Which 1st round format is better?

[Izzie]

I, for one, totally miss the Best-of-5 series format

 

The Best-of-7 is tooo long for a first round. It's dragged out, I mean we have to watch 2 weeks just to see who gets to the second round. It's boring, I wanna see the interesting matchups, the down to the wire games not the blowouts and not the dominant lower seeds. For example, we all know the Pacers are gonna go on to the second round but noo we have to watch them beat down the Celtics for two weeks just to win 4 games. I think 3 games makes you worthy enough to go onto the 2nd round. It's way too much of a hassle for 2 home, 2 road, back home, back on the road, and back home just for just the first round. Get the bad teams out fast so we can get on with it. It'd be so much easier to be 2 home, 2 road, and then the deciding game back home. The best-of-7 is totally fine for the other rounds but it's way too long for a first round matchup. In my opinion anyway.

 

Let me know what ya think.

[nc marlin]

Five games, you get more upsets.

[Rebirth]

The best of 5. More upsets and it's shorter.

 

Sometimes the best of 7 helps a team. Example, last year, Pistons were down 3-1 and won 3 in a row to win the series against the Magic. Mavs-Blazers, Mavs were up 3-0 then the Blazers won 3 in a row. Unfortunately, the Blazers didn't win game 7. But I still like the Best of 5 better.

[Admin]

I prefer the best of 5 for the reasons already stated.

[MVPosey]

best of 5. All the rounds should be best of 5, since the playoffs go on way to long

[rferry]

I don't expect more first round upsets with a best of five, because 2-7 or 1-8 and even 3-6 upsets are so uncommon. The seven game series just stretches out what is already a boring first round and just isn't the right way to kick off the postseason.

[MVPosey]

i just hope baseball doesn't expand the playoffs to 4 rounds, although they will eventually

[Izzie]

Sometimes the best of 7 helps a team. Example, last year, Pistons were down 3-1 and won 3 in a row to win the series against the Magic. Mavs-Blazers, Mavs were up 3-0 then the Blazers won 3 in a row. Unfortunately, the Blazers didn't win game 7. But I still like the Best of 5 better.

That's true but I'm sure that the Pistons (for example) wouldn't have allowed the Magic to win that 3rd game as easily if they knew their season was on the line because you have a whole different approach when you're looking at 5 games or 7 games.

[Guest Juanky]

i just hope baseball doesn't expand the playoffs to 4 rounds, although they will eventually

I don't think so. As long as the team number keeps steady like it is now we will stay at 8 playoff teams, which in reality is the way to.

 

Basketball just can't have seven game series all way through. The teams are too lobsided. Hockey can pull it off because games are decided by one little mistake, and their playoffs as a whole as so exciting because even teams that are apparently overmatched can put up a good game because goals are harder to come by in the playoffs. Baseball could pull it off for essentially the same reason, the lack of runs for the most part in the playoffs, but I'm glad they don't because it makes things more exciting. Besides rarely are first round matchups that exciting anyways. Five games helps us get to the good stuff faster. And in basketball the second round is pretty crappy too, but w/e that's irrelevent here.

[Izzie]

It was probably only expanded to 7 games because of $$$$. More games = more tickets to be sold = more revenue sales.

[Rebirth]

Yeah, more money. It makes Stern happy. Only 1 series from the 2003 NBA Playoffs didn't go 6 games or more.

[Shaq-Man]

i should like 7 games because its more games, but the way they're doing it this year is really infuriating. i can't wait 3 days between games... this is like delayed gratification.

 

i say keep 7 games but make it more compact.

[Izzie]

Well the thing with that is that they can't have like 4-5 games every day (except weekends) because then only 2 of those are gonna be on tv or they're all gonna be on different channels and then you won't be able to watch all of them either.

[Rebirth]

7 Game Series = More games on TV but it takes too long to finish...2 weeks is just ridiculous

 

5 Games Series = More upsets and it takes a shorter peroid to end

[Izzie]

I don't even really think that Best of 5 necessarily means more upsets because all the lower seed team aren't winning anyway. Best of 5 just basically means the better teams get the job done quicker and we can all move on.

[Rebirth]

Last year, we would have gotten one. Magic were up 3-1...if the NBA didn't apply Best of 7 rule. Magic would have became the 3rd team 8th seeded in history to advance. The Mavs finally advance to semifinals in 2001...winning the series against the Jazz 3-2.

[Izzie]

IMO you can't look at it like that realflava. Because like I said earlier, when you're in a best of 5, your approach is a lot different so if the Pistons knew that if the Magic would win that 3rd game then it's over for them, I'm sure they would have not let them win that (or not easily anyway) but since they knew you had to win 4 instead of 3, that they still had a chance to catch back up.

[Rebirth]

IMO you can't look at it like that realflava. Because like I said earlier, when you're in a best of 5, your approach is a lot different so if the Pistons knew that if the Magic would win that 3rd game then it's over for them, I'm sure they would have not let them win that (or not easily anyway) but since they knew you had to win 4 instead of 3, that they still had a chance to catch back up.

You're right. I would like to see atleast one upset during the playoffs and it's most likely to happen with a Best of 5 series. With the best of the 7, it won't happen anything soon. I do agree with you though.

[The Mike Mordecai Experien]

Best of 5.

Now the 1st round takes forever and there is no chance of a huge upset.

[Das Texan]

it was all about money.

 

 

 

and i still find it odd....

 

 

this best of 7 was instituted for the first round around march last year.

 

 

the same time the Lakers were in 6th place and I truly believe that had a lot to do with it being announced at that time.

 

Best of 7 series tend to have the best team win.

 

Best of 5 is where homecourt really matters.

[catchoftheday]

best of five because it involves less yawning

[AJB34]

all i have to say is, the NBA doesnt exaggerate when they say post-SEASON

 

 

its rediculous, they should call it the NBA marathon. whoever wins the championships is gonna get 2 weeks of rest before preparation for next season starts