NBA Commish says league considering adding a midseason tournament

[WoodysGirl]

 

[JoeyBoy718]

I saw this the other day and was gonna ask what it means. I don't follow soccer. What the heck is a midseason tournament? And I can't imagine how teams could win another kind of "championship." Makes it seem unfair. For example, LeBron can tie Jordan's 6 titles in just 2 more years if he could win 2 titles per year. I don't get it. Maybe someone who follows soccer can explain how it works.

 

[WoodysGirl]

I saw this the other day and was gonna ask what it means. I don't follow soccer. What the heck is a midseason tournament? And I can't imagine how teams could win another kind of "championship." Makes it seem unfair. For example, LeBron can tie Jordan's 6 titles in just 2 more years if he could win 2 titles per year. I don't get it. Maybe someone who follows soccer can explain how it works.

Just reading the tweets, it sounds like it would be a separate tourney and just provide interest in a long season and the end of season playoff tournament would still be the only tourney that counts towards the title count.

Haven't read anything re: details, but that seems the most likely scenario.

 

[Future]

It works in soccer because the schedules are a lot less taxing. Idk how a team could fit in a bunch of extra games, and I can't see why players would want to get involved in a tournament that means absolutely zilch.

 

[bounce]

Well that's a terrible idea.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

Well that's a terrible idea.

While I do agree that this is a terrible idea, I just want to point out that at some point, people thought it was a terrible idea to form the dream team

 

[bounce]

While I do agree that this is a terrible idea, I just want to point out that at some point, people thought it was a terrible idea to form the dream team

Oh, terrible ideas still have a way of happening sometimes.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

I'm not sure how successful it would be long term, but short term, an 8 man 1 on 1 tournament during all star weekend would be a great idea IF you can get the top players to participate.

 

[casmith07]

mid-season, or do they mean offseason?

If they're talking about hosting something during the off-season like the FIBAs, but kind of like CONCACAF, that would be a good idea.

If they're talking about some weird mid-season tournament that has no bearing on anything else, it's a horrific idea.

 

[jterrell]

I love the idea.

It would entail reducing the regular season game total and adding some meaningful sports to the dead period that is after the Super Bowl.

The NBA All-Star game is a total waste of time.
A real tourney with real rewards would be far more appealing.
A single elimination tourney would draw far more revenue than a regular NBA game and the winners could be awarded a guaranteed playoff spot, cash or other enticements to add value.

This tourney would draw eyes that right now only tune in for the NBA playoffs. It would probably be a good rest for most players in the middle of the season and a huge boon for fans.

 

[JoeyBoy718]

I love the idea.

It would entail reducing the regular season game total and adding some meaningful sports to the dead period that is after the Super Bowl.

The NBA All-Star game is a total waste of time.
A real tourney with real rewards would be far more appealing.
A single elimination tourney would draw far more revenue than a regular NBA game and the winners could be awarded a guaranteed playoff spot, cash or other enticements to add value.

This tourney would draw eyes that right now only tune in for the NBA playoffs. It would probably be a good rest for most players in the middle of the season and a huge boon for fans.

I don't see that as much reward. If you can win a tournament out of all 30 teams in the league, you were going to make the playoffs regardless.

 

[bounce]

I'm not sure how successful it would be long term, but short term, an 8 man 1 on 1 tournament during all star weekend would be a great idea IF you can get the top players to participate.

I'd love to see it as a fan, but WAY too much risk injury for anyone to ever agree to that. I'm not sure the teams would allow it.

 

[jterrell]

I don't see that as much reward. If you can win a tournament out of all 30 teams in the league, you were going to make the playoffs regardless.

I think you'd want to add more reward but that is a start and it would make sure a lot of teams played hard and tried to win. For half the teams in the league playing well in that tourney would give them a shot at a playoff birth.

Idea is to make it meaningful basketball with a lot of eyeballs tuned in.
Anything that makes money, makes sense.

 

[jterrell]

I'd love to see it as a fan, but WAY too much risk injury for anyone to ever agree to that. I'm not sure the teams would allow it.

top players arent going to play 1 v1 because of risk of losing and being downgraded in fans eyes.
most of the best 1 v1 players in the world don't even play in the NBA.
NBA players have been schooled at Rucker Park and other places 1v1 many times.

 

[bounce]

top players arent going to play 1 v1 because of risk of losing and being downgraded in fans eyes.
most of the best 1 v1 players in the world don't even play in the NBA.
NBA players have been schooled at Rucker Park and other places 1v1 many times.

That's definitely a hurdle, also. These guys have way too much pride to risk losing like that. I just don't see teams ever green-lighting with their 20M asset out there. The all-star game is so half assed, that there's not a whole lot of injury risk there.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

I'd love to see it as a fan, but WAY too much risk injury for anyone to ever agree to that. I'm not sure the teams would allow it.

No more risk than the all star game

 

[casmith07]

I love the idea.

