yes, the better teams winning and creating better matchups in the later rounds is terrible and a good reason to hate the sport.
The first round this year was the most boring one in years. Not many games in OT or even close for that matter, all the series (except MWK & ATL) were over in less than 7 games. I hope the next round is better...
Chris_in_pdx- The Warriors beating the Mavs was one of the greatest upsets in the history of sports. Going into the series, the Mavs had won 67 of their previous 78 games, the best run since the Bulls in 96. The Mavs had the MVP and were the favorite to win the championship. The Mavs were healthy and that the Warriors won in 6 games was amazing. Other upsets since 1994- the 6th seeded Rockets winning four rounds without homecourt advantage including a sweep of the #1 seeded Magic to win the 1995 NBA Championship. The 8th seeded Knicks reaching the Finals in 99. The Pistons beating 4 Hall Of Famers in the 2004 Finals in 5 games. And the 52 win Heat coming back from an 0-2 deficit and a 13 point deficit in Game 3 with 5 minutes left to beating the Mavs in 6 games in the 2006 NBA Finals.
I don't consider hockey a major sport because it is touting its "huge" increase in TV ratings for the playoffs. From a 0.4 last year to a 0.7 this year! Look out NBA, here comes hockey! Hockey is not a major US sport anymore. It's a niche sport, just like MLS. This doesn't mean I don't like hockey; it does mean that very few other people like it with me.
FWIW, I think Hockey has a $40M salary cap with a max salary of $8M. So 1/2 as big as the NBA, roughly, by that measure? I mean, revenues are a pretty big deal.
Exactly. This is why it all comes down to money. A seven game series naturally produces more revenues, but unfortunately like you said results in less upsets. Furthermore in a five game series you see less favoritism by the Refs because they know each single game is more important.
...because each game is that much more important. In a seven game series the ref's don't have as much pressure to call each game equally because the games are less meaningful because there are more second chances. Blame one on the Ref's in a five game and it destroys the series. Blame one on the Ref's in a seven game series and the extra two games cover up the favoritism that killed the underdogs momentum. Underdog's succeed when they are able to strike first and catch the other team off guard... I understand why the NBA went to 7 games series's ($$$), but I think it has really hurt the drama of the game.
This is a fuckin' AWESOME idea for a thread. Wish I would have thought of it. Oh that's right... I did http://sportstwo.com/threads/156793-The-worst-thing-about-the-NBA.... You even posted in it you weirdo
i guess i can see that. less unintentional favoritism because each game means more so they are trying to not screw things up. i thought you were talking in terms of the league trying to influence games in which i think less games would make it happen more often(if you think it's happening at all) as it would be more important for them to determine the outcome of each games.
