The NBA is changing the way teams are seeded in the postseason, looking to avoid the controversy that surrounded last season's playoffs.
Under the change, the top four seeds -- the three division winners and the second-place team with the best record -- will be seeded according to their win-loss total, guaranteeing that the top two teams in each conference can't meet until the conference finals, the league announced Wednesday.
''I think it's a tweak, is what I'd call it, and it's probably a good one,'' said Jerry Colangelo, the former chairman of the league's Board of Governors. ''Ultimately you want your best teams, the teams who have worked all season to put themselves in a position based on their records, to be seeded accordingly.''
The NBA had given the top three seeds to division winners regardless of record, meaning a second-place team could not do better than the No. 4 seed, even if it had a better record than a division champion.
http://www.knicksonline.com/teaser/5351/nba-changes-seeding-format-for-playoffs.htmlUnder the change, the top four seeds -- the three division winners and the second-place team with the best record -- will be seeded according to their win-loss total, guaranteeing that the top two teams in each conference can't meet until the conference finals, the league announced Wednesday.
''I think it's a tweak, is what I'd call it, and it's probably a good one,'' said Jerry Colangelo, the former chairman of the league's Board of Governors. ''Ultimately you want your best teams, the teams who have worked all season to put themselves in a position based on their records, to be seeded accordingly.''
The NBA had given the top three seeds to division winners regardless of record, meaning a second-place team could not do better than the No. 4 seed, even if it had a better record than a division champion.