose.
Minnesota and Memphis are lobbying to join the Eastern Conference ostensibly because that's where they belong geographically, but let's not fool ourselves, OK? The Timberwolves figure if they get into the East, they'll destroy everybody there and get to the NBA Finals, while the Grizzlies figure they'll make the playoffs at the very least.
It's because of the perception (which I still feel is unfair) that the East is waaaaaay inferior to the West. Well, whatever, but at least the Eastern Conference doesn't have a team (other than Cleveland) that's been buried at the bottom of a division for years upon years. (Warriors, Nuggets, Grizzlies, I'm looking at you.)
And besides... the Pacers beat the Timberwolves a couple nights ago, so HA!
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Originally posted by ekedolphinMinnesota and Memphis are lobbying to join the Eastern Conference ostensibly because that's where they belong geographically, but let's not fool ourselves, OK? The Timberwolves figure if they get into the East, they'll destroy everybody there and get to the NBA Finals, while the Grizzlies figure they'll make the playoffs at the very least.
It's because of the perception (which I still feel is unfair) that the East is waaaaaay inferior to the East. Well, whatever, but at least the Eastern Conference doesn't have a team (other than Cleveland) that's been buried at the bottom of a division for years upon years. (Warriors, Nuggets, Grizzlies, I'm looking at you.)
And besides... the Pacers beat the Timberwolves a couple nights ago, so HA!
do you mean that the East is inferior to the WEST?
probably
I think that the Nets are the only threat in the East, and my bullets are finally starting to win, and may finally earn the right to be called the Wizards.
side-note:
when the bullets changed their name, the consensus was that they will still suck and no matter what their name is, they will still play like the sucky bullets. What was the unoffical mark that they've made it to become the Wizards?
finishing above .537 (44-38), their record as their last year as the bullets 96-97.
what have they done since? 96-97 .537 44-18 (last bullet year, 4th in Atlantic out of 7 teams, 8th in east out of 15 teams, 13th overall out of 29 teams) 97-98 .512 42-40 (first Wizards year, 4th in Atlantic, 9th in East, 16th overall) 98-99 .360 18-32 (6th in Atlantic, besting last place nets, 13th in east, 24th overall) 99-00 .354 29-53 (last in Atlantic, 13th in east, 24th overall) 00-01 .232 19-63 (last in Atlantic, 14th in east, 27th overall) 01-02 .451 37-45 (5th in Atlantic, 10th in east, 19th overall) Today .571 4-3 (5th in Atlantic, 8th in east, tie for 12th overall w/Minnesota) granted, it's only 7 games into the season of 82, but they're on pace to go .598 49-33, truly earning the name Wizards...but I voted for Dragons, since the MCI Center is in Chinatown. Imangine the Chinese dragon cerimony before every game, that would have been cool! Firecrackers going off, the Dragon doing it's dance...
oh well, the DC officals thought it was to "KKK-ish"
no, that's the University of Alabama Dragons, that's KKK
Wrestling has been rhyming with ass. I miss shows and it makes me all shades of ambivalence. WWE is starting to suck again. The crops? Jeezum Spice! Someone stole my crops. What in the ham fat is going on. That's just poo-doo! That's just my 2.4856 Yen.
Originally posted by rikidozanI think that the Nets are the only threat in the East, and my bullets are finally starting to win, and may finally earn the right to be called the Wizards.
What about the Hornets? I don't get it either, but they allegedly could win it all (at least in the conference), from what I've heard. They may not have one ginormous superstar (Baron Davis hasn't hit "Ginormous" stature yet), but they've got a bunch of good-to-great players. And their bench is finally NBA-caliber, rather than NBDL.
Originally posted by rikidozanside-note:
when the bullets changed their name, the consensus was that they will still suck and no matter what their name is, they will still play like the sucky bullets.
Coulda been worse. At least they aren't the Wiz. (ducks)
there's a local music store around here called Nothing Beats The Wiz. I always get a chuckle out of that.
i'm a home town team lover, but boy do i hate the bullets. it's because they would always find a way to blow a good lead, or just get flat out out-played.
Wrestling has been rhyming with ass. I miss shows and it makes me all shades of ambivalence. WWE is starting to suck again. The crops? Jeezum Spice! Someone stole my crops. What in the ham fat is going on. That's just poo-doo! That's just my 2.4856 Yen.
Here's my problem with teams like Minnesota wanting to move East: the NBA's balance of power won't stay that way forever. The West may be the better conference now, but who knows what might happen in a few years?
I was born in a manger, like that other guy. You know, he wore a hat?
Rikidozan, would having a .571 winning percentage through 7 games work out to a 47 win season over 82 games, not 49? Oh well, minor nitpicking. Anyway, they have gone 2-1 in the past few games, leading to a 6-4 record which works out ot be your 49 wins. So here's to ya.
Back to more on topic...I much prefer Swordsman Yen's realignment, in that it is more like baseball. I don't feel the need to group everyone geographically, so it's alwas East vs. West in the finals. We had Anaheim vs. Giants in the World Series, and my fellow East coast fans didn't mind (casual viewers did, but screw them). However, why 6 divisions? Why not 8, ala football? 16 playoff teams, 8 divisions, top 2 teams in each division make the playoffs. No more 6 from the Pacific and 2 from the Midwest crap. This would bring back division rivalry, which in turn will bring even more interest to the game. As a Boston fan growing up in the 80's, I remember the days of the Celtics having 2 major rivals: Philadelphia and the Lakers. Oh, and no one liked the Knicks, either. Now, the Celtics play a bunch of teams with no real rivalries or impetus to win *this* game. As long as they win 45-50 games so they can make the playoffs, it no longer matters against who. I know that the current setup was in effect back in the 80's, and it was the giant M.L Carr-era swoon that knocked Boston off the radar. But isn't it better for all teams to have strong divisional rivalries? I mean, do the Bucks or Minnesota have any rivals?
2 divisions would only have 3 teams. Remember, adding one team puts it up to 30 teams, not 32 - so if the top 2 teams make the playoffs, that third team either A) must severely suck or B) be victim to 2 really good teams.
You know, you would think that Milwaukee and Minnesota can develop some kind of geographical rivalry...
Outside of football (where the browns rank #2) I am a big Cleveland sports fan. And the Cavs really suck, so no one ever talks about them. But somebody has to give some props to Andre Miller.