It would entail reducing the regular season game total and adding some meaningful sports to the dead period that is after the Super Bowl.

The NBA All-Star game is a total waste of time.
A real tourney with real rewards would be far more appealing.
A single elimination tourney would draw far more revenue than a regular NBA game and the winners could be awarded a guaranteed playoff spot, cash or other enticements to add value.

This tourney would draw eyes that right now only tune in for the NBA playoffs. It would probably be a good rest for most players in the middle of the season and a huge boon for fans.

Going to have to disagree. But what they do need to do is re-vamp the All-Star Weekend. Stop making it a celebrity show where celebs and rappers and other music artists hang out court side and open it up to the fans more. Bring in more kids -- maybe host a youth championship game where the top youth teams (non-AAU, sorry jterrell lol) compete to play on national TV?

They need to do something to keep expanding the team concept of the game and get away from the Iverson-era of individualistic basketball.

I do like the idea of the Celebrity All-Star Game too, because it's fun to see how good (and terrible) some of them are...but they should let the fans vote on who plays. And I would like to see an Alumni Game where retired vets come out and play a game.

Past, Present, Future weekend. Alumni Game, All-Star Game, and NBA Youth Championship. Add in one night of the slam dunk contest, three point shootout, and skills competition and call it good.

Oh, and the slam dunk contest? Want to know how to fix it? Just dunk the basketball. Stop with all the sponsorship and theatrics and props and ********. Just go back like old school - pure athleticism.

I DO however agree with shortening the season. The best NBA season in years was the lockout-shortened season. Convert 20 games into pre-season games, play 66 or 68 regular season games and the regular season will be a lot more meaningful. You won't be able to ball-slap it around until the All-Star Break and then decide you want to play basketball. Teams could basically be eliminated by the break, and that adds a sense of urgency.

Do the Americas basketball tournament during the lull (i.e., now) between football and basketball CONCACAF style. There are good teams that would give us a run for our money too - Brazil, Argentina, Puerto Rico. Even Canada would try to get in on it. Move it around to different cities, especially NBA-less cities each year or every other year.

You could even do an International All-Star Invitational, where it's USA vs. The World. Have the game in a high school or college gym somewhere in a small town.

 

[jterrell]

Going to have to disagree. But what they do need to do is re-vamp the All-Star Weekend. Stop making it a celebrity show where celebs and rappers and other music artists hang out court side and open it up to the fans more. Bring in more kids -- maybe host a youth championship game where the top youth teams (non-AAU, sorry jterrell lol) compete to play on national TV?

They need to do something to keep expanding the team concept of the game and get away from the Iverson-era of individualistic basketball.

I do like the idea of the Celebrity All-Star Game too, because it's fun to see how good (and terrible) some of them are...but they should let the fans vote on who plays. And I would like to see an Alumni Game where retired vets come out and play a game.

Past, Present, Future weekend. Alumni Game, All-Star Game, and NBA Youth Championship. Add in one night of the slam dunk contest, three point shootout, and skills competition and call it good.

Oh, and the slam dunk contest? Want to know how to fix it? Just dunk the basketball. Stop with all the sponsorship and theatrics and props and bull****. Just go back like old school - pure athleticism.

I DO however agree with shortening the season. The best NBA season in years was the lockout-shortened season. Convert 20 games into pre-season games, play 66 or 68 regular season games and the regular season will be a lot more meaningful. You won't be able to ball-slap it around until the All-Star Break and then decide you want to play basketball. Teams could basically be eliminated by the break, and that adds a sense of urgency.

Do the Americas basketball tournament during the lull (i.e., now) between football and basketball CONCACAF style. There are good teams that would give us a run for our money too - Brazil, Argentina, Puerto Rico. Even Canada would try to get in on it. Move it around to different cities, especially NBA-less cities each year or every other year.

You could even do an International All-Star Invitational, where it's USA vs. The World. Have the game in a high school or college gym somewhere in a small town.

To me the best way to make it real is just that... make it real basketball.

Mid-season tourneys work great in high school and other places.

It isn't the ultimate goal but teams will play hard with a very real and tangible goal.

Definitely more interesting to me than seeing 82 regular season games or the All-Star stuff that I no longer even watch.

Less games, more risk, more money, more meaningful for fans... it really is no lose.
Could host WNBA version in the same buildings on same days to help draw a few eyes to that.

 

[Rogah]

This is a stupid idea. If anything the "winner" of the mid-season tourney would be ridiculed at the end of the year unless they won the whole thing.

"Yeah, we won the NBA Finals!! But uh congratulations on that midseason trophy ya got yourselves there! LOL"

 

[bounce]

No more risk than the all star game

I'd say much more. There's not a lick of defense played in the all-star game. They go half speed and don't care about anything but highlight reel plays. Yeah, they COULD come down on an ankle if anyone was within five feet of them. A 1-1 game is closed-quarters all out game for bragging rights. I imagine these guys would go much harder, like jterrell said.